What is Apple Business Manager?
Apple Business Manager is Apple's free web portal for organizations. It records which iPhones, iPads and Macs the company owns and which management service sets each one up.
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What it is
Apple Business Manager does not configure devices itself. It hands them to a mobile device management (MDM) service such as Microsoft Intune. The MDM holds the settings, apps and security rules.
What it does
- Proof of ownership: devices bought from Apple or a participating authorized reseller appear in the portal by serial number.
- Automated Device Enrollment: when a new device is switched on and connects to the internet, it enrolls in the company's MDM during setup. It can ship straight to the employee. The MDM can also stop the user removing it.
- Managed Apple Accounts: company-owned Apple accounts for staff, formerly called Managed Apple IDs.
- Apps and Books: the company buys app licenses in volume and the MDM assigns them to devices or people. A license can be taken back and reused when someone leaves.
Signing in with the work account
Apple Business Manager can be federated with Microsoft Entra ID. Staff then sign in to their Managed Apple Account with the same work account and password they use for Microsoft 365, and Entra ID stays the one identity provider. Turn on multi-factor sign-in there first.
Before you start
- A D-U-N-S number: Apple uses this free business identifier from Dun and Bradstreet to confirm the organization. Allow some days to get one.
- Devices bought at retail: a device bought in a store or second hand is not linked to the company. It has to be added by hand with Apple Configurator, which happens at the setup screen, so a device in use is erased first. For 30 days after that the user can still remove it from management.
How KawaConnect works with Apple Business Manager
Our device management runs on Microsoft Intune within our Microsoft 365 work, and today that mostly means Windows PCs. Macs, iPhones and iPads can be brought under the same Intune management by connecting Apple Business Manager to it.
Related services
Microsoft 365
Entra ID and Intune set up for your tenant.
Endpoint security
Encrypted, patched devices with alerts watched by a person.
Managed IT
Helpdesk and setup for the devices your staff use.
Learn more
- Apple Business Manager User GuideApple's own manual for enrolling an organization and using each part of the portal.
- Apple Platform DeploymentApple's guide to deploying and managing its devices in organizations, including enrollment methods.
- Mobile device management on WikipediaA neutral overview of what MDM software does and how it developed.
Apple devices nobody manages
Tell us which Macs, iPhones and iPads your staff use and where they came from. We will tell you what it takes to bring them under management.
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