Overview
The IOS/IPAD APPLICATION BLOCK POLICY is a feature designed to manage and restrict the installation and usage of applications on iOS and iPadOS devices. This policy is particularly useful for organizations looking to control app usage on company-owned devices.
Key Features
App Blocking: Prevents specified apps from being displayed or launched on the device.
Supervised Devices: The policy is only enforceable on supervised devices, which are typically company-owned and managed.
System App Blocking: Allows blocking of system apps, though this may affect other functionalities.
Scenarios and Expected Results
# | Scenario | Steps | Expected Result |
1 | Assign block policy to supervised device | Assign IOS_IPAD_APPLICATION_BLOCK_POLICY with specific blockedAppBundleIDs (e.g., com.apple.webapp, com.google.ios.youtube) to a supervised iOS device | The specified apps are blocked: they disappear from the app list and cannot be opened or installed from the App Store |
2 | Assign block policy to BYOD device | Assign the same policy to a BYOD (non-supervised) device | Policy is not enforced; apps are not blocked (Apple API limitation) |
3 | Remove block policy from device | Unassign the policy from the device | The restriction should be removed and blocked apps should reappear. (Currently, restriction may persist due to API or sync delay) |
4 | Attempt to block system apps | Add system app bundle IDs to the block list | System apps are blocked, but this may disable other device functionality (e.g., blocking App Store may prevent VPP acceptance) |
5 | Policy assignment check via MDM API | Query MDM API for assigned policy | MDM assigned policy should reflect the current block policy; if empty, policy is not applied |
Important Notes
Supervised Devices Only: Blocking, deleting, or installing apps is only supported on supervised devices, not BYOD (Bring Your Own Device).
System App Blocking: Denying system apps can have side effects on device functionality, such as preventing users from accepting terms for the Volume Purchase Program (VPP).
Troubleshooting
Policy Not Enforced: Ensure the device is supervised. BYOD devices do not support this policy due to Apple API limitations.
Persistent Restrictions: If restrictions persist after policy removal, allow time for API or sync delays to resolve.
For further assistance, please contact your IT administrator or refer to the official documentation provided by Apple for managing supervised devices.
You can also reach out to support@swif.ai for any questions.