Enrolling iPhones into Intune in Supervised Mode

[ptony]

We are currently getting ready to transition from AirWatch as our MDM to Intune. We exclusively use Apple iPhone/iPad for our mobile devices. I have found that most of the controls that we would want to use in Intune require the devices to be in supervised mode. We have close to 150 mobile devices in our environment. All Apple IDs were created using their company emails. What is would be the easiest and most streamlined process to get them into Supervised mode. I have read that using apple configurator requires you to plug in each device into a Mac PC to enable the supervised mode. We are strictly a windows shop and are not going to get a Mac computer just for doing this. Any help would be great on how to accomplish what we are trying to do.

[#2]

Hi @ptony 

Are you planning to use Azure SSO with managed Apple IDs so the users using Azure creds to access their managed apple id? if yes, you have a lot of work to do to own the apple ids again to enable SSO. Apple calls those IDs personal even they use their company emails. Very confusing but happy to go deep in details if planning for SSO. 

Yes, in order to bring the devices Supervised, you need to connect them to Apple Configurator, wipe them and then restore a copy of their data by enabling their old iCloud account. You can't restore system backup.  File backup is ok (images, apps, iMessages, audio notes etc).

New Apple Configurator app was recently released to iPhone app store which lets you enroll devices, so check it before using the article below-

Moe

Set up iOS/iPadOS device enrollment with Apple Configurator - Azure Cloud & AI Domain Blog (azureclo...

[#3]

@Moe_Kinani 

So unsure at this time if we would leverage the SSO. From your response would it just be easier to enroll new devices using the apple business manager at the time of purchase. So basically put everyone into supervised mode when we upgrade there phones?

[#4]

@ptony 

let me tell you how we have done it.

We started with enrolling new phones into ABM like you mentioned. Then we scheduled existing phones when the time allows, maybe one phone a month. We are 100% supervised now, it took us about two years. 

Moe