Configuring iOS and macOS software updates

The software update policy specifies what kind of system updates iOS or macOS devices should receive and when they should receive them. This policy allows you to keep the system software consistent on all your Apple iOS and macOS devices.

Only one software update policy is allowed per device. You can define multiple policies and assign a priority level to each, such that MobileIron Core can determine which policy it sends to iOS and macOS devices.

When a device checks in, Core checks:

if a software update policy is applied to the device
the time window of the policy
if an update is available for that device
if the available update is applicable for the device's hardware

NOTE:

To support the iOS Software Update policy for iOS 10.3 devices, the devices should be updated to iOS version 11.3 via the "Update OS Software" action from Devices & Users> Devices > Actions > iOS and macOS.

Procedure

Select Policies & Configs > Policies.
Depending upon the device, select one:
1. For iOS devices, select Add New > iOS and macOS > iOS Only > iOS Software Update.
2. For macOS devices, select Add New > iOS and macOS > macOS Only > macOS Software Update.
Use the guidelines in the table below to complete the new Add Updates dialog box.
Click Save.
Apply the policy to a iOS or macOS label.

Table 1. update Software settings

Item	Description
Name	Enter a name for the policy.
Status	Select the relevant radio button to indicate whether the policy is Active or Inactive. Only one active policy can be applied to a device.
Priority	Specifies the priority of this policy relative to other custom policies of the same type. This priority determines which policy is applied if more than one policy is available. Select Higher than or Lower than, then select an existing policy from the drop-down list. For example, to give Policy A a higher priority than Policy B, you would select “Higher than” and “Policy B”.
Description	Enter an explanation of the purpose of this policy.
Set device update to (iOS only)	Select one: Update to the latest version - applicable to any iOS device prior to iOS 11.3. Update to a specific version- a field displays for you to enter the iOS version you want to update (for iOS 11.3 through the most recently released version as supported by MobileIron.) This field allows you to push the policy for updating a specific version of iOS to supervised devices.
Critical Updates (macOS only)	Select All critical updates if updates requiring a device restart are acceptable. Otherwise, select Only critical updates that do not require restart.
Configuration Data Updates (macOS only)	Select All configuration data updates if updates requiring a device restart are acceptable. Otherwise, select Only configuration data updates that do not require restart
Firmware Updates (macOS only)	Select All firmware updates if updates requiring a device restart are acceptable. Otherwise, select Only firmware updates that do not require restart
Update Hours	Select the timezone for the update times you select in the fields that follow. For each day of the week, select the time of day and duration to apply the update. The duration indicates the time period in the local time zone specified by the policy. The update is initiated on each device when it checks in during the selected time period. If you do not select any days of the week, no updates are initiated for a device, even if updates are available for the device. If you select at least one day, but a device has no network access during that time period, no update is initiated for the device. If a device does not have a iOS/macOS software update policy applied to it, updates are not initiated for the device.

Item

Description

Name

Enter a name for the policy.

Status

Select the relevant radio button to indicate whether the policy is Active or Inactive.

Only one active policy can be applied to a device.

Priority

Specifies the priority of this policy relative to other custom policies of the same type. This priority determines which policy is applied if more than one policy is available.

Select Higher than or Lower than, then select an existing policy from the drop-down list.

For example, to give Policy A a higher priority than Policy B, you would select “Higher than” and “Policy B”.

Description

Enter an explanation of the purpose of this policy.

Set device update to

(iOS only)

Select one:

Update to the latest version - applicable to any iOS device prior to iOS 11.3.

Update to a specific version- a field displays for you to enter the iOS version you want to update (for iOS 11.3 through the most recently released version as supported by MobileIron.) This field allows you to push the policy for updating a specific version of iOS to supervised devices.

Critical Updates

(macOS only)

Select All critical updates if updates requiring a device restart are acceptable.

Otherwise, select Only critical updates that do not require restart.

Configuration Data Updates

(macOS only)

Select All configuration data updates if updates requiring a device restart are acceptable.

Otherwise, select Only configuration data updates that do not require restart

Firmware Updates

(macOS only)

Select All firmware updates if updates requiring a device restart are acceptable.

Otherwise, select Only firmware updates that do not require restart

Update Hours

Select the timezone for the update times you select in the fields that follow.

For each day of the week, select the time of day and duration to apply the update. The duration indicates the time period in the local time zone specified by the policy. The update is initiated on each device when it checks in during the selected time period.

If you do not select any days of the week, no updates are initiated for a device, even if updates are available for the device.

If you select at least one day, but a device has no network access during that time period, no update is initiated for the device.

If a device does not have a iOS/macOS software update policy applied to it, updates are not initiated for the device.

Disable OS Updates

By default, Core uses the Available OS Updates command to poll Apple devices. You can disable this feature, thus stopping the Available OS Updates commands to iOS devices. To continue to have this feature disabled, for every Core upgrade, you will need to de-select the Enable Available OS Updates calls field.

Procedure

Go to Settings > System Settings.
Click on iOS > MDM. The MDM page opens.
De-select the Enable Available OS Updates calls field.
Click Save.