Is it possible to remove Two-Step Verification on student iPads?

[scubagirl]

Hi all,

 

We have around 600 iPads at our school and use Meraki as our MDM. Everything works pretty well(ish) overall, but we're starting to have issues with pupils switching on 2-Step Verification on their iPads. We have always set up their Apple ID's for them so we have control over them but after the last couple of iOS updates, they have been given the option to add 2SV and it's giving us a massive headache when they forget their Apple ID password etc. as they have linked it to their personal mobile.

 

Aside from managed Apple ID's which I haven't gone down the route of yet as a) I haven't had enough time to properly investigate, b) I want to make sure actually works and c) I ideally don't want some managed and some not, so would have to switch all to manage which is probably a huge headache to do, I don't know what else to do.

 

Any help or advice if you are in a similar situation, would be much appreciated.

 

SG

[scubagirl]

Hi all,

 

We have around 600 iPads at our school and use Meraki as our MDM. Everything works pretty well(ish) overall, but we're starting to have issues with pupils switching on 2-Step Verification on their iPads. We have always set up their Apple ID's for them so we have control over them but after the last couple of iOS updates, they have been given the option to add 2SV and it's giving us a massive headache when they forget their Apple ID password etc. as they have linked it to their personal mobile.

 

Aside from managed Apple ID's which I haven't gone down the route of yet as a) I haven't had enough time to properly investigate, b) I want to make sure actually works and c) I ideally don't want some managed and some not, so would have to switch all to manage which is probably a huge headache to do, I don't know what else to do.

 

Any help or advice if you are in a similar situation, would be much appreciated.

 

SG

[Brimstone]

Yes it is possible to get the students to turn this off, you can not enforce this though as the students all have a personal Apple ID

 

I would not go down the managed Apple ID route as you've rightly said would involve a complete change of strategy, have a look at the support docs below..

 

https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT204152

https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT204915

[Brimstone]

Yes it is possible to get the students to turn this off, you can not enforce this though as the students all have a personal Apple ID

 

I would not go down the managed Apple ID route as you've rightly said would involve a complete change of strategy, have a look at the support docs below..

 

https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT204152

https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT204915

[scubagirl]

Thanks Brimstone. I'm aware you can get them to turn it off, but they're not! It's too much of a headache to leave on though, so we may have to switched to managed Apple IDs.

 

I'm really disappointed with Apple to be honest. There have been so many things like this implemented since we deployed iPads, I don't think they comprehend how much of a headache it is. Our reseller has been less than helpful too.

[Brimstone]

Here's what you can do but depends on a few things...

 

Managed Apple ID's have no access to the App Store anyway and are only used for sign in to Shared iPad or iTunes U, so this would not replace a Personal Apple ID.

 

 

If the iPads are regularly being backed up, then...

 

In Meraki MDM switch your school deployed apps to device assigned instead of user assigned, this way you are deploying apps without any Apple ID whatsoever, if student forgets the personal ID being used on a personal level then that is something they have to deal direct with Apple themselves. (I assume you are using the paid for version of Meraki)

 

This removes the need for any Apple ID management either by you or the school, there's a link below which explains how to do this in Meraki.

 

https://meraki.cisco.com/blog/2015/10/as-if-by-magic/