App Store guideline 5.5: Mobile Device Management
Apps that offer Mobile Device Management services must request that capability from Apple and may only be offered by commercial enterprises, schools and universities, or government agencies. Unofficial explanation, not affiliated with Apple. Apple's text prevails.
- Guideline
- 5.5 Mobile Device Management
- Section
- 5. Legal
- This page
- Unofficial explanation, not affiliated with Apple. Apple's text prevails.
- Version
- Guidelines last updated October 16, 2026
- Official source
- Apple's App Review Guidelines
What it means
- In limited cases, companies that use MDM for parental control or device security are also allowed.
- Before the user does anything to buy or use the service, an app screen has to spell out which user data is collected and what it is used for.
- MDM apps must obey applicable laws and may not sell, use or disclose any data to third parties, for any reason. They must say so in their privacy policy.
- Analytics from third parties are allowed in some limited cases, but only for services that gather or send information about how the developer's MDM app performs, never information about the person, their device or the other apps installed on it.
- Apps offering configuration profiles must meet the same requirements.
What reviewers look at
The guideline says apps that do not comply will be taken off the App Store and blocked from installing through alternative distribution, and the developer may be removed from the Apple Developer Program.
Apple's text
This page is an unofficial explanation in our own words. Unofficial explanation, not affiliated with Apple. Apple's text prevails. Apple's wording is on its page, linked below.
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