Top 10 Intune Configurations for iOS Devices (Security Focus)

If you run Microsoft 365 in a small business, your iPhones and iPads are already part of your security boundary. That’s true whether they’re company-owned manager phones, shared iPads in a restaurant, or personal devices used for Outlook and Teams. A single lost phone with cached email can turn into a real incident, and mobile phishing works because it feels “quick” and “safe” on a small screen.

When I set up Microsoft Intune for iOS devices, I focus on configurations that reduce support tickets and block the most common ways data leaks. The goal is simple: protect Microsoft 365 data (Exchange, OneDrive, SharePoint, Teams) while keeping devices easy to use.

One point that changes everything is ownership. For company-owned iOS devices, I prefer full device management with supervision. For BYOD, I keep it lighter and protect the apps and the data inside them. Same platform, different controls, different user expectations.

Before I start, the basics I set up first (so the next 10 settings work)

These aren’t “nice to haves.” If these basics aren’t in place, policies won’t apply, compliance won’t report cleanly, and Conditional Access won’t block anything.

Pick the right enrollment method for your iPhones and iPads

I choose enrollment based on how the device is used:

Scenario	Best fit	Why I pick it
Company iPhones for managers	Automated Device Enrollment (ADE)	Strong control, supervised mode, harder to remove management
Shared iPads in a restaurant	ADE (often with shared or kiosk-style setup)	Stable enrollment, consistent configuration, fewer user errors
Office staff using personal iPhones	BYOD approach (lighter enrollment and app controls)	Protects company data without taking over the whole phone

Microsoft’s ADE setup is documented in their guide, and it’s the reference I keep handy when building out Apple side prerequisites: Set up automated device enrollment (ADE) for iOS/iPadOS.

Connect Intune to Entra ID and Microsoft 365 sign-in rules

Intune policies by themselves don’t block sign-ins to Microsoft 365. The real gate is Entra ID Conditional Access. I treat it like a door lock that checks “Is this device compliant?” before it lets Outlook, Teams, and OneDrive in.

This is where “require compliant device” lives. Intune marks the device compliant or not, and Conditional Access enforces it at sign-in.

My top 10 Microsoft Intune configurations for iOS devices (security first, still easy to use)

1) Require a strong passcode and lock screen settings

Where it lives: Configuration profile (passcode settings) and sometimes Compliance policy.

This is the first control I set because it’s the most “real world.” Phones get left on tables, dropped in parking lots, or picked up by the wrong person during a busy shift.

What I enforce most often:

• Minimum passcode length (longer than 4 digits)
• Simple passcodes off (no 111111)
• Auto-lock on a short timer for higher-risk roles
• Limit failed attempts before the device locks harder

For frontline staff, I balance friction. A 6-digit PIN with a reasonable auto-lock can be fine. For office staff with email attachments and OneDrive sync, I go stricter because the impact of a lost phone is higher.

2) Set a minimum iOS version in Compliance (and block old devices)

Where it lives: Compliance policy (iOS/iPadOS).

In December 2025, my baseline for most small businesses is iOS 17 or later. Older major versions miss security fixes, and they create weird edge cases with modern auth and app protection. I’d rather deal with the “please update tonight” conversation than explain why a device on an old OS can’t be trusted.

The key is not just setting the minimum OS. The key is pairing it with Conditional Access (more on that next), so noncompliant devices actually lose access to Microsoft 365.

Microsoft’s own starting point is worth reading when you want to compare settings against known good defaults: iOS/iPadOS device compliance security configurations.

3) Turn on Conditional Access that requires a compliant device for Microsoft 365

Where it lives: Entra ID Conditional Access (uses Intune compliance signal).

This is the control that changes Intune from “reporting tool” to “enforcement tool.”

A clear, practical example policy I use:

• Cloud apps: Office 365 (or the specific apps you care about)
• Grant: Require device to be marked as compliant
• Client apps: start with modern auth clients (Outlook, Teams, OneDrive)
• Exclude: a small emergency break-glass account (locked down and monitored)

My rollout pattern is boring on purpose: pilot group first, then expand. When a Conditional Access policy is wrong, it breaks work fast. When it’s right, users barely notice, and that’s the point.

If you’re still building your compliance structure, Microsoft’s overview on compliance policy planning helps line up the moving parts: Configure compliance policies.

4) Block managed app data from syncing to personal iCloud

Where it lives: App protection policies (MAM) and app configuration for iOS.

This is my favorite BYOD control because it targets the real risk: company files drifting into personal storage.

“Managed apps” usually means apps like Outlook, Teams, and OneDrive that Intune can wrap with policy. I restrict actions that push data out of the managed boundary, like:

• Saving attachments to personal iCloud Drive
• Copy/paste from a managed app into an unmanaged app
• “Open in” to personal apps that can export data

The business reason is simple: I don’t want client invoices, HR docs, or shared OneDrive files ending up inside a personal Apple ID backup. This matters even when the user isn’t trying to do anything wrong.

Microsoft has a solid reference for personal device controls and what is realistic on BYOD: iOS/iPadOS personal device security configurations.

5) Force encrypted device backups

Where it lives: iOS/iPadOS configuration profile (backup restrictions and encryption-related settings).

Backups are sneaky. A user can protect their phone with Face ID, but an unprotected backup stored on a computer (or copied off it) can become a data source for someone else. If Outlook cached mail and OneDrive files are on the device, they can show up in backup content too.

I push policies that require backups to be encrypted and discourage data from being backed up in unsafe ways. This isn’t about paranoia. It’s about recognizing that a backup is a copy of your data, and copies spread.

6) Block untrusted TLS certificates to reduce man-in-the-middle risk

Where it lives: Configuration profile (certificate trust and network-related restrictions).

Public Wi-Fi is where bad decisions happen quickly. A fake access point that looks like “Guest WiFi” can trick devices into trusting the wrong certificate, which can put sign-ins and traffic at risk.

Blocking untrusted TLS certificates helps prevent the device from trusting shady certificate chains. In plain terms, it reduces the chance that a user’s phone accepts a “fake lock icon” while they sign in to Microsoft 365.

This doesn’t replace MFA. It reduces the odds of credential theft when users are tired, distracted, and tapping “Continue” too fast.

7) Stop screenshots and screen recording for sensitive roles

Where it lives: Configuration profile (device restrictions). Often requires supervised devices for the strongest controls.

I don’t apply this to everyone because it annoys people. I apply it to groups where screenshots turn into data loss.

Roles I often protect:

• HR and payroll
• Finance and purchasing
• Owners and general managers
• Medical, legal, or regulated teams

A simple scenario: payroll in a web app on an iPad, someone takes screenshots, now those images live in Photos and may sync out. Blocking screenshots and screen recording reduces that risk. It’s not perfect control, but it removes the easiest path.

8) Use a web content filter to cut down phishing and risky browsing

Where it lives: iOS/iPadOS configuration profile (web content filter settings).

Phishing on mobile works because the browser UI is small and links are hard to inspect. If your team uses Safari on the go, a basic web filter reduces exposure.

How I apply it depends on device type:

• For normal user devices, I block known bad categories and limit high-risk browsing.
• For kiosk or shared iPads, I prefer an allow-list approach so the iPad only reaches approved sites (POS back-office, scheduling, training).

This also supports security training. When users get blocked from a risky page, it becomes a teachable moment instead of a post-incident report.

9) Set up the Microsoft Enterprise SSO extension for easier, safer sign-in

Where it lives: iOS/iPadOS configuration profile (SSO extension) and app configuration.

This configuration pays off in two ways: fewer password prompts and fewer help desk calls. When users see fewer sign-in prompts, they stop typing passwords into random pop-ups. That’s a quiet security win.

With the Microsoft Enterprise SSO extension, Microsoft 365 apps can use a more consistent sign-in flow tied to Entra ID. In daily life, it feels like the phone “just stays signed in” in a controlled way.

It’s also a cleanup tool. If I’m tightening Conditional Access, solid SSO reduces weird auth loops that users blame on Intune.

10) Use Automated Device Enrollment (ADE) with the right setup options for company devices

Where it lives: Enrollment program tokens and ADE profiles (Intune enrollment settings).

For company-owned devices, ADE is where I get the biggest support and security wins. I aim for supervised devices whenever possible, because supervision unlocks stronger restrictions and more reliable management.

What I configure in ADE profiles depends on the business:

• Skip consumer setup steps that cause confusion (Apple ID prompts, Siri setup, and other screens that don’t help on a work device)
• Require enrollment so the device can’t become “half managed”
• Prevent easy removal of management where the business needs control

Two examples I see often:

• Shared iPads in restaurants: I want stable enrollment, consistent Wi-Fi and web filtering, and fewer ways for staff to change settings.
• Company iPhones for managers: I want strong passcode rules, fast remote actions, and clean Microsoft 365 access control.

If you want Microsoft’s guide for end-to-end iOS management planning (not just ADE), this is the one I reference when scoping projects: Manage iOS/iPadOS devices in Microsoft Intune.

How I roll these out in a small business without breaking work

The biggest mistake I see is flipping everything on at once, then trying to sort out what broke. My approach is slower, but it’s predictable, and that matters more than speed.

Pilot groups, rings, and exceptions I allow (and what I don’t)

I deploy in rings:

• Ring 0 (IT and test devices): validate policies and app behavior.
• Ring 1 (small pilot): a few friendly users across roles.
• Ring 2 (most staff): the default baseline.
• Ring 3 (high-risk roles): finance, HR, executives with tighter rules.

Exceptions I allow:

• A short grace period for OS updates before I enforce blocks.
• Temporary exclusions for a single app that breaks under new restrictions.

Exceptions I don’t allow:

• “Let my phone bypass compliance forever.”
• “I can’t use a passcode because it’s annoying.”

If a device can’t update to the minimum iOS version, I treat it as a replacement plan, not a policy debate. Old devices cost more in support time than they’re worth.

When I need to compare what is possible on supervised devices versus personal devices, I use Microsoft’s supervised device reference as my guardrail: iOS/iPadOS supervised device security configurations.

Quick checks after deployment, compliance reports and common fixes

After rollout, I check a few things in this order:

Compliance status: Are devices reporting compliant, and do they stay compliant after a day?

Sign-in failures: Are Conditional Access blocks expected, or are good users getting blocked?

OS version drift: Who’s stuck on old iOS, and is it a “won’t” or a “can’t”?

SSO behavior: Are users still getting repeated prompts in Outlook and Teams?

Common fixes that solve most issues:

• Have the user open Company Portal and run a sync
• Update iOS, then reboot
• Re-enroll the device if it’s stuck in a partial state
• Confirm the Apple MDM push certificate is current, because when that expires, everything gets noisy fast

If you’re building compliance from scratch and want the official baseline steps, Microsoft’s policy creation doc is a good checklist: Create device compliance policies in Microsoft Intune.

Conclusion

These 10 Intune configurations cover the biggest iOS risks I see in Microsoft 365 shops: lost devices, weak locks, outdated OS builds, risky sign-ins, and data copy-out to personal storage. If I had to pick a starting point, I’d begin with passcodes, minimum iOS version, and Conditional Access that requires compliance, then add iCloud and backup controls based on ownership.

If you want quick progress, pick three settings to deploy this week, test with a pilot group, then expand. That steady pace beats a big rollout that stalls when the first executive can’t open Outlook.