You may find that a second-hand iPhone you just bought is "Supervised" by an enterprise or organization such as a school.
The problem with these supervised devices is that they may be limited in terms of functionality or access to features and services.
But with the right solutions, you can bypass this supervision and gain access to your iPhone. This article will show you these ways and how to implement them effectively.
Supervision became available with the release of iOS 5 and it is meant as a way to give the administrator of a school or organization the ability to control or monitor an iOS device.
This supervision can be used to monitor iPadOS and tvOs as well.
Simple MDM was initially used to control devices that employees owned in a bring-your-own-device fashion, although now companies do own the devices themselves.
By owning the devices, companies have more access to the device, allowing for more ways to monitor the data and features on the devices.
The following are some of the things that an administrator may be able to do when your iPhone is under supervision:
Learn more about iPhone supervision:
With the right program, you can easily remove MDM supervision from the iPhone and thereby eliminate any restrictions that may have been imposed on the device.
One of the best tools that you can use for this purpose is Unlockit.
This tool allows you to bypass MDM in a few simple steps even if you don't have the username and password.
Unlockit's main features:
You can use these simple steps to bypass MDM supervision with Unlockit:
Step 1: Download Unlockit and install it on your computer.
Step 2: Open it and in the main interface, select "Bypass MDM Lock."
Step 3: Now, connect the Supervised iPhone to the computer using a USB cable.
Step 4: If the device is stuck on the MDM screen, click the "Start" button.
Unlockit will immediately begin bypassing the MDM on your device. When the process is done, your iPhone will restart in the setup screen and you can set it up as new.
If you have the screen password, then you should be able to easily bypass supervision. These steps should help you do that:
Step 1: You will need to have access to the Apple Configurator app that was used to put the iPhone in supervision. This app can be downloaded from the App Store and installed on your computer.
Step 2: Connect the iPhone to the computer and then open the Apple Configurator.
Step 3: Once the app detects the connected device, click on "Actions" and then choose "Remove" from the options that appear.
This method will erase all data on the device. If you can, back up the data on the device before attempting this solution.
You can also just contact the administrator or the organization and ask them to remove the MDM lock on the device.
If the iPhone was legally transferred to you, the organization will be able to help you, but you must be prepared to provide proof of ownership such as scanned receipts or any other document that proves you legally own the device.
It may be hard to use a supervised iPhone, but like all types of restricted access locks, you can remove the supervision and allow the device to function normally.
If you have the password, removing this restriction is fairly easy. But you can still remove it even if you don't have the password using Unlockit in the simple steps detailed above.
Mako is a technical freelance writer with a passion for all things tech. Whether you're wondering about how to fix your iPhone or trying to get something to work in your settings, Mako is your go-to for professional help. He loves writing, testing solutions, and most of all, making sure his research is factually accurate.