What will happen if users do not move over to a managed (federated) Apple ID?

Question

What will happen if users do not move over to a managed (federated) Apple ID?

For context, we have started the domain capture process for our company. Every user that is signed into their iPhone using our company's domain has been notified to transfer over to a work account before Oct 9, 2025.

Essentially, I am curious what will happen if they don't do this before the deadline. All I know so far is that they will get moved to a temporary Apple ID.

Will they be able to remove that temporary Apple ID and log into the phone using their company email again or will that not be an option?

Will we have to wipe the phone completely after Oct 9 and have them sign in using their company email?

I want to minimize downtime as much as possible, and naturally, we have users who are taking a long time to complete this for us.

Thanks,

Finn

iPhone 16e, iOS 18

Posted on Sep 19, 2025 11:59 AM

Reply

Answer 1

Sep 19, 2025 1:25 PM in response to finngoodnight

I’d be inclined to contact company legal for a discussion, and ask about sending out a message indicating that company account access will be shut down, phones will be wiped, and that HR will start the employment separation process. Or starting a rumor to that end. Or put differently, determine what you can or will do if (when?) some folks don’t comply.

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Answer 2

celliott147

Level 6

12,522 points

Sep 22, 2025 9:00 AM in response to finngoodnight

They will get a temporary Apple Account. It will be something like user-domain@temporary.appleid.com with the user-domain portion corresponding to user@domain with the @ being replaced with a -.

They will be able to sign out and log in again with the new managed Apple Account. They could also still log in with their existing account.

If you want to block the changes and force the managed account only, you would have to wipe the device and make several changes to block Apple Account sign in, block account changes to prevent sign out, and force managed Apple Account sign in at setup.

The second is a big hammer for a small nut, but it will do what you want.

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Answer 3

Sep 19, 2025 2:25 PM in response to MrHoffman

Oh trust me I'd love to tell them that their phone is going to blow up and never be usable again. There's also a part of me that would also just like to know what actually happens because I know for a fact my users will ask me what the consequences may be and I'd like to be informed. Such is the life of working in IT though, I guess. You never know until you know!

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Answer 4

Sep 20, 2025 12:20 PM in response to finngoodnight

finngoodnight wrote:

Oh trust me I'd love to tell them that their phone is going to blow up and never be usable again.

And some of them would take you literally and freak out, resulting in HR involvement. ;-)

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