I took notes during the "What's new in managing Apple Devices" session. If interested, please see the attached "Notes from session": Session Notes For the session video, please see the following link: https://developer.apple.com/wwdc22/10045

I created two sample apps — one sandboxed and one non‑sandboxed. I tested reading Managed Preferences using bash commands, CFPreferencesCopyValue for a domain, and defaults read. Everything works correctly only when the sandbox is disabled in the entitlements. When the sandbox is enabled, I’m unable to read values from /Library/Managed Preferences/. Is there any supported way for a sandboxed macOS app to read an MDM-delivered preference plist under /Library/Managed Preferences/? Any guidance on the correct and Apple‑supported method would be appreciated.

We are developing an MDM agent app that uses FamilyControls with .individual authorization to enforce Screen Time restrictions (app blocking, domain blocking via ManagedSettingsStore and DeviceActivityCenter). The Problem We are actively subscribing to AuthorizationCenter.shared.$authorizationStatus to detect authorization changes. However, when the user revokes the app's FamilyControls authorization through Settings (either via Settings > Screen Time > Apps With Screen Time Access, or Settings > Apps > [Our App]), the publisher does not emit any value. All ManagedSettingsStore restrictions are lifted immediately by the system, but our app receives no notification of this change. The only scenario where the publisher reliably emits is when a debugger is attached (i.e., running directly from Xcode). Without the debugger, the publisher is completely silent — even when the app returns to foreground. Code Example We tried subscribing directly to AuthorizationCenter.shared.$authorizationStatus with no intermediary, exactly as shown in the documentation: AuthorizationCenter.shared.$authorizationStatus .sink { status in print("[DIRECT] authorizationStatus emitted: \(status)") } .store(in: &cancellables) This subscription is set up at app launch and stored in cancellables. The result is the same — the publisher does not emit when the user revokes authorization in Settings without a debugger attached. Documentation Reference The documentation for authorizationStatus states: "The status may change due to external events, such as a child graduating to an adult account, or a parent or guardian changing the status in Settings." And: "The system sets this property only after a call to requestAuthorization(for:) succeeds. It then updates the property until a call to revokeAuthorization(completionHandler:) succeeds or your app exits." This suggests the publisher should emit when the status is changed via Settings, but in our testing it does not — unless a debugger is attached. What We Verified We tested with a development-signed build (which includes the com.apple.developer.family-controls entitlement), launched from Xcode, then disconnected the debugger, killed the app, and relaunched from the home screen. Scenario Publisher emits on revocation? Running from Xcode (debugger attached) Yes, immediately Development-signed build (no debugger) No — silent even on foreground return We also confirmed: MDM configuration profiles can disable Screen Time entirely, but cannot restrict the per-app authorization toggle — the user can always freely revoke the app's Screen Time access The Security Gap This creates a significant gap for parental controls use cases: User leaves the app (app goes to background) User goes to Settings and disables Screen Time access for the app All restrictions are immediately lifted User uses the device freely User re-enables Screen Time access and opens the app Everything syncs back to normal — administrator never knows Questions Is there any supported mechanism to receive a notification (background or foreground) when FamilyControls individual authorization is revoked? We are subscribing to AuthorizationCenter.shared.$authorizationStatus but it does not emit. Is the $authorizationStatus publisher expected to work only when a debugger is attached? Is this a known limitation or a bug? Can DeviceActivityMonitor extension detect authorization revocation? Based on documentation it appears limited to schedule/threshold events, but we haven't confirmed this. Is there a planned API improvement to address this gap? Environment iOS 26.2 Xcode 26.3 Swift 6.2.4 FamilyControls .individual authorization Related Threads Screen time API can be disabled easily Changing Screen Time Passcode does not protect apps

Hello together, I'm currently trying to implement a simple way to use the new LOM commands for our new mac infrastructure. My MDM sollution is a custom instance of MicroMDM. MDM profiles are working fine, but when I send a https://developer.apple.com/documentation/devicemanagement/lom_device_request_command with any command (Reset, PowerON, PowerOFF), then it doesn't reset/restart/start the target Mac. Host X has a device profile and host Y a controller profile. Host/Mac Y = fe80::YYYY:YYYY:YYYY:8608 Host/Mac X = fe80::XX:XXXX:XXXX:cfab Now, if I send a LOM request for Mac Y to reset Mac X, I get the error "Address already in use" on Mac X (logs via log stream) log stream (private logs) And wireshark on Mac X shows there is traffic, but MacX does not respond to anything, not even tcp syn packages. This error is really weird, because there are no special ports running on that mac and I don't know what Port lightsoutmanagementd tries to listen to. lsof | grep LISTEN | grep -i ipv6 launchd 1 root 7u IPv6 0x457f571ac3303fd7 0t0 TCP *:ssh (LISTEN) launchd 1 root 11u IPv6 0x457f571ac33015d7 0t0 TCP *:rfb (LISTEN) launchd 1 root 27u IPv6 0x457f571ac3303fd7 0t0 TCP *:ssh (LISTEN) lightsout 112 root 4u IPv6 0x457f571ac3302ad7 0t0 TCP *:55555 (LISTEN) kdc 143 root 5u IPv6 0x457f571ac33023d7 0t0 TCP *:kerberos (LISTEN) screensha 403 root fp.u IPv6 0x457f571ac33015d7 0t0 TCP *:rfb (LISTEN) (fileport=0x2103) screensha 403 root 3u IPv6 0x457f571ac33015d7 0t0 TCP *:rfb (LISTEN) ARDAgent 535 devops 9u IPv6 0x457f571ac33031d7 0t0 TCP *:net-assistant (LISTEN) Did anyone have the same problem, or maybe can hint me in the right direction? I currently don't have a clue, what I can do next.

Hi Community, The Leverage macOS has with Bootstrap token is immense using the same for Software Updates, Erase Device and new Local Account Creation in System Settings While I refer From IT Deployment Guide Which States the below For a Mac with macOS 10.15.4 or later, when a secure token-enabled user logs in for the first time, macOS generates a bootstrap token and escrows it to a device management service. I even tested out the Statement using Automated Device Enrollment Workflow ( With AutoAdmin Account Only, With Both AutoAdmin Account , Primary Account ) and it Granted BootStrap Token Immediately upon login How ever with User-Initiated Enrollments it differs like below Sometimes upon installation of MDM Profile in macOS Immediately the BootstrapToken is sent to MDM Sometimes the BootStrapToken is not immediately sent, so I need to logout , login with the Secure Token enabled user for macOS to escrow BootStrapToken to MDM Sometimes Even when I followed the pointer as in 2) like logout / login from a SecureToken Enabled user the BootStrapToken is not escrowed to MDM , Which Affects the OSUpdates, Erasing Capabilities to be used precisely with MDM Protocol Can someone Please Help with the Flow for BootStrapToken Generation / issuance to MDM incase for User-Initiated Enrollment

I am developing a macOS system service (standalone binary running as a LaunchDaemon) that requires the ability to sign data using a private key which will be deployed via MDM. The Setup: Deployment: A .mobileconfig pushes a PKCS12 identity to the System Keychain. Security Requirement: For compliance and security reasons, we cannot set AllowAllAppsAccess to <true/>. The key must remain restricted. The Goal: I need to use the private key from the identity to be able to sign the data The Problem: The Certificate Payload does not support a TrustedApplications or AccessControl array to pre-authorize binary paths. As a result, when the process tries to use the private key for signing (SecKeyCreateSignature), it prompts the user to allow this operation which creates a disruption and is not desired. What i've tried so far: Manually adding my process to the key's ACL in keychain access obviously works and prevents any prompts but this is not an "automatable" solution. Using security tool in a script to attempt to modify the ACL in an automated way, but that also asks user for password and is not seamless. The Question: Is there a documented, MDM-compatible way to inject a specific binary path into the ACL of a private key? If not, is there a better way to achieve the end goal?

It seems like every time an IOS update is installed, the camera app file formats get reset to defaults. This setting is not available to manage at the MDM level. Many people need the the most compatible settings for the purpose of file sharing. So, now we have nearly 1,000 devices with a complete mix of photo and video formats. And IT has wasted MANY hours converting files for people. Feature Request: Please either stop resetting the camera app file formats or allow us to manage those settings at the MDM level. Respectfully, Robert

I have a question regarding MDM functionality for iOS/iPadOS. Background: According to Apple's support page(https://support.apple.com/en-us/125073), since iOS 26.1, "Previous Wi-Fi configurations will be replaced when a new profile is installed." We have observed that because of this change, when we apply a Wi-Fi configuration profile to an iPad via MDM, the manually configured network settings on the device (specifically, "Configure IPv4" and "Configure DNS") are reset to "Automatic". This erases the manually entered IP address, subnet mask, router, and DNS server addresses. Goal: We want to apply a Wi-Fi configuration profile from our MDM server to connect the device to a specific SSID, while preserving the manual IP and DNS settings that have been configured on the device. Question: Is there a way to prevent the IPv4 and DNS settings from being switched from "Manual" to "Automatic" when applying the configuration profile? For example, is there a specific key-value pair we can add to the profile to either preserve the existing manual settings, or to explicitly define manual/static IP settings within the profile itself for iOS/iPadOS? Reference: Sample Configuration Profile Below is a simplified version of the Wi-Fi configuration profile we are currently using. This profile does not contain any keys for IP address configuration. <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?> <!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd"> <plist version="1.0"> <dict> <key>PayloadContent</key> <array> <dict> <key>PayloadType</key> <string>com.apple.wifi.managed</string> <key>PayloadIdentifier</key> <string>com.apple.wifi.managed.13E2E6B3-D4B9-4E23-888A-524B3ED40C38</string> <key>PayloadUUID</key> <string>13E2E6B3-D4B9-4E23-888A-524B3ED40C38</string> <key>PayloadVersion</key> <integer>1</integer> <key>SSID_STR</key> <string>SSID</string> <key>EncryptionType</key> <string>WPA</string> <key>Password</key> <string>Password</string> </dict> </array> <key>PayloadType</key> <string>Configuration</string> </dict> </plist>

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.

We use Jamf Blueprint to deploy the managed app and identity to the iOS device (iOS 26.3 installed). Our managed app can access the identity via let identityProvider = ManagedAppIdentitiesProvider() let identity: SecIdentity do { identity = try await identityProvider.identity(withIdentifier: "myIdentity") } catch { } However, the app extension cannot access the same identity. Our app extension is notification extension that implemented UNNotificationServiceExtension APIs. We use above code in didReceive() function to access identity that always failed. The MDM configuration payload is: "AppConfig": { "Identities": [ { "Identifier": "myIdentity", "AssetReference": "$PAYLOAD_2" } ] }, "ExtensionConfigs": { "Identifier (com.example.myapp.extension)": { "Identities": [ { "Identifier": "myIdentity", "AssetReference": "$PAYLOAD_2" } ] } }, "ManifestURL": "https://example.net/manifest.plist", "InstallBehavior": { "Install": "Required" } } Is there any problem in our MDM configuration? Or the notification extension cannot integrate with ManagedApp FM?

How can I remove device management please

Hello everyone, I am looking for technical clarification regarding potential rate limits when automating frequent iOS device resets. In my workflow, I need to reset test devices multiple times per day using the EraseDevice MDM command, often combined with the ReturnToService flag for automated setup. I understand that after a full reset, the device undertakes several critical steps to become operational again, including device activation, system app installation, MDM re-enrollment, and subsequent validation of developer certificates for internally distributed apps. Based on Apple’s documentation and my own observations, I am aware of the following domains being involved in these processes: Device Activation: albert.apple.com, gs.apple.com, captive.apple.com, humb.apple.com, static.ips.apple.com, sq-device.apple.com, tbsc.apple.com, time*.apple.com System App Installation: *.itunes.apple.com, *.apps.apple.com, *.mzstatic.com MDM Enrollment: Communication with Apple ADE servers followed by the MDM server. Developer Certificate Validation: ppq.apple.com, ocsp.apple.com, crl.apple.com My primary question is: Are there any rate limits imposed by Apple’s servers on these specific processes when performed frequently on the exact same device within a short timeframe (e.g., multiple times per day)? Specifically, could anyone provide information regarding potential limits for: Device activation requests? System app downloads post-activation? Automated Device Enrollment checks and subsequent MDM enrollments? Developer certificate validation requests? Additionally, is the list of domains above comprehensive for these processes, or are there other key endpoints involved that I should be aware of regarding potential rate limiting? Understanding these limitations is crucial for ensuring the reliability of automated device management workflows. Thank you for any insights!

We are currently working on a SCEP server implementation that operates in FIPS-approved mode. In this mode, RSA PKCS#1 v1.5 encryption is disallowed due to compliance requirements, and only FIPS-approved padding schemes such as RSA-OAEP are permitted. However, we have observed that the SCEP client functionality on Apple devices currently does not support RSA-OAEP for CMS EnvelopedData decryption. This creates a challenge for us in ensuring FIPS compliance while maintaining compatibility with Apple devices during certificate enrollment through SCEP. We would appreciate your guidance on the following: Are there any alternative FIPS-approved encryption algorithms or configurations supported by Apple devices for SCEP CMS EnvelopedData decryption? Is there any plan or timeline for future support of RSA-OAEP on Apple platforms for this use case? Feedback raised along with sysdiagnose logs as well : FB17655410

Background / Objective We are currently developing a solution to centrally manage Apple OS updates (major and minor) across managed macOS devices. Before implementing at scale, we need Apple’s guidance on supported and future-proof update mechanisms under MDM. Questions / Ask (Apple Guidance Requested) Apple recommended method What is Apple’s recommended approach to perform: Minor updates (e.g., macOS X.Y → X.Z) Major upgrades (e.g., Ventura → Sonoma) in an enterprise fleet? Support boundary Is macOS update management only supported via MDM (including any newer declarative workflows), or are local mechanisms (installer + command-line tooling) also considered supported for enterprise automation? Use of startosinstall Can we leverage the existing utility: /Applications/Install macOS .app/Contents/Resources/startosinstall for automated upgrades in enterprise environments? If yes, are there recommended flags/workflows Apple endorses for unattended or minimally interactive upgrades? Long-term support / stability Does startosinstall have any form of long-term support / stability guarantees across future macOS releases? Are there any known deprecations planned (or guidance that customers should transition to MDM/DDM workflows)? MDM interaction / interference When using startosinstall, can MDM policies (software update deferrals/restrictions, update enforcement, etc.) interfere with or block the upgrade? If interference is expected, what is the correct supported way to coordinate: MDM software update settings local startosinstall execution to avoid failures and ensure compliance? What We Need From Apple (Desired Outcome) A clear statement of recommended and supported update workflow(s) for enterprise managed macOS: for minor updates for major upgrades Guidance on whether startosinstall is acceptable for long-term automation, or whether we should only use MDM/DDM-driven workflows. Any best practices or reference documentation Apple recommends for implementing this safely and reliably.

We are upgrading macOS (minor versions and potentially major versions) using a scripted approach: Install the InstallAssistant package via installer Trigger OS install via startosinstall On MDM-managed assets, OS update policies appear to prohibit or interfere with the update flow. The update often fails with startosinstall reporting “Helper tool crashed…” during the “Preparing” phase. Steps to Reproduce On an MDM-enrolled Mac with OS update restriction/deferral policies applied, run: sudo /usr/sbin/installer -pkg /Path/To/InstallAssistant.pkg -target / && echo 'MACOS_PASSWORD' | /Applications/Install\ macOS\ Sonoma.app/Contents/Resources/startosinstall --agreetolicense --forcequitapps --stdinpass --user MACOS_USER Actual Result Package installation reports success, but startosinstall fails during preparation with: Standard Output installer: Package name is macOS15.7_SoftwareUpdate installer: Upgrading at base path / installer: The upgrade was successful. By using the agreetolicense option, you are agreeing that you have run this tool with the license only option and have read and agreed to the terms. If you do not agree, press CTRL-C and cancel this process immediately. Preparing to run macOS Installer... Preparing: 0.0% Preparing: 0.1% ... Preparing: 24.9% Standard Error Helper tool crashed... notes.log Install.log is also attached. Questions for Apple / Ask: We suspect this crash is caused by MDM OS update restrictions/policies. We need Apple’s recommended method to perform macOS updates (minor + major) when MDM is present, especially in environments where update deferrals/restrictions may be configured.

Hi, I’m testing the ClearPasscode MDM command: https://developer.apple.com/documentation/devicemanagement/clear-passcode-command Question: If a user enters the passcode incorrectly multiple times and the device becomes temporarily locked (e.g., “Try again in X minutes”) or reaches “Security Lockout”, can ClearPasscode still be executed successfully while the device is in that state? {'ErrorCode': 5013, 35708 'ErrorDomain': 'MCPasscodeErrorDomain', 35709 'LocalizedDescription': '\xe3\x81\x93...x89', 35710 'USEnglishDescription': 'The passcode cannot be cleared (-1)'} If it depends on conditions (e.g., supervised vs. user enrollment, availability of UnlockToken, network/check-in state), could you clarify which conditions are required? Thank you.

Hello All, I come to ask a question that I haven't been able to find the docs. I continue to work on implementing declarative management and while working there is a question/concern I have. I have noticed that during some destructive testing, if the device is attempting to fetch a configuration and the server responds with a 503 (or any server related error) then the device will wipe all configurations and attempt to reapply them. Is there any way to prevent this by intercepting status codes or would the only real solution be to force down a temp/test config if the real config can't be fetched from the server?

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?

Issue Using the DeviceInformationCommand API, the following device information can no longer be retrieved on iOS/iPadOS 26 and later. IMEI ICCID PhoneNumber This issue does not occur on devices running iOS/iPadOS 18.x or earlier. We would appreciate it if you could advise us on a solution to enable the retrieval of this information. Request XML <?xml version=\"1.0\" encoding=\"UTF-8\"?> <!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC \"-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN\" \"http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd\"> <plist version=\"1.0\"> <dict> <key>CommandUUID</key> <string><!-- Here is CommandUUID --></string> <key>Command</key> <dict> <key>RequestType</key> <string>DeviceInformation</string> <key>Queries</key> <array> <string>IMEI</string> <string>ICCID</string> <string>PhoneNumber</string> </array> </dict> </dict> </plist>

Issue Description: Apps that support both iOS and tvOS can have different versions in App Store for each type(iOS and tvOS) but same Bundle Identifier and iTunesStoreID/trackID. For example, the iOS version of YouTube has the latest version in App Store as 17.30.3 the tvOS version of YouTube has the latest version in App Store as 2.07.01 This can be verified from two by two specific iTunes look Up API as shown below https://itunes.apple.com/lookup?id=544007664 https://itunes.apple.com/lookup?id=544007664&entity=tvSoftware Sample contentMetadataLookup URL: https://uclient-api.itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStorePlatform.woa/wa/lookup?version=2&id=544007664&p=mdm-lockup&caller=MDM&platform=enterprisestore&cc=us&l=en Queries: What should we do to get the tvOS specific version of an app in contentMetadataLookup URL? The trackViewURL doesn't show tvOS specific version history of the app - https://apps.apple.com/us/app/youtube-watch-listen-stream/id544007664?platform=appleTV . How should we view this the apps' tvOS specific version history? Kindly help us with the queries.

I develop and maintain an app for craft breweries. It is very clearly 18+ due to frequent references of alcohol. Integrating DeclaredAgeRange is pretty straightforward, I should ask for the age signal, and check / require the user to be 18+ to align with my app terms of service. Under the limit, user declined, and unavailable, YOU SHALL NOT PASS. The moment that I introduce the concept of having an 'admin' or 'brewery mode' of that same public app, things break down. Why? Because I would be enabling this brewery or admin mode to run when the app is installed via MDM, and configured via MDM. The downside of this strategy is that Business Essentials for as long as it has listed, has not supported app-based configuration. Neither the legacy configuration, nor the new ManagedApp framework configuration. FB19980558 - Business Essentials: Add Support for Managed App Configuration (via UserDefaults) and newer Managed App Framework (August 2025) FB13398533 - Business Essentials: Add ability to send managed application configuration to an application installed via Apple Small Business Essentials app (November 2023) FB9967549 - Business Essentials: Add ability to send MDM Configuration payload to MDM managed applications (March 2022) There is a real integration issue when trying to use a public app on MDM devices. Making a fully custom app distribution is an option, then don't do Age Assurance in it, but, that doesn't seem to fit with the new regional requirements because even a Custom App is still distributed using App Store technologies and I don't want to argue semantics and play it safe, and a custom app also introduces additional friction for B2B customers that can't just find it on the App Store to buy licenses for the app. In the context of the app being installed via MDM, the user's age range might not be available, after all the device could be 'supervised' and considered company owned--the user might not even be able to sign in. I could be a warehouse iPad shared amongst workers and not really have a singular 'identity'. I'd like Apple to provide a mechanism to enable developers to make apps that do age assurance for standard downloads via DeclaredAgeRange API as it exists today, and, add support for these MDM based installs. I will assume that the App Configuration solution is out of the picture due to the lack of adoption by MDM vendors, including Business Essentials. So the next best thing would be a configuration profile, either a new restriction, or new enablement, that tells the DeclaredAgeRange system missing details. I can't just assume that if I can detect installed via MDM that it is enough and to allow the user to pass when the age signal comes up as notAvailable. I need to go further because of Apple School Manager. With respect to DeclaredAgeRange and MDM I see these scenarios: Installed via Apple School Manager MDM for K-12 - Minor (student) Installed via Apple School Manager MDM for K-12 - Adult (instructor, older student) Installed via Apple School Manager MDM for College - Minor / Adult (student) Installed via Apple School Manager MDM for College - Adult (student | instructor) Then the business side Installed via Apple Business Manager MDM - Adult (employee) Installed via Apple Business Manager MDM - Minor (younger worker, 16+?) In my particular instance, 18+ app with a hard 'you need to be 18' requirement, I'd only want to allow a pass through and more or less 'AgeRangeDeclaration.verifiedByMDM' or something to that nature. I think that Age Assurance should be built into the platform to support ABM and ASM use cases. Assuming that a personal Apple Account can be used by DeclaredAgeRange API when installed via MDM (user-enrolled or supervised), the argument can easily be made to 'just have the user sign in with a personal account'. But for several reasons this won't be feasible at all times. Either due to device restrictions, or a supervised device is shared amongst employees (brewery warehouse / inventory). FB21340165 - DeclaredAgeRange: Add mechanism to determine that no signal is available due to mdm-based install