Why are Managed Apple IDs important?

To fully appreciate the advantages of Managed Apple IDs, it helps to understand the purpose of Apple IDs. An Apple ID is created by an individual to be used to authenticate and log into a device. It stores user settings that the device will recognize when that ID is used. While these IDs are primarily created for personal use, until recently they were also used on company-owned devices.

Using personal Apple IDs for work-owned devices creates challenges because the device management processes were designed for personal use, not the business world, including how to handle updates and personal information. But using business emails as personal Apple IDs for work creates issues as well, including the too common problem of when an employee leaves the company, but the locked device remains.

The solution: Your company can create Managed Apple IDs to better manage and secure the devices employees are using for business purposes.

Managed Apple IDs are accounts designed specifically for businesses and schools that enable access to key Apple services. Unlike with personal Apple IDs, IT administrators can manage the services that your Managed Apple ID can access.

These free services unlock the benefits of tools to help those who manage Apple devices, helping you automate and simplify the deployment, management and security of the devices. These tools can help you standardize employee onboarding and offboarding, and use Apple ID for business as designed.

Managed Apple IDs are unique to your company and separate from Apple IDs that you can create for yourself. You can associate your Managed Apple ID with the same email address and phone number as your personal Apple ID.

Creating and using Managed Apple ID

While managed Apple IDs can be made manually using Apple Business Manager (ABM) or Apple School Manager (ASM), most organizations will use a federated authentication method to centrally manage organizational identity.

Federated authentication is currently supported by a link to Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) or Google Identity via a supported Google Workspace domain. Azure AD can be further federated to other identity provider solutions (Okta, OneLogin, etc) through a WS-authentication or SCIM connection. A paid subscription is not required for Azure AD for federation.

A Managed Apple ID allows a mobile device management (MDM) solution like Jamf to provide a feature called User Enrollment. Introduced in iOS 15 and iPadOS 15, User Enrollment allows a simplified workflow requiring only an organization email address and password.

User Enrollment works with either Google Workspace or Azure AD managed by either Apple School Manager or Apple Business Manager and a third-party MDM solution. To take advantage of synchronization with Google Workspace or Azure AD and User Enrollment, your organization must first:

• Configure Google Workspace or Azure AD
• Prepare for federated authentication with additional configuration if you have a local version of Active Directory
• Sign up your organization in Apple School Manager or Apple Business Manager
• Set up federated authentication in Apple School Manager or Apple Business Manager
• Configure an MDM solution and link it to Apple School Manager or Apple Business Manager
• (Optional) Create Managed Apple IDs

The user’s personal device will be under limited control for the privacy of both the organization as well as the private, personal information of the device owner. For Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) employees, this company-specific managed ID allows employees to maintain privacy and separation from their personal Apple IDs.

As security of private data faces new threats, User Enrollment with Managed Apple ID enables true data separation, with enterprise iCloud data kept separate from personal iCloud data.

Using Managed Apple IDs by device ownership type

It’s important to consider the type of device ownership your employees have when looking at Managed Apple IDs.

• Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) – If employees are providing their own personal devices, enabling usage of iOS or iPadOS devices – via User Enrollment — requires Managed Apple IDs.

• Corporate Owned devices – All device types that are corporate-owned can be used with Managed Apple IDs.

You also need to consider whether devices will be used 1:1 or will require shared access.

For shared devices, Managed Apple IDs can be used to enable roles delegation to allow access to specific resources and applications assigned by role.

Opening up IT Admin control

Your IT team either manually creates Managed Apple IDs in ABM/ASM or through a federated authentication method and manages them from that ABM/ASM portal. This means your employees won’t have to worry about creating their own Apple IDs, managing those Apple IDs or downloading the tools and software they need. All of this will come from IT, Apple’s free programs for app purchasing and device enrollment and will be deployed through your MDM; this results in more control over devices as well as a smoother onboarding and off-boarding process.

Your IT team will also have control over creating and managing the Apple ID used for Apple Push Notification Services (APNs) certificates.

Device processes your IT Admins will be able to control include:

• Restricting access to accounts
• Removing accounts
• Updating account information
• Pushing content
• Assigning roles and privileges
• Sharing of iPads with Managed Apple IDs
• Managing Contacts, Calendars, Reminders, iCloud Drive
• Specifically for schools: allows usage of Apple’s Classroom App for class management

Why Managed Apple IDs are important for business and schools

More benefits of using Managed Apple IDs in your organization include:

• Increased security: This layer of management provides a wholistic view and understanding of what is being put on the devices (e.g. apps, books, content). Because all apps and tools are pushed by IT and ABM/ASM, each app can be properly vetted before deploying to devices. This allows you to verify that every tool is secure, prevent employees downloading unsecure or rogue applications and ensure that all company and client data is only backed up and saved in places you approve.
• Less work for end user: With IT managing their account, employees don’t have to worry about managing it. Not only do users not have to feel responsible for managing their credentials and day-to-day management, but Managed Apple IDs also offer enhanced collaboration across apps. Ease of collaboration helps your employees get more done, more effectively and help you achieve your business goals.
• IT control over devices: With Managed Apple IDs managed by IT, troubleshooting is easier as you don’t have to rely on employees to remember their Apple ID credentials. Not to mention, when employees leave your organization, there’s no risk of being unable to access the device because you don’t know the credentials. Non-federated Managed Apple IDs also enable utilization of IT as a “service account”; APNs that aren’t linked to an individual’s Apple ID prevent issues if IT staff leaves.

Improving your bottom line with better management

After weighing the pros and cons, your organization may realize it’s time to use Managed Apple IDs to simplify your device management and security. Designed by Apple, for Apple devices, it’s one more way to make life easier for your organization, your IT department, and ultimately your end user.