ABM device shows Assigned in Hexnode ADE but not in Manage and is Activation LockedSolved

Hey @shirleyc,

A device appearing as assigned under Automated Device Enrollment means it has been synced from Apple Business and assigned to a Hexnode ADE enrollment profile. However, it is not fully enrolled in Hexnode UEM until the device completes Apple Setup Assistant and accepts the Remote Management enrollment flow.

If the device is not listed under Manage > Devices, Hexnode does not yet have management control over it. In that state, remote actions such as wipe, lock, or configuration deployment cannot be sent from the portal.

The next step depends on the current state of the device:

1. If the device is on the Apple setup screen, connect it to Wi-Fi and continue through Setup Assistant. It should contact Apple activation servers, detect the Apple Business assignment, and display the Remote Management screen for Hexnode enrollment.
2. If the device has already been set up and is on the Home screen, it must be erased or factory reset. ADE enrollment is triggered only during the initial Apple Setup Assistant flow.
3. If the device is Activation Locked to a previous user’s Apple Account and cannot be erased or activated, Hexnode cannot bypass that lock unless the device had already been enrolled and manageable. Since it is not under Manage > Devices, the correct path is to contact Apple Support and request Activation Lock removal using your organization’s proof of ownership or Apple Business ownership details.

Once Apple clears the Activation Lock, erase the device and run through Setup Assistant again. It should then pull the assigned Hexnode ADE profile and complete enrollment.

Best Regards,
Isabel Lora
Hexnode UEM

So just being in Apple Business does not mean Hexnode can manage it yet? I assumed once it showed as assigned in ADE, it was already under MDM control.

Correct @shirleyc. Apple Business assignment and Hexnode enrollment are related, but they are not the same step.

Apple Business tells Apple which MDM server the device should enroll into. Hexnode shows the device under Automated Device Enrollment after syncing that assignment. But the actual MDM enrollment happens only when the device goes through Apple Setup Assistant and reaches the Remote Management screen.

Until that enrollment completes, the device will not appear in Manage > Devices and Hexnode cannot send commands to it.

Best Regards,
Isabel Lora
Hexnode UEM

What happens if a user receives the device, signs in with a personal Apple ID, and then leaves without removing it? Does that make the device unusable?

Hi @ruthg_,

If the device was never enrolled in Hexnode UEM and is now Activation Locked to a personal Apple Account, Hexnode cannot clear that lock from the portal. The device must be unlocked through Apple.

For organization-owned devices registered in Apple Business, Apple can usually assist with Activation Lock removal after verifying ownership. After Apple removes the lock, erase the device and complete Setup Assistant while it is connected to the internet. The ADE assignment should then enforce the Hexnode Remote Management enrollment flow.

Best Regards,
Isabel Lora
Hexnode UEM