This guide will walk you through the process of adding an iOS device to Apple Business Manager using Apple Configurator and then enrolling it in Microsoft Intune for device management.

Prerequisites

  • Mac with Apple Configurator installed from the App Store
  • iOS device to be enrolled (also works for iPadOS or macOS)
  • USB cable for connecting the device
  • Administrative access to Apple Business Manager
Ensure the target device is running a compatible version of the OS and has been reset to factory settings before beginning.

Creating a Temporary Wi-Fi Profile

Creating a temporary Wi-Fi profile ensures the device can maintain network connectivity during and after the enrollment process. Without proper network access, the device may fail to complete enrollment or be unable to receive initial configuration settings.

  1. Open Apple Configurator on your Mac.
  2. Click File > New Profile.
  3. Name the profile Temporary Wi-Fi.
  4. In the left sidebar, select Wi-Fi and click Configure.
  5. Enter SSID, security type, and password.
  6. Save the profile.

Adding Device to Apple Business Manager

  1. Connect the iOS device to your Mac via USB.
  2. In Apple Configurator, select the connected device.
  3. Click Prepare in the top menu.
  4. Select Manual Configuration.
  5. Choose Add to Apple Business Manager.
  6. Sign in with your Apple Business Manager account credentials.
  7. Select the appropriate organization.
  8. Skip entering MDM server information and click Next (we'll use Intune instead).
  9. Apply the temporary Wi-Fi profile when prompted.
  10. Click Prepare to begin.

Post-Enrollment Steps

  1. Wait for the preparation process to complete.
  2. Verify the device appears in Apple Business Manager.
  3. Remove the temporary Wi-Fi profile if no longer needed.
  4. Document the device serial number and assignment details.

Enrolling Device in Microsoft Intune

Ensure you have the proper Microsoft Intune licensing before proceeding.
  1. Sign in to the Microsoft Endpoint Manager admin center.
  2. Go to Devices > iOS/iPadOS > iOS/iPadOS enrollment.
  3. Click Apple Enrollment > Apple Business Manager Tokens.
  4. Upload your ABM token if not already done.
  5. Go to Enrollment Program Tokens and select your token.
  6. Create or select an enrollment profile.
  7. Assign the profile to your enrolled devices.
  8. Sync your Apple Business Manager devices with Intune.
  9. Wait up to 15 minutes for the device to appear in Intune.
  10. Verify the device shows as enrolled.

Troubleshooting

Connection issues: verify USB cable, try a different port, update Apple Configurator, confirm device is not in recovery mode.

Enrollment failures: confirm internet connectivity, ABM credentials, device eligibility, pending software updates. Some failures may appear in Apple Configurator but can be expected - proceed to verify enrollment.