Unsupervised

A device state where the device can be managed through MDM but does not have supervision enabled, limiting available management capabilities.

What to Know

Unsupervised devices can only receive a limited subset of MDM restrictions and commands. Users retain the ability to remove the MDM profile in Settings, and many high-security controls (like preventing app deletion, restricting AirDrop, or enabling Managed Lost Mode) are unavailable. For corporate-owned devices or environments with strict security requirements, unsupervised management creates compliance gaps and increases the risk of users bypassing organizational policies.

Common Scenarios

Enterprise IT: Unsupervised devices typically occur when manually enrolling legacy devices or when users bring their own devices. BYOD programs often accept unsupervised status since supervision requires factory reset and organizational ownership. For corporate-owned devices, IT should avoid unsupervised status whenever possible.

MSP: Legacy client devices that were manually enrolled before ADE adoption remain unsupervised unless re-enrolled. MSPs should communicate the limitations to clients and recommend ADE migration during hardware refresh cycles or when policies require enhanced control.

Education: Unsupervised student devices severely limit classroom management capabilities, making it difficult to enforce app restrictions, content filtering, or prevent profile removal. Schools should prioritize supervised enrollment through ASM for all student-facing devices.

In Addigy

Addigy displays the supervision status for each device in the device details page. Policies and restrictions that require supervision are clearly labeled in the Catalog, preventing admins from deploying unsupported configurations. When viewing a device’s profile list, Addigy indicates which profiles are applied and which are blocked due to unsupervised status.