Supervise an iPhone with Apple Configurator

Easy to follow walk through of supervising an iOS device with Apple Configurator, including how to backup and restore data.

Ben

Updated November 2, 2025

Apple Configurator for Mac is a free application that can be used to set up a supervised iPhone or iPad. Once a device is supervised, Apple Configuration profiles can be used to customize restrictions on the device.

Once you enable Supervised Mode on an iPhone or iPad, you can use an Apple Config generator to easily customize the device with configuration profiles.

Use cases for Supervising an iPhone or iPad with Apple Configurator

iOS devices can be configured using Apple Configuration profiles, which can specify settings to be enforced. This is a layer above Screen Time that uses elevated privileges on the device to enforce restrictions.

Watch our demo on YouTube to see the most common use-cases for device supervision.

Restrictions that require supervision

Standard iOS devices can install Apple Configuration profiles, but there are certain configuration profile properties that are only compatible when the device is supervised.

For example:

Specifying a removal password for the configuration profile to prevent the configuration profile from being removed via the settings app UI.
App restrictions to completely block iPhone apps .
Protecting apps from removal.
Restricting VPNs from being added.

Apps that require supervision when Apple Family cannot be used

There are certain iOS apps that might require an iPhone or iPad to be set up as a supervised device if Apple Family cannot be used on the device.

For example, the LivingRoom screen monitoring app for iPhone requires device supervision if the device cannot be signed in with a child's iCloud account connected to Apple Family. This alternative makes the app usable on an adult's iOS device or a shared family device.

When an app like LivingRoom is used on a supervised device, it can be combined with a configuration profile that disallows app deletion. This ensures the app can't be bypassed, even on an adult's iOS device.

Monitor your child's iPhone or iPad

Complete app and website monitoring with screen recording

Step 1: Temporarily disable activation lock

When using Apple Configurator to supervise a device, disabling activation lock is a critical step.

Since device supervision requires a full hard reset, activation lock must temporarily be disabled or Apple Configurator will fail to supervise the device.

The easiest way to disable activation lock is to temporarily turn off "Find my iPhone."

On the iPhone you are configuring as a supervised device, open settings and go to Find My iPhone

Turn off Find My iPhone

Step 2: Backup device

Apple Configurator will hard reset the device that is being supervised. Make sure you back up the device so that you can restore some data.

Important app data may not be recovered

Only partial data can be restored after hard reset unless you have a second iOS device available. App data will be lost.

Follow our instructions for a full backup/restore if you have a second iOS device available .

Otherwise, you will only be able to restore data backed up using iCloud Sync (contacts, messages, photos, passwords); you'll need to redownload apps.

(1) Back up with iCloud Sync

To be sure your contacts, messages, and photos and videos are not lost when supervising your device, check that iCloud Settings are backing up important data.

On the iPhone, go to Settings > [your account name] > iCloud > iCloud Backup.

Verify that your Files, Photos, and Messages are being backed up.

(2) Create a Full Backup of your iPhone

Create a full backup in case you want to restore to the iPhone's state prior to supervision. You might realize that you lost some important app data, so having a restore point is important.

You can fully backup the iPhone using either your Mac or iCloud.

A) Backing up an iPhone using a Mac

Using a Mac to backup your iPhone is easy and free.

Plug your iPhone into your Mac computer using the charging cable (USB-C or Apple's old lightning cable depending on your iPhone)

Unlock your iPhone and trust the computer if prompted (though it may not ask you this)

On your Mac, open Finder and select your iPhone from the sidebar. Then select Backup Now.

B) Fully backing up an iPhone with iCloud backups

Instead of using your Mac to run a full backup, you can opt to use iCloud instead. If you have iCloud+ with the available storage, this might be the best option. However, the backup process can take longer depending on your internet speed.

In your iPhone, go to Settings > [your account name] > iCloud > iCloud Backup.

Ensure that you've created a up-to-date backup by selecting "Back Up Now"

Allow the Backup to Finish.

Step 3: Prepare device with Apple Configurator

Once the device is backed up, you can proceed with using Apple Configurator to supervise the connected device.

Download Apple Configurator from the App Store and open it

Connect iPhone to your Mac computer using an Apple charging cable

Unlock the iPhone and trust the computer when prompted

The device should appear in Apple Configurator. Click the device, then select Prepare from the top bar.

Prepare with Manual Configuration, select Supervise Devices and Allow devices to pair with other computers.

Do not enroll in MDM

Create a new organization. You do not need to actually have a business, this is just so you can customize what name appears as the supervising identity.

If prompted to sign in with school or business manager, choose skip

Set the name of your "organization." I'll use "My Home Network" in this tutorial. This is what will appear in iOS settings with the message "This device is supervised or managed by My Home Network"

Generate a new supervision identity

Customize setup assistant. These are the first-time setup screens that appear when you configure an iPhone for the first time (a newly purchased iphone or hard reset device).

Click prepare once you're ready to proceed, click Prepare.

Device will be hard reset by Apple Configurator

Make sure you backed up your data properly

Apple Configurator will likely display an error message: Configurator could not perform the requested action because "iPhone" has already been prepared. This is expected: click Erase to continue with the process.

Wait for Apple Configurator to finish preparing your device

The iPhone should reset and show the "Hello" first time setup screen once this process completes.

Confirm that you see the screen below but do not proceed to set up your iPhone:

Step 4: Restore Backed Up Data On Your Newly Supervised iPhone

Your newly supervised iPhone should be on the initial setup screen:

Swipe up to proceed, but stop once you get to this screen:

When you sign into your Apple Account when prompted, you'll get access to all of the data you synced with iCloud.

App Data cannot be restored without undoing Supervision

iCloud sync cannot restore your App Data. You'll need to re-install and set up your apps again.

Choose Set Up Without Another Device:

Once you get to the Apps & Data screen, choose Don't Transfer Apps & Data:

After the first-time setup is finished, open the Settings app and make sure that the device is supervised.

Step 5: Install apple configuration profiles with restrictions

Now that the iOS device is supervised, you can use an Apple Config Generator to add supervised restrictions to the device using Apple configuration profiles.

In the iPhone config editor in the Tech Lockdown dashboard, click the Sync to Device button. This page can also be accessed from the iPhone's Safari browser.

Download the config on to the iPhone and select Allow when prompted

The "Profile Downloaded" message should appear after you allow the download

Open the supervised iPhone's settings app and tap Profile Downloaded

If you don't see Profile Downloaded, search for "Device Management" and go to that section of settings.

In the Downloaded Profile section of VPN & Device Management, tap the item that appears in that area.

Install the profile. You'll need to enter your iPhone or iPad passcode to install it.

Frequently asked questions

Add a removal passcode to prevent profile from being uninstalled

In the Tech Lockdown dashboard > iPhone config editor, go to the Config Preferences tab and toggle on the Protect config from removal option and customize how you want to prevent removal

Adults who are self-managing should use Prevent Uninstall (Recommended). Parents who are setting up a child's device should set an uninstall pin.

Supervising a device if you don't have a Mac computer

If you don't have a Mac computer, you can supervise a device with iMazing on a Windows PC .