Enroll iOS devices without requiring an Apple ID loginSolved

Hello @jaxon_r ,

Yes. iOS devices can be enrolled and managed without requiring the end user to sign in with a personal Apple ID, but the recommended setup depends on how the devices are added to Apple Business.

For organization-owned devices already available in Apple Business, use Automated Device Enrollment. These devices become supervised during the initial Setup Assistant and can be enrolled into Hexnode automatically. With supervision and Apple Business in place, you can apply stronger device restrictions, make the MDM profile non-removable, and manage the devices without requiring user Apple ID authentication.

For app deployment, use Apps and Books with a VPP token and assign apps to devices instead of users. Device-based VPP assignment allows supported apps to be installed silently on supervised devices without prompting for an Apple ID or password.

What about iPhones that were not purchased through an Apple Business Manager reseller? Can they still be set up this way, or do they always need a user Apple ID?

Devices that are not already in Apple Business can be manually added using Apple Configurator. This can be done with Apple Configurator on a Mac, or with the Apple Configurator app on an iPhone for supported workflows.

Once added and prepared, the device can be supervised and assigned to the MDM server in Apple Business. After that, it can go through Automated Device Enrollment and be managed in Hexnode UEM similarly to devices purchased through an Apple Business-linked reseller.

Keep in mind that manually added devices enter a 30-day provisional period. During this period, the user can remove the MDM management profile from the device settings. After the 30-day period ends, the management profile can no longer be manually removed, assuming the device remains assigned and enrolled through Apple Business.

Regards,
Simon Scott
Hexnode UEM