Relution Signet Customer Hub

System preferences

The System preferences configuration defines which panes of the system preferences are available on managed Macs. Depending on the selection mode, either only the selected panes are available, or exactly these panes are disabled. In addition to the panes included in macOS, preference panes from other vendors can be included via their bundle ID. Relution transfers the settings as a profile with the payload type com.apple.systempreferences.

System preferences form in the Relution portal

Prerequisites

  • The configuration can be added once per policy.
  • It is available for devices with device enrollment and for devices with User Enrollment →; the form shows the corresponding badge.
  • A supervised device is not required.

Selection mode

In the General section, the Selection mode field defines how the selected panes take effect. The mode applies jointly to the native panes and to the third-party panes; the headings of the two following sections adapt to the selected mode.

  • Enable the selected preference panes (default, key EnabledPreferencePanes): According to Apple, only the selected panes are available. All other panes are disabled, including those that are not listed in the form.
  • Disable the selected preference panes (key DisabledPreferencePanes): The selected panes are disabled, all others remain available.

Relution combines the selected native panes and the entered bundle IDs into one list and transfers it under the key of the selected mode. If neither a pane is selected nor a bundle ID is entered, no key is transferred; the profile then does not restrict the system preferences.

Native system preference panes

Depending on the mode, the section is called Enable Native System Preference Panes or Disable Native System Preference Panes. Each switch represents a pane of the system preferences; all switches are inactive by default. Only active switches are transferred, each with the identifier listed in the table.

SwitchPane identifier
Classroomcom.apple.ClassroomSettings
Language & Regioncom.apple.Localization
Date & Timecom.apple.preference.datetime
Desktop & Screensavercom.apple.preference.desktopscreeneffect
CDs & DVDscom.apple.preference.digihub.discs
Displayscom.apple.preference.displays
Dockcom.apple.preference.dock
Energy Savercom.apple.preference.energysaver
Mission Controlcom.apple.preference.expose
Generalcom.apple.preference.general
Inkcom.apple.preference.ink
Keyboardcom.apple.preference.keyboard
Mousecom.apple.preference.mouse
Networkcom.apple.preference.network
Notificationscom.apple.preference.notifications
Print & Faxcom.apple.preference.printfax
Screen Timecom.apple.preference.screentime
Security & Privacycom.apple.preference.security
Sidecarcom.apple.preference.sidecar
Soundcom.apple.preference.sound
Siricom.apple.preference.speech
Spotlightcom.apple.preference.spotlight
Startup Diskcom.apple.preference.startupdisk
Trackpadcom.apple.preference.trackpad
Accessibilitycom.apple.preference.universalaccess
Apple IDcom.apple.preferences.AppleIDPrefPane
App Storecom.apple.preferences.appstore
Bluetoothcom.apple.preferences.Bluetooth
Profilescom.apple.preferences.configurationprofiles
Extensionscom.apple.preferences.extensions
Family Sharingcom.apple.preferences.FamilySharingPrefPane
iCloudcom.apple.preferences.icloud
Internet Accountscom.apple.preferences.internetaccounts
Parental Controlscom.apple.preferences.parentalcontrols
Passwordcom.apple.preferences.password
Sharingcom.apple.preferences.sharing
Software Updatecom.apple.preferences.softwareupdate
Userscom.apple.preferences.users
Walletcom.apple.preferences.wallet
Fibre Channelcom.apple.prefpanel.fibrechannel
Time Machinecom.apple.prefs.backup
Xsancom.apple.Xsan

Some switches do not carry the name under which the pane appears on the Mac: Siri stands for the pane with speech and dictation settings, and Users for Users & Groups.

Third-party preference panes

Depending on the mode, the section is called Enable Third-Party Preference Panes or Disable Third-Party Preference Panes. The Bundle ID Third-Party Preference Pane field takes the bundle ID of a preference pane that another app or a driver adds to the system preferences, for example com.example.preferencepane.

  • An entry is added to the list with the Enter key, via the plus sign or when leaving the field. Multiple entries are possible.
  • An entry may be at most 50 characters long.
  • By default, the list is empty.

The bundle ID of a preference pane is found in the CFBundleIdentifier key of the Info.plist file inside the pane’s bundle (file extension .prefPane), for example under /Library/PreferencePanes/.

Special notes

  • Newer macOS versions: As of macOS 13, the system preferences are called System Settings and are structured differently. Some of the listed panes no longer exist there or have a different name, for example Print & Fax, CDs & DVDs or Ink. Which panes macOS actually disables and how disabled panes are displayed is decided by the operating system; a test on a Mac with the macOS version in use before distribution is therefore advisable.
  • “Enable” mode with few panes: Since all panes that are not selected are disabled in the Enable the selected preference panes mode, the configuration also affects panes that other configurations or the user require, for example Network or Software Update.
  • Placeholders: The configuration does not support placeholders.
  • Apple Configurator 2: If a policy already contains an Apple Configurator 2 Configuration → with the payload type com.apple.systempreferences, this configuration cannot be added to the same policy, and vice versa.