What is Supervision?
Supervision was introduced by Apple in iOS 5. It's a special working mode that enables administrators to have more control over Apple devices.
Supervision mode requires a factory reset or new devices that are configured through Apple Configurator or Apple Device Enrollment Program (DEP).
Supervision is highly recommended for organization-owned devices as it unlocks powerful management features.
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 comfortable granting such an advanced level of control over their devices.
Supervision requires a factory reset of the devices, so all content (apps and media) is wiped from the device, and this data cannot be restored without disabling supervision mode.
How do I activate Supervision mode?
There are three main ways to enable supervision:
Connect the device via USB to an Apple computer and run Apple Configurator.
Enroll the devices through the Apple Device Enrollment Program (DEP) in Apple Business Manager.
Specifically for T2 Security Chip or Apple Silicon devices, use the Apple Configurator iPhone App that will enroll the device in Apple Business Manager.
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 away.