I graduated high school two months ago and my iPad is still under the school's management system, meaning I can't really use it freely. My school email is still active as well, giving me access to all Microsoft 365 apps. The only way I've been told to remove the iPad from this management system is by performing a full factory reset, but I'm worried about losing all my content and data. I've backed up some important stuff to iCloud, but I don't want to lose everything. Recently, a number of apps disappeared from my iPad, which I suspect is due to my iPadOS version being outdated. The school has warned that updating to the latest version will lock me out of the device since it's still under their system. I noticed that while it still shows it's supervised at the top of my account, the settings say it's no longer connected to the management, which confuses me even more. I'm also concerned about not having access to my school email for important updates after graduation. Can anyone help me sort this out?
3 Answers
Yes, to get your iPad fully removed from the management system, you'll need to perform a factory reset. However, keep in mind that your school needs to release the device from their management first. You should also consider reaching out to Apple Support to confirm the ownership transfer to you, especially since you mentioned that your family bought it.
As a former MDM administrator, I can confirm that a factory reset is necessary. But don't worry too much about losing your email access; you might still be able to use the Outlook app to log in until your school shuts down the email account. Just a heads up though, sometimes the management settings can complicate things with two-factor authentication, but if you reach out to your school, they might help you set it up post-graduation.
That’s reassuring! But to be honest, I can’t even tell if I'm still under management or not. Also, what's 2FA? I doubt the school would assist me with that now.
You definitely should create a new Apple ID, back up your stuff to a different iCloud, and then remove your school account from the iPad. Eventually, your school will close your account since you're no longer a student, and this step ensures your important files are safe. Just be sure to check online that everything has backed up before proceeding with the reset, as there's no way around wiping the device if you want to remove it from MDM.
Thanks for the tip! Sounds simple enough, but I really have no idea how to start this process. I’m stressed about it!
If I remove it, will I still maintain access to my school email until they disable it?