The blog describes the definition and significance of iOS supervised mode, or Apple supervised mode, and how organizations can use it to gain better control over enterprise iOS devices.
The supervised mode in iOS devices enables differentiation between institution/company-owned devices and personal devices. The iOS supervised mode gives institutions and businesses better control over the iOS devices that they own.
By default, the devices are not supervised; it can be set when you set up a new device. Organizations can then install a profile to control which features can be accessed on that device.
With the growing enterprise market for Apple iOS, supervision was introduced in iOS 5 as the enterprise market was growing, and introducing supervised mode was a way for the organization to gain more control over corporate-owned devices. And ever since then, it has been progressively adding and refining restrictions with every release.
Watch how to make an Apple iOS device supervised …
Benefits of iOS Supervised Mode or Apple Supervised Mode
- Single App Mode/ iPad Kiosk Mode/Autonomous Single App Mode
- Whitelisting/blacklisting apps
- Whitelisting websites
- App-level restrictions
Unsupervised iOS devices pose a bigger risk to organizations due to the issues that arise with activation lock. Supervised devices offer more granular management, particularly for MDM platforms.
Scalefusion Mobile Device Management for iOS facilitates the enterprise to granularly control the company-owned iOS devices in supervised mode.
Whitelisting OR Blacklisting of Applications – The control by which device either allows strictly the whitelisted applications or allows all applications except the blacklisted ones.
Whitelisting Websites/URLs – The control that allows only the given set of URLs to be opened in Safari.
Branding –You can choose a Lock screen message for your devices and apply a Home screen and Lock Screen wallpaper.
Home Screen Layout – You can create multiple pages and/or order the icons on the iOS Home Screen.
iOS Device restrictions
- Single App Mode – From the list of applications that you have allowed, choose one application run all the time.
- Network Settings – You can create a Wi-Fi configuration and enforce it to on your iOS devices.
- Safari Settings – You can control the settings related to Safari.
- iCloud & SIRI Settings –You can control the basic iCloud Sync and Siri related settings.
- Lock Screen Settings – Control the Lock screen experience by configuring these settings.
- App Settings – You can configure the application-level settings by allowing or restricting them.
- Remotely view the 3rd party applications installed on the device.
- Remotely reboot the device.
- Remotely, Factory resets the device.
- Mark the device as Lost, play a sound when in Lost mode ,and see the location of the device in Lost mode.
Know in detail how to make an Apple iOS device supervised. You can find out more on Scalefusion Help as to how you can set different features available in supervised mode and enforce better management of the iOS devices in your organization.
FAQs
1. What is iOS supervised mode?
iOS Supervised Mode is a specific configuration for iPhones and iPads that unlocks advanced management capabilities for organizations such as schools, businesses, or other institutes using an MDM solution. It provides greater control over device settings and restrictions than standard unsupervised devices.
2. Can I enable supervised mode on existing devices?
Yes, existing iPhones and iPads can be put into Supervised Mode, but it typically requires a factory reset and enrollment through Scalefusion or using Apple Configurator during the setup process.
3. How to enable supervised mode iOS?
To enable iOS Supervised Mode, you generally need an MDM solution such as Scalefusion and an Apple Business/School Manager. This can also be done using Apple Configurator (via Mac). These systems are linked together using a public key and a server token, a process known as Automated Device Enrollment (ADE).
4. How can I supervise devices without ABM or ASM?
Without ABM/ASM, you can enable Supervised Mode using Apple Configurator on a Mac by physically connecting devices and preparing them, ensuring “Supervise devices” are checked. Note that this erases the device. The drawback is that you need a Mac to perform any action, using Scalefusion eliminates that weakness.
5. How can I tell if my device is supervised?
You can usually tell if your iPhone or iPad is in Supervised Mode by looking for an explicit notification. Go to Settings; if your device is supervised, you’ll see a message at the top of the main Settings screen stating: “This iPhone/iPad is supervised and managed by …” In some cases, a custom ownership message might also appear on the Lock Screen.
