Can I renew APNs certificate when the original Apple ID is no longer valid?Solved

Participant
Discussion
4 weeks ago May 15, 2026

We need to renew our APNs certificate for Apple device management, but the Apple ID originally used to create the certificate is no longer recognized as a valid Apple ID. Trying to renew the APNs certificate with a different Apple ID fails because Apple says the original Apple ID must be used.

Is it possible to recreate the APNs certificate using a new Apple ID without affecting existing enrolled devices? The option to remove the APNs certificate seems to require unenrolling devices first, and we want to avoid re-enrolling all Apple devices if possible.

Replies (2)

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Hexnode Expert
4 weeks ago May 15, 2026
Marked SolutionPending Review

Hello @elena ,

The recommended approach is to contact Apple Support and request a transfer of the existing APNs certificate to a new Apple ID. For APNs certificate transfers, Apple may ask for certificate details such as:

  • Unique Identifier (UID)
  • Common Name
  • Serial Number

These details can be found in Hexnode UEM under Admin > APNs.

If Apple transfers the certificate to the new Apple ID, you can renew the same APNs certificate without disrupting management of already enrolled Apple devices.

Creating a completely new APNs certificate is not equivalent to renewing the existing one. If a new APNs certificate is uploaded, previously enrolled Apple devices will no longer be associated with the old certificate and must be removed and re-enrolled. This can cause significant operational disruption, so it is not recommended unless Apple is unable to transfer the existing certificate.

Regards,
Simon Scott
Hexnode UEM

Marked SolutionPending Review
Participant
4 weeks ago May 15, 2026
Marked SolutionPending Review

For contacting Apple, the usual route is Apple Deployment Programs Support or AppleCare Enterprise Support if your organization has that agreement. Include the APNs certificate UID, Common Name, and Serial Number when requesting the transfer. Apple can then confirm whether they can move the certificate to the new Apple ID.

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