# Supervision

> Apple Supervision mode in Applivery — benefits, how to enable it, and why it unlocks advanced MDM features for organization-owned Devices.

Source: https://docs.applivery.com/en/device-management/apple/supervision/  •  Last updated: 2026-03-25

**Key topics:** Supervision Mode, Device Enrollment Program, Apple Configurator, iOS Management, MDM Features, Apple, iOS, Applivery, Apple Business

---

**TL;DR:** Apple Supervision mode enhances iOS device management with advanced features, best suited for organization-owned devices and requiring a factory reset for activation.

## 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](https://docs.applivery.com/en/device-management/apple/enrollment/apple-configurator/) or [Apple Device Enrollment Program (DEP)](https://docs.applivery.com/en/device-management/apple/enrollment/dep/).

:::tip
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:

1.  Most users will not be very comfortable granting such an advanced level of control over their Devices.
    
2.  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.
    
-   Specifically for T2 Security Chip or Apple Silicon Devices, use the **Apple Configurator iPhone App** that will enroll the Device in Apple Business.
    

:::warning
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.