Device management for Apple IT: What is Apple Business Manager?

Managing a fleet of iPhones, iPads, or Macs across a business can quickly get complicated. Apple Business Manager (ABM) addresses this by providing IT teams with a single platform to enroll devices, create managed Apple IDs, purchase and distribute apps, and manage content organization-wide.

ABM integrates with identity providers such as Google Workspace and Microsoft Azure Active Directory, supporting federated authentication, allowing employees to sign in using their existing work credentials. This eliminates the hassle of juggling multiple accounts and streamlines both onboarding and security.

In this updated guide for 2025, we’ll explore what ABM is, its key features, and how IT teams can get started with zero-touch deployment and enhanced automation tools.

Key takeaways

• Apple Business Manager centralizes Apple device management, from enrollment and app licensing to Managed Apple IDs, all in one free portal.

• Pairing ABM with an MDM solution enables full lifecycle management, including policy enforcement, remote configuration, and compliance.

• 2025 updates bring zero-touch MDM migration, stronger API integrations, and expanded SSO options for streamlined identity management.

What is Apple Business Manager?

Apple Business Manager is Apple’s centralized portal for managing devices, apps, and user accounts across an organization. It consolidates older tools, the Device Enrollment Program (DEP) and Volume Purchase Program (VPP), into a single platform powered by Automated Device Enrollment (ADE).

With ABM, IT administrators can:

• Deploy devices at scale: Zero-touch enrollment ensures new iPhones, iPads, Macs, or Apple TVs are ready for use out of the box.

• Manage user accounts: Create and control managed Apple IDs, assigning roles and permissions across the workforce.

• Distribute apps and content: Purchase licenses in bulk and push apps directly to users or devices.

• Integrate with IT systems: Connect ABM to identity providers like Google Workspace or Microsoft Azure AD for federated authentication.

Paired with a Mobile Device Management (MDM) solution (e.g., Jamf, Intune), ABM provides full lifecycle oversight, from procurement to secure retirement, making it especially valuable for remote and hybrid teams managing devices worldwide.

What are managed Apple IDs?

Managed Apple IDs are work-specific Apple accounts created through Apple Business Manager. Unlike personal Apple IDs, which give users full control over services, managed IDs are owned and controlled by the organization.

With managed Apple IDs, IT administrators can:

• Define permissions: Limit which Apple services employees can use (e.g., iCloud, iMessage, FaceTime).

• Simplify login: Federate authentication with identity providers like Google Workspace, Azure AD, or Okta so employees sign in with existing credentials.

• Streamline management: Create, assign, and remove accounts centrally within ABM for easier onboarding and offboarding.

The result is a secure and scalable way to provide employees with access to Apple services while maintaining firm control over data and account ownership.

Key benefits of Apple Business Manager

Apple Business Manager provides centralized control and automation, making it easier, faster, and more secure to manage Apple devices.

• Streamlined device deployment: Automate enrollment so devices are ready out of the box with zero-touch setup. In 2025, new features such as automated MDM migration will further reduce manual effort.

• Simplified app management: Purchase apps in bulk and distribute them directly to users or devices. Built-in license tracking ensures compliance and avoids wasted spend.

• Centralized account management: Create and manage managed Apple IDs in one place, assigning roles and permissions seamlessly across the workforce.

• Stronger security & compliance: Features like encryption, remote wipe, and passcode enforcement align with security frameworks. Enhanced APIs introduced in 2025 improve automation and compliance reporting.

• License & content management: Allocate and reassign app licenses across locations, while centrally managing digital resources for consistency and efficiency.

Together, these benefits help IT teams save time, reduce risks, and maximize the value of Apple deployments across remote, hybrid, and global workforces.

Apple’s other business management tools

Apple offers two related platforms designed for specific audiences, including schools and small businesses, that complement Apple Business Manager.

Apple School Manager

• Purpose-built for education, integrating with student information systems (SIS).

• Provides tools for managing student rosters, deploying devices in classrooms, and creating Managed Apple IDs for students and staff.

• Includes expanded iCloud storage and education-focused workflows.

Apple Business Essentials

• Aimed at small businesses needing a simpler alternative to ABM.

• Bundles device management with 24/7 support, iCloud storage, and repair coverage.

• Subscription-based pricing starts at $2.99 per device/month (50GB storage) and scales to $19.99 per user/month for multi-device plans with full support.

Both solutions are built on the same Apple management framework as ABM, but tailored to their respective audiences, making Apple’s ecosystem flexible across various business sizes and educational environments.

Key features of Apple business manager

Apple Business Manager gives IT teams the centralized tools they need to deploy, secure, and manage Apple devices at scale.

• Automated device enrollment (ADE): Zero-touch enrollment connects devices to your MDM as soon as they’re activated. In 2025, updates like AI-driven monitoring and support for SSO/NFC logins make setup even smoother.

• Bulk app and book licensing: Purchase apps or books in volume and distribute them directly through ABM. Licenses can be reassigned as needed, reducing waste and simplifying compliance.

• Roles and permissions: Assign devices, apps, and content to specific users, ensuring the right people have the right tools.

• Managed Apple IDs: Create and control work-specific accounts, now with broader SSO integrations (Okta, OneLogin, Google Workspace, Azure AD).

• Managed app distribution: Push apps and content directly to devices or users without requiring App Store access.

• User lifecycle management: Automate onboarding and offboarding, securing data when employees join or leave.

• Streamlined inventory & content control: A single dashboard for tracking devices, managing configurations, and distributing digital resources across locations.

These features combine to reduce manual IT effort, strengthen security, and support scalable device management for hybrid and global teams.

Getting started with Apple Business Manager

Kicking off with ABM is pretty straightforward, it opens up efficient management for your Apple fleet, from iPhones to Apple TVs. To initiate the enrollment process, organizations require an ABM account, which enables device enrollment, lifecycle management, and administrative functions. It works hand-in-hand with your MDM for auto-deployments, app distribution, and Managed Apple IDs. Here’s the quick checklist:

For auto-deployments, devices purchased from an authorized reseller are eligible for automatic enrollment. Devices acquired elsewhere can be added manually using Apple Configurator.

Step 1: Complete the online enrollment

Fill in your organization's details online, including name, phone number, and your D-U-N-S number from Dun & Bradstreet, to verify your legitimacy.

Step 2: Email verification

Use a business domain email, no personal ones. This becomes your admin account, separate from personal Apple stuff.

Step 3: Verification contact

Pick someone to verify the admin and accept terms on behalf of the company.

Step 4: Approval process

Apple reviews it, might call or email. Quick replies speed things up, watch for 2025 agreement updates to avoid hiccups.

Step 5: Finalization

Once approved, confirm the admin, create a Managed Apple ID, and agree to the terms. Boom, you're in.

Simplified device enrollment with Apple Business Manager

With Apple Business Manager, device enrollment is automatic and secure, ensuring that new iPhones, iPads, Macs, and Apple TVs are managed from the moment they’re powered on. When paired with a mobile device management (MDM) solution, ABM enables IT teams to remotely configure devices, enforce security policies, and deploy apps at scale.

Key features of simplified enrollment:

• Zero-touch setup: Devices purchased from Apple or authorized resellers are auto-enrolled into your MDM during activation. This ensures a consistent, policy-driven configuration without manual steps.

• Customizable setup assistant: Tailor the out-of-box experience by removing or reordering setup screens, speeding up onboarding, and aligning with company policies (optimized for iOS 26 and macOS 26 Tahoe).

• Supervised mode: Place devices into Supervised mode for stronger admin control, unlocking additional restrictions and features.

• Flexible MDM assignment: Assign devices by type to specific MDM servers, or manually add them via Apple Configurator if they weren’t purchased through a reseller.

This zero-touch model minimizes IT workload, ensuring devices meet compliance and security standards from day one.

Ensuring device management and security with DEP program

Apple’s former Device Enrollment Program (DEP) is now integrated into Apple Business Manager as Automated Device Enrollment (ADE). ADE automatically enrolls devices into your MDM the moment they’re activated, ensuring secure and consistent setup across the organization.

Why ADE matters:

• Instant security enforcement: Devices apply security policies (passcodes, encryption, restrictions) during activation, reducing risk from unconfigured devices.

• Streamlined setup: Eliminates manual configuration steps, saving time for IT teams.

• Declarative management (2025 update): Devices now proactively enforce compliance rules, reporting status changes back to MDM in real time.

• Inventory integration: Devices are tracked by serial number within ABM, simplifying license assignment and asset management.

By transitioning from DEP to ADE, Apple has introduced a zero-touch enrollment process that enhances security while minimizing administrative overhead.

Apple Business Essentials and Certifications

Apple Business Essentials supercharges ABM for small biz with extra features like device management, 24/7 support, and more iCloud storage.

• Comprehensive Device Management: Covers all ABM basics for iPhones, iPads, Macs, and Apple TVs.
  
  
• 24/7 Support and iCloud Storage: Always-on help and bonus storage to keep things running smoothly.
  
  
• Designed for Small Businesses: Fits small teams perfectly, easing device management in workflows.
  
  
• Industry-Standard Certifications: Apple sticks with ISO/IEC 27001 and 27018 for security and privacy, plus others like FIPS and Common Criteria for broader assurance.

Bulk-purchase apps and books with Apple Business Manager

Apple Business Manager simplifies app and book licensing by letting organizations buy in volume and distribute centrally. This ensures the right users have the tools they need without requiring individual App Store purchases.

How ABM handles licensing:

• Centralized purchases: Acquire licenses for apps (including custom apps) and books directly through Apple.

• Flexible assignment: Distribute licenses via Managed Apple IDs or by device serial number. Licenses can be reclaimed and reassigned as needed.

• Store credit options: Pre-purchase credits to cover app or book buys, aligning with procurement workflows.

• Multi-location management: Use “Locations” to partition licenses across sites, each tied to its own VPP token for easier oversight.

This centralized licensing model improves efficiency, simplifies compliance tracking, and ensures resources are distributed equitably across the organization.

Integrating ABM with GroWrk

Integrating Apple Business Manager with GroWrk gives IT teams a unified platform to manage Apple devices across global, distributed teams. GroWrk fully supports ABM, extending its capabilities with end-to-end IT asset management.

How to add Macs in GroWrk (2025 update):

1. Configure your MDM setup: Enable zero-touch deployment from the GroWrk dashboard, with AI-powered automation prompts.

2. Initiate device addition: Select Add Devices in the dashboard and choose Mac.

3. Choose enrollment method: Apply either an MDM profile or agent, with guidance provided in the interface.

4. Distribute enrollment file: Download the .mobileconfig or .ppkg file and share it with your team.

5. Complete installation: Install the file on Mac devices, enter credentials, and restart.

6. Verify management: The device appears in your GroWrk device table, confirming it’s now managed.

By combining ABM with GroWrk, organizations can streamline Apple device provisioning, automate enrollment, and maintain full visibility of assets, all from a single dashboard built for distributed teams.

Why businesses choose GroWrk for Apple device management

Apple Business Manager makes enrollment and app distribution simple, but managing Apple devices across global teams requires more than just setup. GroWrk extends ABM’s capabilities with full lifecycle management, compliance, and global logistics.

• Seamless ABM integration: Pair ABM with GroWrk to automate provisioning, enrollment, and ongoing Apple device management.

• Global reach: Deploy and retrieve Apple devices in 150+ countries with localized logistics and support.

• End-to-end lifecycle control: From procurement to maintenance, upgrades, and secure retirement—all managed through a single platform.

• AI-powered oversight: Predictive maintenance, automated compliance checks, and real-time monitoring keep devices secure and reliable.

• Transparent pricing: Flexible, pay-as-you-go pricing eliminates hidden costs.

• Always supported: 24/7 AI-driven assistance and dedicated Customer Success Managers ensure reliable operations at scale.

With GroWrk, IT teams can confidently manage Apple fleets worldwide, knowing every device is delivered, secured, and supported across its entire lifecycle. Schedule a demo and discover the difference.

FAQs

What does Apple Business Manager cost?

ABM is still free from Apple for managing your gear in a business setup.

What is the difference between Apple Business Manager and MDM?

ABM handles enrollment, app buys, content, and IDs. MDM is the software for deeper control like updates and policies, think Intune or Jamf vs. ABM in 2025.

What devices can be added to Apple Business Manager?

iPhones, iPads, Macs, and Apple TVs, running the latest like iOS 26 and macOS 26 Tahoe.

What is the difference between an Apple ID and Apple Business Manager?

Personal Apple ID is for you; Managed ones via ABM let businesses control devices and content access organization-wide.

What is Apple Business Manager and Apple School Manager?

Both are Apple platforms, ABM for biz, School Manager for education.

Does Apple Business Manager work with Windows devices?

Nah, it's Apple-focused, but integrates with cross-platform MDMs like Intune for hybrid setups.

Can ABM manage remote employees’ devices in 2025?

Absolutely, zero-touch and remote configs make it ideal for distributed teams.

What’s new in Apple Business Manager in 2025?

WWDC brought API enhancements, zero-touch migrations, and better identity tools.

How is Apple Business Manager different from Intune/Jamf in 2025?

ABM is Apple's free portal; Intune/Jamf are full MDMs for policies, use them together for max power.