iOS VPP apps not updating quickly on managed Apple ID devicesSolved

Participant
Discussion
1 day ago Jun 28, 2026

We manage iOS devices where users sign in with managed Apple IDs, so they cannot update apps through the App Store themselves. The apps are assigned as VPP apps through Hexnode.

The issue is that app updates do not reach the devices quickly enough. Some apps may get updated multiple times a day, but the devices often stay on older versions until we manually check for updates and push the app again from Hexnode.

The apps are already added under Required Apps in an iOS policy, but they still sometimes lag behind. Is there a way to increase how often Hexnode checks for VPP app updates or automatically push updates as soon as they are available?

Replies (1)

Marked SolutionPending Review
Hexnode Expert
21 hours ago Jun 28, 2026
Marked SolutionPending Review

For iOS VPP apps, adding the app under Policies > iOS > App Management > Required Apps is the recommended way to keep the app managed and updated automatically.

 

When an app is marked as required, Hexnode compares the app version installed on the device with the version available in its app inventory. If a mismatch is detected, Hexnode queues an install command for the device, which updates the app.

However, if the app was deployed only through **Actions > Install Application**, that action is treated as a one-time command. It does not continuously monitor the app for future updates.

Since your apps are already configured as Required Apps but you need faster updates, you can use a direct install command as an immediate trigger:

1. Go to Manage > Devices.

2. Select the required iOS devices, or select all affected devices at once.

3. Click Actions > Install Application.

4. Select the VPP app.

5. Click Done.

If the app is already installed, iOS treats this as an explicit command to install the latest available version, so it can be used to force an update without waiting for the normal update cycle.

Regards,
Mary Romero

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