Manage VPP applications
Last updated September 25th, 2024
Add VPP applications to the Admin Portal and assign them to the iOS and macOS devices or VPP users. For applications you are using the managed distribution type for, you can unassign and reassign the applications.
An iOS VPP app token can only be used with one Enterprise Mobility Management (EMM) tenant at a time. If it’s used with more than one EMM, you can’t manage apps using Knox Manage.
Add VPP applications (managed distribution)
Add the applications purchased through managed distribution by synchronization.
There are two synchronization methods:
- Automatic synchronization via scheduling in Setting > iOS/macOS > VPP Server Setting
- Manual synchronization
To synchronize the applications manually, complete the following steps:
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Navigate to Application.
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On the Application page, click Sync VPP.
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In the Sync VPP window, click OK.
Add VPP applications (redeemable codes)
Add the purchased applications through redeemable codes by uploading the code spreadsheet on the Admin Portal. This feature is only supported for iOS devices in the Knox Manage console.
To upload the redeemable codes, complete the following steps:
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Navigate to Application.
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On the Application page, click Upload Redemption Code.
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In the Upload Redemption Code window, click and select the code spreadsheet downloaded from the VPP website.
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View the code list and click Save.
Assign a VPP application
If you want to assign multiple VPP applications at the same time, see Assign multiple VPP applications.
To assign an application to devices or VPP users, complete the following steps:
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Navigate to Application.
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On the Application page, search for the application you want to assign.
To search, enter the application’s name. Alternatively, select iOS or macOS under Platform & Source and Volume Purchase Program as the source and click Search.
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Click the check box next to the application, and then click Assign.
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On the Assign Application page, set the Assignment Type:
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Device (Recommended) — Assign the VPP application to devices.
TIP — This is based on the device’s serial number and works without requiring Apple ID configuration on the device. If you choose this, you don’t need to set up any Apple IDs.
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User — Assign the VPP application to users. For registered users, the VPP application must be installed manually. For associated users, the VPP application will be installed automatically.
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If you selected Device in the previous step, set the Install Type:
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Manual — The device owner can only get the applications if they install it manually from the Knox Manage agent’s Application Store.
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Automatic — The application is installed on target devices automatically, without user intervention, after it’s assigned to the device. A device user can delete the application after installation if they want to.
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To backup app data to iCloud, set Prevent iCloud App Backup to Yes.
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If you selected Automatic in the previous step, specify whether you want the app to be automatically updated.
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Select the targets and click Assign:
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If you’re assigning the VPP application to devices, select the target groups or organizations.
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If you’re assigning the VPP application to users, select the target VPP users.
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In the Assign Application window, click OK.
Assign multiple VPP applications
You can assign up to 10 VPP applications at the same time. This operation is only possible if the applications you’re assigning will have the same settings. That is, they will have the same Assignment Type, Install Type, and targets.
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Navigate to Application.
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On the Application page, select the applications you want to assign.
To search, enter an application’s name. Alternatively, select iOS or macOS under Platform & Source and Volume Purchase Program as the source and click Search.
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Click Assign.
The Assign Application page opens. Only one of your selected applications is visible at the top. To expand the list and view all the applications you selected, click See Other Apps.
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Set the Assignment Type:
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Device (Recommended) — Assign the VPP applications to devices.
TIP — This is based on the device’s serial number and works without requiring Apple ID configuration on the device. If you choose this, you don’t need to set up any Apple IDs.
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User — Assign the VPP applications to users. For registered users, the VPP applications must be installed manually. For associated users, the VPP applications will be installed automatically.
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If you selected Device in the previous step, set the Install Type:
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Manual — The device owner can only get the applications if they install them manually from the Knox Manage agent’s Application Store.
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Automatic — The applications are installed on target devices automatically, without user intervention, after they’re assigned to the device. A device user can delete the applications after installation if they want to.
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If you selected Automatic in the previous step, specify whether you want the apps to be automatically updated.
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Select the targets and click Assign:
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If you’re assigning the VPP applications to devices, select the target groups or organizations.
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If you’re assigning the VPP applications to users, select the target VPP users.
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In the Assign Application window, click OK.
Unassign a VPP application
You can unassign applications you are using the managed distribution type for. When you unassign an app, that app is automatically uninstalled from the devices you selected.
To unassign an application from devices or VPP users, complete the following steps:
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Navigate to Application.
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On the Application page, search for the application you want to unassign.
To search, enter the name or select the iOS or macOS for platform and Volume Purchase Program for source and click Search.
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Click the name of the application you want to unassign.
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On the Application Details page, under the Assigned User or Assigned Group/Organization tab, select the users, groups, or organizations you want to unassign the application from.
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Click Unassign.
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In the Unassign Application window, click OK.
The app is automatically removed from the devices.
Remove VPP tokens
To use managed distribution for apps on Apple’s App Store, you must first register the VPP token on Knox Manage. When a VPP app is synced to Knox Manage, the registered VPP token gets linked with the app. When the app is assigned to a device, the VPP token acts as a connection between the App Store and the app, and is used to manage the app’s licenses and updates.
Consider the following before removing a token from Knox Manage:
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If you remove an existing VPP token from the Knox Manage console, the connection between the App Store and the app on a device ceases to exist, and the app isn’t synced for version updates and license management.
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If you then register a new VPP token, it doesn’t automatically connect the App Store to the existing app on a device. You must remove the app and reassign it to the device to re-establish the connection using the new VPP token.
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