Apple Business Manager and Apple Business Setup.

Apple Business Manager is now Apple Business

Apple announced in March 2026 that Apple Business Manager, Apple Business Essentials and Apple Business Connect would be combined into a single service called Apple Business, launching on 14 April 2026. Apple's newsroom says it is free for new and existing users in the UK and more than 200 other countries and regions, though some features vary by country. If you search for Apple Business Manager today, the portal and Apple's guides now use the Apple Business name. The core features that most businesses used are still there: device enrolment, work accounts and app distribution.

The new service also adds built-in device management, which was previously a US-only paid Essentials feature, plus optional business email and calendar on your own domain for devices on iOS 26, iPadOS 26 or macOS 26.

Automated Device Enrolment

Automated Device Enrolment (ADE, once called DEP) is the main reason to use Apple Business. Company-owned devices are linked to your organisation by serial number. When someone switches one on, or after it is erased, it connects to your device management service during setup and installs your settings, apps and restrictions automatically. Apple's guide says devices enrolled this way are supervised, which gives you more control, and that any iPhone or iPad that needs supervision must use ADE.

• Devices bought from Apple or an Apple Authorised Reseller, with your organisation details attached to the order, can be assigned for zero-touch deployment.
• Devices bought elsewhere can be added using Apple Configurator.
• Because the link is tied to the serial number, a wiped device re-enrols itself, so a stolen or leaver's device cannot simply be reset and kept.

Managed Apple Accounts

Managed Apple Accounts, which Apple used to call Managed Apple IDs, are Apple accounts owned by your business rather than the employee. Apple says they keep work and personal data cryptographically separate on the device. You can create them automatically from Microsoft Entra ID or Google Workspace, so a new starter gets one when their Microsoft 365 account is created, and it is disabled when they leave.

Apple's enrolment guide explains where each method fits:

Built-in management or Intune

Apple Business now includes its own device management, with Blueprints for preconfigured settings and apps. That suits a small team that is mostly Apple. If you already use Microsoft 365 Business Premium, Microsoft Intune can manage Apple devices alongside Windows PCs from one place. Microsoft's Intune documentation walks through linking Apple Business to Intune: you add an MDM server in Apple Business, download its token, upload it to Intune and assign devices. Microsoft notes devices can take up to 12 hours to appear. See device management with Intune.

Getting set up

1. Sign up for Apple Business with your organisation's legal details. Apple verifies the organisation before full access is granted; have your company details and a work email on your own domain ready.
2. Verify your domain so Managed Apple Accounts can use it, and connect Entra ID or Google Workspace.
3. Give your Apple reseller your organisation ID so future purchases appear automatically.
4. Choose built-in management or link Intune or another MDM.
5. Set default device assignment, enrolment settings and apps.
6. Test on one device, then roll out.

For existing devices tied to personal accounts, we plan a careful handover so nobody loses photos or data.

How dijitul helps

We set up Apple Business, ADE, Managed Apple Accounts and your MDM remotely at £45 an hour + VAT. Ongoing device support, new starter set-ups and leaver wipes fit within our monthly plans; the Complete plan at £99 a month + VAT includes helpdesk support for your team. See also Mac support and new starter IT setup.

What it costs

Support plans from £25 a month + VAT, or £45 an hour + VAT for one-off fixes. Pick a plan if you want it looked after every month, or pay by the hour for a one-off job.

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