You can migrate iOS and iPadOS devices from other MDM solutions to Jamf Pro while preserving installed apps and their data. This capability leverages Apple Business and Apple School Manager migration workflows, enabling you to transition devices to Jamf Pro without the traditional need to wipe or reinstall apps on the devices, while also preventing end users from removing the MDM profile.
You can also migrate devices from one Jamf Pro server to another, or from Jamf School or Jamf Now to Jamf Pro.
Devices with iOS or iPadOS 26 enrolled via Automated Device Enrollment
Devices assigned to Apple Business or Apple School Manager
Mobile device PreStage enrollment configured in Jamf Pro
Proper app scoping and volume licensing assignment is required to preserve managed apps during the migration process
Important:
Managed applications installed by the original MDM server that lack proper scoping and licensing during enrollment to the new MDM server will be automatically deleted by the operating system during migration. This deletion can result in application data loss if the new Jamf Pro instance is not configured to reinstall the same managed applications during the enrollment process.
Devices enrolled with the original MDM server using Return to Service with app preservation settings are not eligible for MDM server migration using Apple Business or Apple School Manager deadlines.
In Jamf Pro, click Devices in the sidebar.
Click PreStage enrollments in the sidebar.
On the PreStage enrollments page, do one of the following:
Click New to create a new PreStage enrollment.
Select an existing PreStage enrollment and click Edit .
On the Options tab, click the General payload, and then select the Automatically assign new devices checkbox.
Best Practice:
If you only have one Automated Device Enrollment instance integrated with Jamf Pro, Jamf recommends selecting the Automatically assign new devices checkbox in the PreStage enrollment’s General payload. This automatically adds all newly assigned devices to the PreStage scope and eliminates the need to scope individual devices. If you use multiple PreStage enrollments, individual devices will require manual scoping in their corresponding PreStage enrollments after reassigning them to your Jamf Pro server in Apple Business or Apple School Manager. Devices will not be available to scope until the reassignment process is complete.
On the Options tab, click the General payload, and then select Install managed apps before Setup Assistant in the Settings for Supervised Devices section.
Note:
In addition to MDM migration, you can also use this setting to install apps before Setup Assistant during a standard device enrollment with Jamf Pro.
Click Save.
Click Mobile device apps in the sidebar.
Navigate to the app you want to configure.
In the General payload, do the following:
Choose "Install Automatically/Prompt Users to Install" from the Distribution Method pop-up menu and verify the scope is correct.
Ensure Make App Managed when possible is selected, and then select Convert unmanaged app to managed.
For App Store apps, click the Managed Distribution tab, select Assign Content Purchased in Volume, and then select the volume purchasing location from the Location pop-up menu.
Click the Scope tab, and specify the target devices for the app.
Repeat steps 7–10 for any other apps you want to configure.
Click Save in the bottom-right corner of the pane.
In Apple Business or Apple School Manager, click Devices in the sidebar and select the devices you want to migrate.
For more information on migrating devices, see the following documentation from Apple:
Navigate to Assign Device Management and choose the destination MDM server from the Device Management Service pop-up menu.
Click Add Deadline, and select the date and time for the device to automatically migrate to the destination MDM server if the device's user does not initiate the migration earlier.
Note:
If the Add Deadline option is unavailable, the device is ineligible for this migration workflow.
Click Continue, and then click Confirm.
Device users receive an Enrollment Required prompt to enroll the device in a different device management service. After the user clicks Start Enrollment, a Restart Required prompt displays. If the user clicks Not Now, the user is prompted periodically until the deadline. After reaching the deadline, the user is required to complete the migration.
Note:
The user can also initiate the migration via the Settings app.
After the new MDM profile is installed on the device, Jamf Pro holds the device in Setup Assistant while delivering app installation commands. During this hold period, all previously managed apps that receive installation commands will have their app and app data preserved throughout the migration process. However, apps that were previously managed by the original MDM but do not receive an app installation command from Jamf Pro at this time will be removed by the operating system.