Managing Shared iOS/iPadOS Devices in Swif
Apple’s Shared iPad mode lets multiple users sign-in to the same iPad (or iPhone in kiosk scenarios) with separate data partitions. Swif supports Shared iPad through:
Shared iOS/iPadOS Settings (ADE prep / DEP profile)
Shared Device Policy (advanced time-out and session rules)
1. Enable Shared iPad at Enrollment
Prerequisites
• The device is listed in Apple Business Manager (ABM) or Apple School Manager (ASM).
• The device will be enrolled with Automated Device Enrollment (DEP) in Swif.
Step | Action |
1 | Add the device to ABM / ASM (Automated Device Enrollment (DEP) or Apple Configurator). |
2 | In Swif Admin → Settings → General → Device Enrollment Configurations → Configure Shared iOS/iPadOS Devices choose one of: • Global — apply the same Shared-iPad profile to every ADE iPad • Per-Serial — paste specific serial numbers to target only certain devices  |
3 | Turn Enable Shared iPad for multi-user mode to ON and save. After you make the settings, ABM can sometimes take up to 15 minutes to assign the profile. If you change it and wipe it immediately, it can sometimes install with the old profile. |
4 | Trigger a wipe / fresh DEP enrollment. During Setup Assistant, the iPad now shows a Shared-iPad login (person + guest icons). |
2. Create a Smart Group for Shared Devices
Go to Device Management → Smart Groups → Create Group.
Condition:
System Labelis Shared iOS/iPad.Name the group (e.g. All Shared iPads).
Save.
All devices that enroll in Shared-iPad mode will automatically join this group.
3. Apply an Advanced Shared Device Policy
For additional control—session time-outs, temporary sessions, default Managed Apple ID domain—create a SHARED_DEVICE_POLICY and assign it to the smart group above.
Field | Type | What it Controls |
Managed Apple ID Default Domains | An array of strings in email format | Domain(s) pre-filled on the sign-in screen (e.g. |
Online Authentication Grace Period | Integer (days) | A grace period (in days) for Shared iPad online authentication. The Shared iPad only verifies the user’s passcode locally during login for users that already exist on the device. However, the system requires an online authentication (against Apple’s identity server) after the number of days specified by this setting. Setting this value to 0 enforces online authentication every time. Available in iOS 16 and later |
Skip Language And Locale Setup For New Users | Boolean | If true, new users bypass language/region screens. |
Temporary Session Only | Boolean | If true, iPad boots directly into Temporary Session (guest mode). If Guest is used, the device waits for "Temporary Session Timeout + User Session Timeout" for a timeout. |
Temporary Session Timeout | Integer (seconds) | Idle-timeout before a Temporary Session logs out. |
User Session Timeout | Integer (seconds) | Idle-timeout before a Managed Apple ID session logs out. |
JSON Example
{
"managedAppleIDDefaultDomains": ["school.edu"],
"onlineAuthenticationGracePeriod": 10,
"skipLanguageAndLocaleSetupForNewUsers": true,
"temporarySessionOnly": false,
"temporarySessionTimeout": 60,
"userSessionTimeout": 60
}
How to add the policy
Policies → Create New Policy → Shared Device Policy
Fill the UI fields.
Assign the policy to the Shared iOS/iPad smart group.
Save; devices pick up the profile at the next MDM check-in.
4. Tips & Troubleshooting
Symptom | Fix |
iPad shows normal Setup (not Shared) | Confirm Enable Shared iPad is ON and the device was enrolled through DEP after the change. |
Users still see the language prompt | Set Skip Language And Locale Setup For New Users to TRUE in the Shared Device Policy. |
The guest session never logs out | Lower Temporary Session Timeout or User Session Timeout. If Guest is used, the device will wait for "Temporary Session Timeout + User Session Timeout" for a timeout. |
Need temporary-session-only kiosks | Toggle Temporary Session Only = true and set a short timeout. |
By combining Shared iOS/iPadOS Settings at enrollment with an optional Shared Device Policy, you can roll out multi-user iPads for classrooms, retail, or shared hot-desk environments—all fully managed in Swif.