Supervised devices

What is Supervision?

Supervision was introduced by Apple in iOS 5. It’s a special working mode that enables the administrators with more control over Apple devices.

Supervision mode requires factory reset or new devices that are configured through Apple Configurator or Apple Device Enrollment Program (DEP). You can read more about what is supervision and how to activate supervision mode here.

Why should I use supervision?

Supervision enables many additional features and functionalities in Applivery. Below are some of the most commonly used features:

Feature

Description

Lost Mode

Enable Lost mode in any device. Also known as Find my.

Activation lock bypass

Prevent being locked out of a device due to Apple ID activation lock.

Silent App installation

Deploy Apps silently to devices without prompting any message to the user.

Home screen layout

Define how Apps are displayed in the Home Screen layout across pages and the dock.

Wallpaper change

Remote configure wallpaper image for lock and home screens.

App restrictions

Create a white list or black list of Apps.

Global HTTP Proxy

Force all traffic to pass through a web proxy.

Web content filtering

Create a whitelist or blacklist of websites in Safari. Block adult content.

Updates management

Manage and push OS updates.

Activation lock management

Disable activation lock and manage activation lock bypass codes.

Additional restrictions

Block Apple ID and email account changes. Block app installs and uninstalls. Block passcode changes and much more...

When should I use supervision?

Supervision is recommended mainly when the organization owns the devices that are being managed and normally it’s not recommended in Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) scenarios for two main reasons:

Most users will not be very confortable granting such an advanced control over their devices
Supervision requires to factory reset the devices so all content (apps and media) is wiped from the device and this data can not be restored without disabling the supervision mode.

How do I activate Supervision mode?

There are three main ways to enable supervision:

Connect the device vía USB to an Apple computer and run Apple Configurator.
Enroll the devices through Apple Device Enrollment Program (DEP) in Apple Business Manager.
Specifically for T2 Security Chip or Apple Silicon devices, you can use Apple Configurator iPhone App that will enroll the device in Apple Business Manager.

Note Note that in macOS 11 or later, all Mac computers enrolled using either Device Enrollment or Automated Device Enrollment (DEP) are supervised.

All these options will also enroll the device in Applivery after the process, so that you can start managing it right way.