Customer HubShared iPad settings
The Shared iPad settings policy configuration defines settings for Apple’s multi-user mode, Shared iPad: whether only temporary sessions are possible, after how much inactivity sessions end, how storage is divided between users, whether Relution automatically assigns the signed-in user, and which classes are offered on the login screen. Relution does not transfer these settings as a configuration profile but via an MDM command (Settings).
Prerequisites
- Apple Shared iPad: The iPad was enrolled via Automated Device Enrollment (ADE, DEP in the portal) with the option Activate “Shared iPad” in the enrollment profile, see Profile for ADE →. In the portal, the configuration is therefore marked with the Shared iPad badge.
- iPadOS version: The settings are supported as of iPadOS 13.4, Temporary session only and the two session timeouts as of iPadOS 14.5.
- Class list: Additional prerequisites apply to signing in via classes (license, classes with teachers and students, Managed Apple Accounts), see Class lists (Shared iPad) →.
A comparison with Relution’s own multi-user mode is provided in Multi-user mode →.
Adding the configuration
The configuration is created under Devices → Policies in an iOS policy via Add Configuration → Shared iPad settings. Only one configuration of this type is possible per policy. Relution also expects exactly one effective configuration of this type per device; a Shared iPad is therefore assigned only one policy containing this configuration.
The Save button only becomes active once all entries are valid.
Options in the General section
All number fields are empty by default. Relution does not transfer empty fields to the device. The option Temporary session only, on the other hand, is always transferred, including when it is switched off.
| Option | Default | Permitted values | Effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quota size per user (in megabytes) | empty | whole number from 0 | Storage space available to each user on the device. If the value is smaller than the minimum supported by the device, the minimum is used. |
| Number of users | empty | whole number from 1 | Expected number of users on the device. If the value is larger than the maximum number supported by the device, the maximum is used. |
| Temporary session only | off | on/off | When switched on, only signing in as a guest (temporary session) is possible on the iPad. When switched off, signing in with a Managed Apple Account (Managed Apple ID in the portal) is possible as well. |
| Temporary session timeout (in seconds) | empty | 0 or from 30 | A temporary session ends automatically after the specified period of inactivity. 0 disables the timeout. |
| User session timeout (in seconds) | empty | 0 or from 30 | A session with a Managed Apple Account ends automatically after the specified period of inactivity. 0 disables the timeout. |
| Block automatic Relution user update | off | on/off | Prevents the automatic assignment of the signed-in user in Relution, see Automatic user assignment →. |
The number fields accept a maximum value of 2147483647. For timeout values between 1 and 29 as well as for negative values, the portal displays the message has to be at least 30, or 0 to deactivate the session timeout.
Quota size or number of users
Quota size per user (in megabytes) and Number of users are mutually exclusive. As soon as a quota size is entered, the portal clears the Number of users field and locks it; it becomes editable again only after the quota size has been removed.
Temporary sessions
Whether temporary sessions are possible on a Shared iPad at all also depends on the option Allow temporary sessions on Shared iPads in the Restrictions → configuration. If it is disabled, signing in as a guest is not possible. For passcode behavior in both operating modes, see Passcode →.
Automatic user assignment
When a user signs in on a Shared iPad, Relution assigns the Relution user to the device for whom this Managed Apple Account is stored in the Managed Apple ID field. If no such user exists, for example in a temporary session, the user assignment is removed. This behavior also applies to Shared iPads without a Shared iPad settings configuration.
If Block automatic Relution user update is switched on, the user assigned in Relution remains unchanged at every sign-in. The assignment matters for Relution Teacher and for the class list, among other things: Relution Teacher identifies student devices by the assigned user, and only Shared iPads without an assigned user receive the class list.
Classes section
Add Classes is used to select the classes offered for selection on the login screen of the Shared iPad. The classes available for selection are those under Education → Classes. Selected classes appear in the configuration as entries that can be removed individually. Without read permission for classes, the portal only displays the number of selected classes instead of their names.
Relution transfers the classes as an education configuration to Shared iPads to which no user is assigned. Classes without a teacher or without students are not transferred. Relution automatically transfers changes to the class selection or to the members of the classes. Setup and troubleshooting are described in Class lists (Shared iPad) →.
Known limitations
Repeated sign-ins and sign-outs of guest users can also lead to an incorrect message about insufficient storage space, see Known Issues →. When using the configuration, Quota size per user (in megabytes) and Number of users are therefore best left empty.
Combination with Relution Shared Device
Apple Shared iPad can be combined with Relution’s own multi-user mode, for example to combine temporary sessions with signing in via the Relution Agent. The configuration for this is described in Relution Shared Device →; notes on the combination are provided in Multi-user mode →.