We're currently managing our iPhones using Workspace One for MDM, but we've realized we need to operationalize Apple Business Manager (ABM) to handle OS patching and profile management more effectively. The issue is, enrolling a phone in ABM requires a factory reset, which means losing important data like texts, contacts, and voicemails that are critical for our users. We're trying to find a way to preserve this data while still setting up the devices in ABM. We've considered using tools to decouple the data from the device profiles, but past attempts were thwarted by some tools having potential security issues. Are there better strategies out there to safely transition our phones to ABM without data loss?
1 Answer
You might want to start by making backups through iTunes. If your users have been using personal Apple IDs, it complicates the process a bit. Otherwise, you can manage Apple IDs via ABM too. Just back up the data, wipe the device, enroll it in ABM, and recover the data afterwards using the same Apple ID.
I was under the impression that enrolling the device required a wipe and setting it up specifically through Apple Configurator. Is that not correct?