How to Supervise unmanaged devices in use without data loss?

Description

IT administrators prefer Supervision of devices as this lets them exercise additional control over the device. This task can simply be performed either using Apple Device Enrollment Program (DEP)/Apple Business Manager (ABM) or Apple Configurator when the device is new. When the device is already in use and you wish to preserve the data on the device, the task gets complicated. Apple recommends wiping the data from the device to be Supervised, but Mobile Device Manager Plus offers the following method as a workaround for Supervising unmanaged devices without data loss.

Requirements

• Device to be Supervised (main device)
• A temporary device to back up data (This device may or may not be enrolled with MDM)
• Apple Configurator or DEP/ABM

Steps

Using DEP/ABM for Supervision

NOTE: Devices must be eligible to be added in DEP/ABM. Do not skip Restore from Backup and Sign into iCloud options during device activation.

• Ensure that Find My iPhone is off to avoid problems during enrollment.
• Back up the main device using iTunes or iCloud.
• Restore this content on a temporary device which can be either Supervised or unupervised.
• Ensure that Find My iPhone is turned off and then back up the temporary device using iTunes or iCloud.
• Add the device to DEP/ABM using the steps given here and activate the device to enroll it.
• From the Apps & Data screen, restore the backup of the temporary device into the enrolled device.
• All the app data is restored in the enrolled device and the MDM profile is installed with the new DEP/ABM profile.
• The enrolled device will be awaiting user assignment and profile distribution.

Using Apple Configurator

• Ensure that Find My iPhone is off to avoid problems during enrollment.
• Back up the main device using iTunes.
• Restore this content on a temporary device which can be either Supervised or unsupervised.
• Ensure that Find My iPhone is turned off and then back up the temporary device using iTunes or iCloud.
• Restore the backup of the temporary device into the device to be Supervised.
• After restoration, when the device shows the Welcome screen on activation, connect the device to Apple Configurator and enroll it using the steps given here.
• All the app data is restored in the enrolled device and the MDM profile is installed with the new Apple Configurator profile.
• The enrolled device will be awaiting user assignment and profile distribution.

NOTE: Click here to know more about migrating from DEP to ABM