Apple Business: what changed in 2026 and how to set it up

What is Apple Business?

Apple Business is Apple’s free portal for organisations. Apple announced the change on 24 March 2026 and rolled it out on 14 April 2026. According to Apple, Apple Business combines the capabilities of Apple Business Manager, Apple Business Essentials and Apple Business Connect in one offering.

For IT, everything you know from Apple Business Manager is still there: devices are assigned to your organisation, you manage Managed Apple Accounts and buy app licences. New are the device management from Business Essentials and the brand presence in Apple Maps, Wallet and Mail from Business Connect.

What changed compared with Apple Business Manager

• One portal instead of three: devices, accounts, apps and brand presence in one place.
• Built-in device management: the formerly paid management from Apple Business Essentials is now free, according to Apple and the trade press in more than 200 countries.
• Blueprints: templates that define apps and settings for devices and groups.
• Automatic accounts: Managed Apple Accounts can be created automatically through Microsoft Entra ID or Google Workspace.
• More administration: custom admin roles and an expanded API for automation.
• Paid extras: AppleCare+ for Business and additional iCloud storage. Prices and availability vary by country.

Existing customers did not have to do anything. According to Apple, organisations and data were migrated to Apple Business automatically.

Is the free device management enough?

The built-in management covers the basics: passcodes, settings, app distribution, remote wipe and automated set-up of new devices. For a small, Apple-only team without special evidence requirements, that can be enough.

The limits show where companies need more control or proof. Typical reasons for a dedicated MDM such as Mosyle, Jamf or Iru:

• You have to prove to customers, auditors or insurers that every device is encrypted and up to date.
• You need reports on patch level, security policies or installed software.
• You deploy software outside the App Store, scripts or complex configurations.
• You use Platform SSO, certificates, VPN or endpoint protection and want to control it centrally.
• You manage other platforms alongside Apple.

Setting up Apple Business step by step

1. Enrol: sign up your organisation at business.apple.com. Apple verifies the details, usually against your D-U-N-S number, so have your company name and address exactly as listed there.
2. Verify your domain: confirm your email domain with a DNS record. Only then can you create Managed Apple Accounts on your domain.
3. Connect your identity provider: link Microsoft Entra ID or Google Workspace so employees sign in with their usual company password.
4. Link your resellers: add your Apple customer number and your resellers’ IDs. New purchases then appear in Apple Business automatically.
5. Choose management: connect your MDM or set up Blueprints in the built-in management, and define which devices are assigned to which service by default.
6. Assign roles: give admin rights only to the people who need them and protect those accounts with two-factor authentication.
7. Test with a pilot device: run one new device through the full set-up before moving everyone else.

Common pitfalls

• Missing devices: devices bought privately or from unlinked resellers do not appear automatically. You can add them later with Apple Configurator, but the user can remove them again within 30 days.
• Personal Apple Accounts on the company domain: these conflict with Managed Apple Accounts. Plan the transition before you lock the domain.
• Expired connections: the links to your MDM and identity provider must be renewed regularly. Keep track of the expiry dates.