Connect Apple Business to ABMDM
Connect Apple Business to ABMDM: download the public key, add a management server, upload the token, set the default server. The screens may change.
Before you connect
You need an approved Apple Business account and an ABMDM shop account. If you have no Apple portal yet, follow how to register for Apple Business first.
Connect only for devices the business owns or has written consent for. Connecting a server is not a way to take someone else’s phone.
The ABMDM and Apple Business screens may change; call 0913 081 986 for a live walkthrough.
Download the public key and add the server
Do this in order, without relying on a specific button name, because screens change:
- In ABMDM, download your organisation’s public key.
- In Apple Business, add a device management server using that key.
- Download the server token from Apple Business.
- Upload the token to ABMDM.
- Set ABMDM as the default server for new devices.
- Check connection status in the dashboard.
The public key and the token are a pair: missing one end means devices will not receive configuration. Keep the token with administrators; do not paste it into a group chat.
Background: what Apple Business is. What ABMDM does after the link is on features.
Set the default and test
Business-channel devices: assign the serial, power on, and they enrol. Retail devices: add them with Configurator, then assign the server — add a retail iPhone with Configurator.
Test with one device: the serial appears in ABMDM; send lock, then unlock. If the device is missing, check the default server and whether it was powered on after assignment.
With several branches, only people with the right role send commands. Do not share the owner password.
Common mistakes
Uploading an old token after creating a new server: download the new token and upload again.
Leaving another server as the default: new devices go elsewhere and ABMDM stays empty.
An expired token: Apple tokens have a lifetime; when the system reports expiry, download a new one and update ABMDM.
After the connection works
Assign business-channel serials. Add retail devices. Push Wi-Fi to a test phone. Set branch roles. Keep logs — you need them if someone locks the wrong unit.
Until you connect, there is no bulk push and no ABMDM remote lock. After you connect, you still must not manage a staff home phone without written consent.
Trial 14 days, up to five devices.
Check that the connection is right
The test serial appears in ABMDM. A lock command reaches the device, the lock screen shows, an unlock command clears it. ABMDM is the default server. The token is not in a group chat.
If that fails, do not enrol the whole warehouse. Call 0913 081 986; the screens may change; ask for a live walkthrough (8am–9pm).
All guides · How to register for Apple Business · Add a retail iPhone with Configurator · How to set up lock tiers
Frequently asked questions
Can we connect before we have Apple Business?
No. Register and wait for Apple’s approval first. See the Apple Business registration guide.
Do existing devices appear in ABMDM as soon as we connect?
New devices assigned to the default server receive configuration at power-on. Devices already in the organisation must be assigned to the ABMDM server before they show in the dashboard.
Can one Apple Business account connect to more than one MDM?
Apple’s portal lets you add management servers. Set ABMDM as the default for new devices so serials do not go to the wrong place.
What if we lose the server token?
Download a new token from Apple Business and upload it to ABMDM. Call 0913 081 986 if the current screens are unclear.
Does connecting mean we have to lock customer phones?
No. Connecting only lets devices receive configuration and commands. Tiered locks are a financing step after devices are in the system.
Want advice tailored to how you operate?
Call 0913 081 986 (8am–9pm, every day) or leave your details and we will call you back.