App installation restrictions
You can restrict how apps are installed on supported Apple devices enrolled in a mobile device management (MDM) solution.
Setting | Function | Introduced | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Content caching | macOS can’t use the content caching service in the Sharing Preferences pane. | No | macOS 10.13.4 | ||||||||
Defer software updates | There are two options when deferring software updates:
| Yes (iOS) Yes (iPadOS) Yes (tvOS) No (macOS) | iOS 11.3 tvOS 12.2 macOS 10.13.4 | ||||||||
Restrict App Store to MDM installed apps and software updates only | The App Store can only be used to update apps installed by MDM and Apple software updates. | No | macOS 10.11 | ||||||||
App Store app adoption | iLife and iWork apps that shipped with macOS can’t be adopted by the App Store. | No | macOS 10.10 | ||||||||
Manage app folder access | You can list folders from which apps can be launched and folders from which apps can’t be launched. | No | macOS 10.9 | ||||||||
Require admin password to install or update apps | An administrator password is required in order to update any apps. | No | macOS 10.9 | ||||||||
Remove system apps | Users can’t remove iOS or iPadOS-native apps. | Yes | iOS 11.0 | ||||||||
Restrict app usage | Allows any apps other than Settings (iOS, iPadOS, and tvOS devices or Phone (iPhone) to be placed in an approved list. | Yes | iOS 9.3 tvOS 11.0 | ||||||||
Automatic app downloads | The App Store won’t automatically download apps. | Yes | iOS 9.0 | ||||||||
Remove apps | Users can’t remove installed apps. | Yes | iOS 4.2.1 | ||||||||
In-app purchase | Users can’t make in-app purchases. | No | iOS 4.0 | ||||||||
Install apps using App Store | App Store is disabled and its icon is removed from the Home screen. Users can’t install or update apps from the App Store using iTunes (in macOS 10.14 or earlier), or the Finder (in macOS 10.15 or later). In iOS 10 or later, MDM can override this restriction. In-house enterprise apps can still be installed and updated. Note: If native iOS and iPadOS system apps are removed, they can be reinstalled. | No (iOS 12.4 or earlier) Yes (iOS 13 and iPadOS) | iOS 4.0 | ||||||||