How To: Manually Add A Device to Apple School Manager

By: Jason Roberts, Systems Engineer

Apple devices purchased directly from Apple, an Apple Authorized Reseller, or an authorized carrier can be automatically added to Apple School Manager at the time of purchase. Once the device is added to Apple School Manager, you can take advantage of mandatory supervision and mobile device management enrollment. While the vast majority of school-owned devices follow this path to enrollment, there may be times when a device will need to be added to Apple School Manager manually. 

Configurator to the rescue

There are two tools available to assist with this process: Apple Configurator for iPhone and Apple Configurator for Mac. Picking the right tool depends on the device you are trying to enroll:

Chart including details of Configurator support for various Apple devices.

Our support documentation (linked at the end of this article) includes instructions for enrolling iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV. Starting with visionOS 26, you will even be able manually to add Vision Pro using Configurator for iPhone! For now, however, let’s look at how to easily enroll a macOS device using Apple Configurator for iPhone.

iPhone running Apple Configurator app.
Apple Configurator for iPhone is available for free in the App Store. Download the app and sign in using a Managed Apple Account with the Device Enrollment Manager role or above. Manual enrollment for Mac is supported on devices with macOS 12.0.1 or later with Apple silicon or T2 Security Chip. 

Mac showing Apple School Manager addition screen.

With both devices in front of you, power on the Mac and make sure to stop at the “Select Your Country or Region” pane during the setup assistant. Bring your iPhone near the Mac, open Apple Configurator, and scan the image displayed on your Mac.

Image showing successful addition of Mac to Apple School Manager using Configurator for iPhone.
After a few moments, you will see confirmation that the Mac was added to Apple School Manager! Your device is now ready to be managed and deployed like any other Mac owned by your organization. 

Note: When you give a manually-enrolled device to a user, they have a 30-day provisional period to release that device from Apple School Manager or Apple Business Manager, supervision, and device management. This 30-day provisional period begins after successfully assigning and enrolling the device in a device management service that links to Apple School Manager or Apple Business Manager.

Why it matters for schools

As noted earlier, most devices entering your school will be automatically added to Apple School Manager. Occasionally, devices may come from alternate sources that bypass the standard purchase process. Some examples include:

  • Donations from parents or philanthropic organizations
  • A new curriculum that comes bundled with Apple devices
  • A point of sale system for the cafeteria that includes iPads

With Configurator for Mac and iPhone, you can be prepared for these and other scenarios, and ensure that all devices are fully managed and supervised by your institution!

Resources

Deployment & Management iPad Apple TV Apple School Manager macOS iPhone

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