Cannot remove MDM profile from iPhone after removal from Intune

Anon Account 31 Reputation points
2022-01-19T19:39:22.87+00:00

I have a corporate issued iPhone that's controlled by a MDM profile via Intune. The company agreed to remove the MDM profile to let me have the phone as a personal device. They said they removed the phone from Intune. However, the MDM profile is still there. There's no option to delete it. I've tried the following:

  • Remove all managed apps and rebooted: MDM still there
  • Erase iPhone and restore from backup: MDM still there
  • Erase iPhone and use as new device: No MDM!

How can I remove MDM but still keep my existing data? The company hasn't done this before so they may have hit the wrong button. What should they do in Intune?

Microsoft Security | Intune | Configuration
Microsoft Security | Intune | Enrollment
Answer accepted by question author
Lu Dai-MSFT 28,536 Reputation points
2022-01-21T02:55:44.747+00:00

@Anon Account Thanks for your update. From the information you provided, the iPhone is an ADE enrollment device.

For ADE enrollment device, if the IT configure the setting "Locked enrollment" to "Yes" in the Apple enrollment profile, we can't remove MDM management profile manually in the iPhone.
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/mem/intune/enrollment/device-enrollment-program-enroll-ios#create-an-apple-enrollment-profile

If we want to we want to completely remove an ADE device from management by Intune, it is needed to unsigned the device in Apple Business Manager.
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/mem/intune/remote-actions/devices-wipe#retire-an-apple-ade-device-from-intune

Hope it will help.

Was this answer helpful?

2 people found this answer helpful.
0 comments

5 additional answers

Sort by: Newest
Most helpful Newest Oldest
  1. Alaric Bowen 0 Reputation points
    2026-06-04T19:25:50.3866667+00:00

    I ran into a similar issue a while back, where the device was removed from the management portal, but the MDM profile stayed on the iPhone because it was still linked through Apple's enrollment system. In my case, a simple removal from the dashboard wasn't enough and the IT team had to fully release the device before the profile disappeared.

    It's interesting how these management profiles can remain attached even when everything appears to be removed. I recently came across a guide on Snap planets order that discussed how system-linked settings can sometimes persist after account-level changes, and it reminded me of situations like this where the device and management records aren't completely synchronized.

    Hopefully the original poster was able to get the device fully released and keep their data intact.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  2. adamjordan 0 Reputation points
    2026-02-10T13:29:51.47+00:00

    This can happen if the device was supervised, if there are pending management commands, or if the profile was installed using Apple Configurator or DEP (Device Enrollment Program). To resolve this, ensure the device has a stable internet connection, check Intune Stash Bookkeeping for any lingering device records, and try restarting the iPhone.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  3. Yvonne Xio 0 Reputation points
    2025-07-31T08:04:01.98+00:00

    The MDM profile can persist even after being removed from the Intune portal if the device is still enrolled in the MDM system, potentially due to "Locked enrollment" settings configured by the IT administrator.

    You can contact the IT administrator or the organization that enrolled the device in Intune. They need to verify that the device is fully removed from their system. Alternatively, you can choose to remove MDM, which is easier and will not cause data loss.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  4. Bella Gorden 0 Reputation points
    2024-04-16T03:24:53.9966667+00:00

    In the Settings of your iPhone, you can check whether your device is still restricted to the MDM. Erasing all data and content on your device can delete the MDM profile when there is no option to remove MDM profile. If you choose the Restore from iCloud option on the device setup screen, the MDM profile will come back to your device. If you don't want to lose any data on your device, you can use an MDM removal.

    Was this answer helpful?

Your answer

Answers can be marked as 'Accepted' by the question author and 'Recommended' by moderators, which helps users know the answer solved the author's problem.