Unexpected Removal of Apple Watch Apps When Using allowListedAppBundleIDs in iOS Configuration Profile

Summary:

When applying a configuration profile that uses allowListedAppBundleIDs to permit a defined set of apps, essential Apple Watch apps are unexpectedly removed from the paired Watch — even though their associated iPhone bundle IDs are explicitly included.

This issue occurs with a minimal profile, and has been consistently reproducible on the latest versions of iOS and watchOS.

Impact:

This behavior severely limits the use of Apple Watch in managed environments (e.g., education, family management, accessibility contexts), where allowlisting is a key control mechanism. It also suggests either:

• Undocumented internal dependencies between iOS and watchOS apps, or
• A possible regression in how allowlists interact with Watch integration.

Steps to Reproduce:

1. Create a configuration profile with a Restrictions payload containing only the allowListedAppBundleIDs key.
2. Allow a broad list of essential system apps, including all known Apple Watch-related bundle IDs:

<string>com.apple.NanoAlarm</string>

<string>com.apple.NanoNowPlaying</string>

<string>com.apple.NanoOxygenSaturation</string>

<string>com.apple.NanoRegistry</string>

<string>com.apple.NanoRemote</string>

<string>com.apple.NanoSleep</string>

<string>com.apple.NanoStopwatch</string>

<string>com.apple.NanoWorldClock</string>

(All the bundles can be seen in the Attached profile)

1. Install the profile on a supervised or non-supervised iPhone paired with an Apple Watch.
2. Restart both devices.
3. Observe that several core Watch apps (e.g. Heart Rate, Activity, Workout) are missing from the Watch.

Expected Behavior:

All apps explicitly included in the allowlist should function normally. System apps — especially those tied to hardware like Apple Watch — should remain accessible unless explicitly excluded.

Actual Behavior:

Multiple Apple Watch system apps are removed or hidden, despite their iPhone bundle IDs being listed in the allowlist.

Test Environment:

• iPhone running iOS 18
• Apple Watch running watchOS 11
• Profile includes only the allowListedAppBundleIDs key
• Issue confirmed on fresh devices with no third-party apps

Request for Apple Engineering:

• Please confirm whether additional internal or undocumented bundle IDs are required to preserve Apple Watch functionality when allowlisting apps.
• If this behavior is unintended, please treat this as a regression or bug affecting key system components.
• If intentional, please provide formal documentation listing all required bundle IDs for preserving Watch support with allowlisting enabled.

Attachment:

• .mobileconfig profile demonstrating the issue (clean, minimal, reproducible)

Attached test profile