Issue with managed Apple IDs on macOS – apps and updates not accessibleSolved

Hi @finn,

For the issue you’re facing, I tried signing out of the managed Apple ID from the App Store while keeping it signed in under the Settings on the device. Then, I signed into the App Store using a personal Apple ID and was able to make app purchases without any issues. However, be aware that this method could create issues related to app ownership, security, and might impact your ability to manage applications through your MDM solution effectively.

Hey @finn,

Thanks for reaching out. While @margaret‘s method is a workaround, we do not recommend it as it could compromise device security and management. Instead, we advise following the standard approach provided by Hexnode UEM.

Managed Apple IDs cannot be used for app purchases from the App Store. However, Hexnode UEM allows you to deploy apps to your macOS devices using the Volume Purchase Program (VPP). To do this, you’ll need to set up VPP in your Apple Business Manager (ABM) and add the VPP token to your Hexnode UEM portal. This will enable you to purchase and deploy the necessary apps through your Hexnode portal.

If you have any more questions or need further assistance, feel free to ask!

Best regards
Ben Clarke
Hexnode UEM

This is not a limitation of Hexnode, but a limitation/rule for Managed AppleIDs.  It has been my experience that Managed AppleID is a very restricted version of “Standard AppleID”.  All apps must be installed via Hexnode.  All updates for apps are managed by Hexnode.  OS Updates should be allowed I believe.

We used this in our implementation to give them a bit of storage for cloud saving, but not enough to backup.  We also did not want our Sales Reps downloading whatever app they wanted.  We manage which apps they get.

For even more restriction, our warehouse uses NO AppleID to force disallow sharing of any type.  They can still do iOS updates as well, and all apps are shared from Hexnode

@livewot, we ran into a similar situation when one of our users reported that they couldn’t install any app from the App Store. Initially, we thought it might be an issue with the specific app, but it turned out to be the same for all apps. The user tried switching to a personal Apple ID, which allowed the app installation, but our organization’s policy doesn’t permit the use of personal Apple IDs on managed devices.

The workaround of using a personal Apple ID might seem convenient, but it can lead to issues with app ownership and managing the apps.

As of now, we use Hexnode to install all the necessary apps, including VPP apps, as well as other types of apps. Hexnode has eliminated the need for us to use personal Apple IDs for installing apps.

So the problem remains how to update App Store apps which are managed by Hexnode. So the VPP apps (App Store apps) can be installed through Hexnode UEM app, but how can they be updated ? We face this issue in our company. 

So everyone can install App Store apps through the Hexnode UEM app on their laptop, but the update function in the Apple App Store for the same apps are blocked with a message “This feature isn’t available with the Apple Account you’re currently using.” So now they are stuck on the specific version of the app which they had installed through the Hexnode UEM app. There seems no way to update the app.

We can’t tell everyone that when there is an update available that they have to delete the app and then install it again through the Hexnode UEM app so they can get their update right? Because that’s the only solution I can think of.

I hope someone has a solution how to update App Store apps.

Hi @Ijsbrand,

Thank you for reaching out!

Managed Apple IDs do not support purchasing or updating apps from the App Store. However, for VPP apps, signing in to the App Store isn’t required. To keep VPP apps up to date, you can deploy them as Required Apps through Hexnode UEM. This ensures that any available updates are automatically pushed to the devices without the need for user interaction.

Feel free to reach out if you have any other questions or need further clarification!

Best regards,
Eden Pierce
Hexnode UEM

Hi Hexnode,

Thanks for the information. I will experiment if VPP apps are automatically updated on all devices when I add them as a required App in a policy. If this works, a possible solution could be that we create policies based on the functions in the company. 

Kind regards,

IJsbrand