Common Profile Configurations

Tech Lockdown Team

Here are some highlighted configurations that are more useful to home users who want to prevent bypassing filtering/blocking capabilities.

Application restrictions

Consider customizing the following restrictions:

• Users can install unapproved apps (set list of approved apps using MDM)
• Deleting apps
  
• Remove system apps
  
• Download Books content > Erotic content
  

Browser Restrictions

Consider restricting Safari.

Network and Roaming

Connect to Wi-Fi, only if distributed via MDM

Selecting this option will limit the Wi-Fi networks a user can connect to based on the networks you manually define. This is useful if you only want a device to connect to your home internet connection. 

Always on Wi-Fi

Useful if you want to stop a user from switching off of a filter home network connection Wi-Fi to a roaming connection when at home.

Allow users to configure VPN

This setting should be restricted - a VPN should only be configured by the MDM.

Content Ratings

This section isn't as useful, but it's worth showcasing that you can restrict explicit music & podcasts. Note that this setting won't impact third-party apps like Spotify.

Wi-Fi

Optionally, you can configure Wi-Fi settings via the MDM.

For home networks, enter your Wi-Fi name in the Wi-FI SSID field, select WPA/WPA2 security type, then enter your WiFi password.

Combine this with Restrictions > Network & Roaming > Always on Wifi and Connect to Wi-Fi, only if distributed via MDM if you want to significantly restrict internet access to known/filtered internet connections.

Kiosk Mode

Kiosk mode is a powerful profile configuration that lets you narrow down the features a user has access to on the device. You can easily turn your iPhone into a "dumb phone" without sacrificing useful features like maps, camera, email, etc.

After enabling kiosk mode in multi app mode, I've restricted the following iPhone to have access to only a few features.

You can completely customize this as needed using Multi-app mode.

One of the most useful things about Kiosk mode is that you can specifically define what apps a user can see and access. This means that you can set up a filtering app, but make it impossible for the user to access or even see. The app is still running, but it's not visible to the user.

Enable single-app mode if you want to enforce the use of only one kiosk app. This is useful if you are using a parental control kiosk app.

Most commonly: enable multi-app mode to specify exactly what apps the user can see and access.

Hide the MDM app

Content Filtering

You can take advantage of the Screen Time Content Filter built-in to all iPhones.

Allowlist Mode

With the Filter type:Allowlist mode, you can restrict access to all websites except the ones you specify. This is a restrictive approach that is very limiting, but also one of the most thorough ways to narrow down only a few approved websites.

Blocklist Mode

Alternatively, you can toggle on the Filter type: Blocklist and add a list of URLs that should be blocked. 

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