There is a longstanding restriction payload for supervised iOS devices that disables "Erase All Content and Settings." We have been experimenting with supervised watches paired with supervised phones that have that payload applied, and yet "Erase All Content and Settings" remains available on the watch. Is this: – a) An error with our payload? Should we be sending something else? – b) A bug in watchOS supervision? – c) A deliberate design choice? If so, what is the rationale for preventing organizations from maintaining this very basic level of control over devices they may be configuring and dispatching into the field?

When using the SoftwareUpdateEnforcementSpecific to target an update to iPad OS 18.7.1, will the update be triggered to be downloaded immediately after the iPad has an active Internet connectivity? Or, if the SoftwareUpdateSettingsAutomaticActionsObject download string is set to AlwaysOff, will this mean that the update enforced will not start downloading automatically, but only when the user decides? I am trying to understand how these two can be combined together or if they work independently, as while trying to enforce a specific version, we need to eliminate the possibility to download an iPad OS version using cellular data, as our devices have an eSIM installed and the cost of using that for the iOS updates will be quite high. Maybe there is a setting to only allow the iOS updates to be downloaded via Wi-Fi. Thanks!

I encounter a connection error with Apple Configurator v2.18 when, after making changes in macOS Sequel 15.6.1, I want to apply and transfer the changes to the iPhone icon layout in iOS 26: Apple Configurator v2.18 crashes and returns an error message: ‘Try the operation again. If it fails, quit the application, launch it again, and try again. [NSCocoaErrorDomain – 0x1001 (4097)]’ I have done some research, and it seems that this bug has been identified and fixed in Apple Configurator 2 v2.19 (Build 10434). Have you encountered this problem? Do you know where to find version v2.19? This fixed version does not appear to have been released yet, and Apple support has been unable to help me. Thank you all for your help.

Hi everyone, I want to enable Single App Mode (SAM) for my custom app that’s installed on the device. However, my device is not supervised. Is there any way to: Enable Single App Mode without supervising the device? Any guidance or workaround would be appreciated. Thanks, Arnab Lahiri

Dear Apple Developer Team, Following the rollout of iOS 26.x and the introduction of the iPhone 17, we have identified a critical issue affecting Mobile Device Management (MDM) enrolment and restore operations. The issue appears to stem from the Device Management Profile configuration 'do_not_use_profile_from_backup' within Apple Business Manager (ABM), which currently defaults to False. This setting should be modified to True to ensure proper functionality. When the profile remains set to False, organisations leveraging MDM encounter repeated failures during device backup and restore operations. Specifically, restoring a supervised or managed device triggers a persistent MDM registration loop, effectively preventing deployment of iPhone 17 devices in managed environments. We recommend that Apple review and adjust the default Device Management Profile property within ABM to address this issue and restore full MDM compatibility for iOS 26.x and later.

Platform SSO not working on macos devices for zscaler application other app like safari / chrome working well. Need help from apple expert on the same. Environment : IDP : Entra ID MDM : Omnissa Workspace one UEM platform : macOS

We are managing VPP license switching operations using Apple's VPP Manage Licenses API. License information is managed by matching the “clientUserIdStr” data with the VPP account ID information managed on the server side. We received an inquiry stating that a VPP license did not activate despite the activation process being performed. Upon checking the API results, the update API returned a success status during execution. However, the “clientUserIdStr” information was missing from the license information field in the response of the information retrieval API. We kindly request your guidance on the reason why the “clientUserIdStr” information is missing when retrieving license information, and the steps to ensure this information is reliably returned. VPPAccoountId:0123456789abcdef0123456789abcdef adamIdStr:521974902 *Some details have been altered from the actual data to protect personal information.

I'm are attempting to use the device management migration feature in Apple Business Manager / Apple School Manager (for devices running iOS 26 / iPadOS 26) to re-assign managed devices from one MDM server to another. We followed the published procedure (select device(s) → Assign Device Management → Set deadline → Continue). However, we are observing that on the device side, no notification or prompt appears to the user (such as “Enrollment Required” or “Your organization requires this device to enroll in a different device management service”), even after the migration deadline has passed. Here are the environment details: Device OS version: (iOS 26.1) Device ownership: enrolled via Automated Device Enrollment MDM re-assignment in ABM: old MDM server（name: https://dev5.clomo.com/panel/mackey-dev/ ） → new MDM server (name: https://obliging-bunny-equally.ngrok-free.app/ ) Deadline set: (12/10/2025 12:00 AM) Network connectivity: confirmed online at deadline time We would like to know: Under what exact conditions will the device display the notification/prompt, and what common mis-configurations prevent it from appearing? Is there any device log or activity indicator in ABM/ASM to confirm that the migration instruction has been sent to the device? In cases where the prompt does not appear, what troubleshooting steps can we perform on the device (or in the MDM/ABM configuration) to correct it?

Hi Team, As per this documentation Handling NotNow Status Responses | Apple Developer Documentation, the last command that is delivered to the device on a connection should be the one that the device reported NotNow so that the device will automatically retry when it is ready to consume commands. Our question is it possible to have a fixed command which we can try at the end once all commands are tried and if device has reported NotNow for any of the commands. E.g. If there were 3 commands delivered to the device one by one SSO profile (com.apple.sso ) was delivered and device reported NotNow VPN profile (com.apple.vpn.managed) was delivered and the device reported NotNow DeviceInformation command was delivered and the device reported Acknowledged. As there were NotNow responses earlier, can we try a certificate profile(com.apple.security.pkcs1), with a dummy certificate payload, to ensure that the last command delivered to the device in this connection is responded with NotNow. Questions: Can we use a fixed command e.g. certificate profile(com.apple.security.pkcs1) as in above example to ensure the last command delivered to the device has NotNow response. Or is it better to try one of the commands which the device reported NotNow earlier. As in above example should we try the SSO or VPN profile at step 4 instead of the certificate profile? Following up to above, when a device reports NotNow for any profile installation command, can we say it will always report NotNow for certificate profile(com.apple.security.pkcs1) as well for all iOS and MacOS devices?

Hi everyone, We manage several macs through Microsoft Intune. We've deployed Platform SSO using the password based method (not the Secure Enclave) and have also enforced filevault encryption through policy. What we're trying to achieve is that multiple users can log into the same Mac. For example, I (the initial enrolling user) can log in without issues. However, we want a colleague to be able to log in as well if they're physically in front of the mac. The challenge we've run into is that once filevault is enabled (We're not sure about it but reading on forums it seems that the problem is filevault), it seems the network is not available at the login screen. This means that while the first user can create a mobile account and log in, a second user can't do the same. The moment we try to log in with another set of credentials, we get an immediate error and the password field shakes instantly, suggesting it's not even reaching out to the network or directory to validate the credentials. We'd like to confirm if this behavior is expected when FileVault is active and whether the only solution is to disable FileVault or if there are alternative solutions to allow network connectivity at the login screen. Essentially, we want to know if there's a way to let a second user log in without having to turn off disk encryption. Or if we can pre-authorize a set of users on the mac in order to create all the mobile account needed.. Thanks in advance! Thomas

I'm using Apple's MDM protocol InstalledApplicationListCommand to get information about installed apps. From iOS/iPadOS 26, the app information obtained by InstalledApplicationListCommand includes information on all apps including system apps (apps that come standard with iOS/iPadOS). https://developer.apple.com/documentation/devicemanagement/installed-application-list-command I want iOS/iPadOS26 to get the same information as the app information I get from the previous iOS/iPadOS, and I want to exclude system apps from the app information I get with the InstalledApplicationListCommand. As a way to exclude system apps, you can use the app ID I'm thinking of a way to exclude anything that starts with "com.apple" (the Identifier key value of the InstalledApplicationListResponse.InstalledApplicationListItem object). As a way to exclude system apps, please tell us whether the above method is appropriate and whether there will be any problems in the future.

Hello, I am building a Content Filter app for iOS and would like to get access to some information about network connections that are happening on the device. I managed to have the handle(_ report: NEFilterReport) method of my NEFilterControlProvider called, but the bytesOutboundCount and bytesInboundCount properties of the report are always 0. How can I have the real byte count of the connection ?

We have a WebContentFilter that has an AllowList with a couple of domains and a DenyList that includes www.apple.com. This works on iOS18.x but doesn't work in iOS26 as www.apple.com can be reached. https://support.apple.com/en-gb/guide/deployment/depc77c9609/web Indicates that .apple.com is always accessible but evidence seems to indicate this wasn't the case pre iOS26. An older version of this page https://web.archive.org/web/20220427202204/https://support.apple.com/en-gb/guide/deployment/depc77c9609/web has no mention of .apple.com although field names are also different. Has this change come about due to the filtering changes introduced in iOS26 and is there any way we can still block .apple.com going forward. Would a content plugin be an options ?

Steps to Reproduce Step 1: Fetch Initial Device List Called the device list endpoint to retrieve all devices and saved the cursor: GET https://mdmenrollment.apple.com/server/devices Step 2: Modify Devices Added and deleted several devices via https://business.apple.com/ Step 3: Sync Without Pagination Called the sync endpoint using the cursor from Step 1 (no limit): GET https://mdmenrollment.apple.com/devices/sync?cursor={step1_cursor} Result: Returned 3 device records as expected: { "devices": [ { "serial_number": "F70JJ4C16L", "op_type": "added", "op_date": "2025-12-11T07:05:05Z" }, { "serial_number": "F70JJ4C16L", "op_type": "deleted", "op_date": "2025-12-11T07:04:36Z" }, { "serial_number": "C8RWGXZXJWF5", "op_type": "deleted", "op_date": "2025-12-11T07:04:52Z" } ], "more_to_follow": false } Step 4: Sync With Pagination (First Page) Called the sync endpoint using the same cursor from Step 1 with limit=1: GET https://mdmenrollment.apple.com/devices/sync?cursor={step1_cursor}&limit=1 Result: Returned 1 record with more_to_follow: true — indicating more data exists: { "devices": [ { "serial_number": "F70JJ4C16L", "op_type": "added", "op_date": "2025-12-11T07:05:05Z" } ], "more_to_follow": true, "cursor": "MTowOjE3NjU0MzgyNDI5ODc6..." } Step 5: Sync With Pagination (Second Page) Called the sync endpoint using the cursor from Step 4 with limit=1: { "devices": [], "more_to_follow": false } Expected Behavior When paginating with limit=1, the API should return all 3 records across 3 sequential requests. Actual Behavior Without pagination: Returns 3 records ✓ With pagination (limit=1): Returns only 1 record, then empty array ✗ 2 records are missing when using pagination. Impact This inconsistency makes the sync API unreliable for incremental device synchronization workflows.

I came across this tool that enables supervised mode on iOS without resetting the data. it's essentially a macOS with a unix executable file underneath. a quick guide of how it works is here https://www.techlockdown.com/guides/enable-supervised-mode-iphone I would appreciate any guidance on how to recreate this, as this is behind a paywall, and would like to offer something similar for free to people who want to restrict their families devices.

We are having issues working with bypass codes the server creates when initiating Activation Lock through MDM. We are able to use the device-generated bypass codes without issue. When using the end point to request activation lock as specified in https://developer.apple.com/documentation/devicemanagement/creating-and-using-bypass-codes/ we get a 200 response. But when using the endpoint to bypass the activation lock, we get a 404 response. If we try to manually input the activation lock bypass code, it also does not work. Both of these methods work with the device-generated bypass codes. Just to clarify when testing the server generated codes, we ensured that we did not test the device-generated codes. All of this was tested on iOS devices. Created feedback ticket FB21365819 with device specific details.

Hello, I’d like to clarify the technical limitations around app updates in an Apple School Manager (ASM) + MDM environment. Environment • iOS/iPadOS devices supervised and managed via Apple School Manager • Apps are distributed via ASM (VPP / Custom App) and managed by MDM • Apps are App Store–signed (not Enterprise/In-House) • Some apps include NetworkExtension (VPN) functionality • Automatic app updates are enabled in MDM Question From a technical and platform-design perspective, is it possible to: Deploy app updates for ASM/MDM-distributed App Store apps via a separate/custom update server, and trigger updates simultaneously across all managed devices, bypassing or supplementing the App Store update mechanism? In other words: • Can an organization operate its own update server to push a new app version to all devices at once? • Or is App Store + iOS always the sole execution path for installing updated app binaries? ⸻ My current understanding (please correct if wrong) Based on Apple documentation, it seems that: 1. App Store–distributed apps cannot self-update • Apps cannot download and install new binaries or replace themselves. • All executable code must be Apple-signed and installed by the system. 2. MDM can manage distribution and enable auto-update, but: • MDM cannot reliably trigger an immediate update for App Store apps. • Actual download/install timing is decided by iOS (device locked, charging, Wi-Fi, etc.). 3. Custom update servers • May be used for policy decisions (minimum allowed version, feature blocking), • But cannot be used to distribute or install updated app binaries on iOS. 4. For ASM-managed devices: • The only supported update execution path is: App Store → iOS → Managed App Update • Any “forced update” behavior must be implemented at the app logic level, not the installation level. ⸻ What I’m trying to confirm • Is there any supported MDM command, API, or mechanism that allows: • Centralized, immediate, one-shot updates of App Store apps across all ASM-managed devices? • Or is the above limitation fundamental by design, meaning: • Organizations must rely on iOS’s periodic auto-update behavior • And enforce version compliance only via app-side logic? ⸻ Why this matters In large school deployments, delayed updates (due to device conditions or OS scheduling) can cause: • Version fragmentation • Inconsistent behavior across classrooms • Operational issues for VPN / security-related apps Understanding whether this limitation is absolute or if there is a recommended Apple-supported workaround would be extremely helpful. Thanks in advance for any clarification

Hi, I might be a bit late to the party, but Apple has added several SkipKeys such as: TapToSetup and SafetyAndHandling. I want to make sure that the keys is working properly, so I want to do the before-after comparison, however I just can't seem to show pages related to those keys. Just for information, I'm based in Japan and I've been using iPhone pro 16 and M2 iPad Pro for the testing. I believe that TapToSetup is apple tv-related, so I've tried various things such as having it in a same network or using the same apple account both in Apple TV and the iPhone/iPad but I can't get it to show. Any ideas?

I am trying to correctly manage about 20 Mac, iPhones and PC inside a Wi-Fi network built through System Settings > Sharing > Internet Sharing To achieve this task I defined a complete configuration file: /etc/bootpd.plist which is used by /usr/libexec/InternetSharing. But every time /usr/libexec/InternetSharing is starting the file /etc/bootpd.plist is overwritten by another file and my configuration is thus fully lost. How to set a correct /etc/bootps.plist file and avoid its total overwrite by /usr/libexec/InternetSharing? Is it necessary to write this bootpd.plist in some other directory for /usr/libexec/InternetSharing to load it without destroying it? I got the same configuration total erase on macOS Big Sur and Sequoia.

Hello, I am trying to authenticate to the Apple Business Manager API to retrieve device information and ingest it into ServiceNow. I am following the documentation here. The first step is to create an API account and download the private key used to create a JWT client assertion. The guide linked above gives a python script to create a client assertion. Below the first python script, the following description is given for the "kid" variable: "The value is your keyId that returns when you upload a public key." This is the first time that a public key, rather than a private key, is referenced. Where is the public key supposed to be uploaded? Later in the guide, a public key is referenced again, in the section describing the client_id Request parameter: "(Required) You receive your clientId when you upload a public key." I have tried to create a client assertion using the keyId that is associated with the API account. When I try to request an access token, however, I also get an "invalid_client" error back. I am wondering if I'm using the wrong values for both key_id and client_id due to not creating and uploading a public key. Any help would be appreciated, thanks!