Apple Configurator 2 - Apps ask for iTunes account

Unfortunately as everyone has mentioned, it is the same problem even now in March 2017.

You can download and distribute your paid apps (and SOME free ones) using the VPP account in Apple Configurator 2 (AC2).

However, not all free apps are available via the VPP portal so that means you have to download them via iTunes using your iTunes account. Unfortunately though when you then try to use these apps on the iPad, it constantly prompts you for a user name and password for the iTunes account. The only way I have found is to actually sign in manually to each iPad with the iTunes account to use the free apps - you can disable the App Store and iTunes so users cannot purchase or download apps.

But everytime the iPad is restarted or turned off and back on you need to enter this information again!

Oh Apple, you make some nice hardware, but seriously suck when it comes to thinking through your business/education solutions!

I am attempting to manage about 200 ipads and this issue has made these ipads virtually unusable. We use mostly free apps, but no matter what I do, they won't load without asking for our very long account IDs and logins. Not likely to happen with K-5 students! This has all but removed ipads from my classrooms, because if I use one blueprint for all of the devices it won't allow me to have the free apps on that many iPads under the same VPP account. I can only get about 30 of them to use the free apps without signing in and then it gives me the message that I have used all my devices. What?!?

I'm wondering if the Family Sharing is what has replaced this method of using apps. The issue with that is that it requires a credit card and I'm not going to provide my personal credit card for my school. This is totally unacceptable, Apple! As Tech Facilitators/Coordinators, we need to be spending our time in a much more valuable way.

Did you download the app packages via iTunes without using a VPP iTunes account?

I *think* that could be your problem, all apps, even free apps need to be downloaded via the VPP portal using the managed distribution method. Once you've "purchased" the free apps, it lists them in the portal, you then sign into your VPP account inside Apple Configurator 2 and it sees which apps are listed there.

What indie1982 says is the same as what we have found in our schools. We are yet to try it but it makes the most sense.

Would have been nice if Apple had of mentioned this though.

We are getting the same thing. We use a different account on the iPads, but pushing with Apple Configurator 2. It's signed into the VPP account.

indie1982 is correct. The apps (free or paid) must be purchased using the VPP portal.

HOWEVER, I wanted to pass along an item that I've come across this week. Once we figured out the new process with AC2, we "purchased" our apps from the VPP for Education portal without any issues. We created our Blueprint, selected all of the apps and *thought* we were off and running. Apparently, there are numerous free apps that cannot be assigned per device. Due to publisher restrictions, they have to be assigned per user. This pretty much defeats the purpose of managed distribution of apps onto iPads that are about to be used by K-4 students who shouldn't have to enter an Apple ID every time they launch an app.

Apple: Love their devices for personal use, HATE supporting them in the enterprise.

What if I am from a country does not support VPP program? What are the alternatives to walk around this issue? Never have this issue in V1.7.2 ... why Apple?

Same problem, VPP doesn't work in our country ... Well done Apple, well done, we really appriciate your effort to tell us how good your devices are and suck all of our money for bunch of a crap. Nothing works with this rotten fruit. Most expensive facebook machines on the world. That's all. My nerves really blown up ... After 2 years nothing changed, better introduce to us iPhone 20 pls instead of making things to work...

So just for clarification,

Our previous process involved purchasing the requested (paid)apps through the VPP account. A spreadsheet with the redemption codes was then sent and we downloaded the application by redeeming the code on a separate iTunes account that was used to managed iPads through Configurator 1.

The process now essentially no longer requires a separate iTunes account, correct? Everything will now be done using the VPP account ON the computer that is managing the iPads through Configurator 2? So far I'm not finding much information on how the new process for app installation goes with Configurator 2. If anyone has any where they can direct me that'd be wonderful.

Hi mljones89,

There are 2 methods of obtaining licenses for apps when using a VPP account...

1. Redemption Codes
   This is the method you referred to with the spreadsheet containing codes. This will not work with Configurator 2. It works by redeeming the codes against a standard Apple ID account.
   
2. Managed Distribution
   This method will hold the licenses against the VPP account and not an Apple ID. Configurator 2 uses these to assign apps to the device rather than a user.

You are right in saying that in theory the process no longer requires a standard Apple ID (iTunes account). The apps are not downloaded via iTunes first - as was the case with Configurator 1. Now, when you go to add an app to a device in Configurator 2, you sign in with your VPP account and the licenses available will be shown. When you choose the app and assign it, the number of unused licenses will be decreased from your VPP account. Removing the app from the device will increase it again. The app is downloaded during the assignment process.

It's worth noting that even when you sign into Configurator 2 with your VPP account, it will not show app licenses if they are in the 'Redemption Code' format. So if you have already purchased app licenses via that method you will need to have a read of the following document to convert them to 'Managed Distribution'...

Migrate from redemption codes to managed distribution with the Volume Purchase Program - Apple Support

I hope that makes sense, if you have any more questions feel free to ask!

We don't use VPP codes here, right now, this week, today. We have to open one app on each iPad, and log in with AppleID. This allows the iPad to connect to the iTunes account and verify all the apps installed. Then go to Settings>iTunes account and log out.

Lots of work, but it makes them useable.

I, too, have to use iTunes (Apple ID) rather than VPP to distribute apps. In the past I've gone about this two ways. One is to create an iTunes backup and one by one go through and restore a group of iPads. Of course, all the apps installed on the all the iPads are setup under the same Apple ID, which isn't a perfect system, but it works. The other is to use Configurator 1 to create a master backup, add the apps (from iTunes with an Apple ID) and restore a larger group of iPads all at once. This has the same effect in which all the apps are setup under the same Apple ID.

I've been using Configurator 2 and it seems to work very closely with iTunes. In fact, if you create a backup in Config 2, it actually saves in the same place that iTunes backups save. So essentially, they are exactly the same. Where as in the past, with Config 1, I would create a special file (.iosdevicebackup). Once Config 1 required that you update every device, it became troublesome. Anyway, you can restore a group of iPads through Config 2, however, the apps wont pull across. In order for apps to be pulled across onto and iPad you're looking to restore, you'll need to use a Blueprint. With a Blueprint, you can add the necessary apps two ways (I'm excluding VPP since that's not what I'm after). The first is by just adding the ipa file and the second is by signing in with an Apple ID, which gives you access to all "purchased" apps. From there you can apply this Blueprint to a group of iPads that are plugged in. The iPads will receive most things saved in the backup (wallpaper, app arrangement, certain settings, etc.) and any apps that you chose. The problem is that before opening any apps that have been pushed to recently restored devices, you will first need to enter the password to the associated Apple ID. From what I've gathered, there is no way around this. I've tried almost everything I could thing of to circumvent this but have had no success.

I know this is a long explanation and probably most people have run across this same problem. If anyone has had any success, I would be entirely grateful if they would share. I have hundreds of devices that come through my door on a weekly basis and this would save me and incredible amount of time.

It would be amazing if engineers from Apple actually read this stuff. There has been more than enough time to get this right and it is so wrong!

I am having this problem also. We have an MDM Solution. Even with this we have to setup the devices with ACU. The MDM provider has to have an app on the device to manage it. Fair enough. Apple wants to for you to download biz apps from VPP. Fair enough. However, when you use ACU to sign in to VPP to get the MDM Management app you have to disable the token at the MDM Provider, thereby tanking the whole system. What exactly is the idea that Apple has about this??? They call you on the phone to verify you have an MDM before they even let you enter into VPP and then you can't effectively use it. Apple management is a joke. It may be the very best consumer electronic device in all the universe, but it is the worst business tool I have ever come across. It doesn't make any sense for me to spend so many hours figuring out how to provision a largely useless device only to find out that I can not do what needs to be done. I wanted to make my users happy with getting them iPads. Huge mistake. Surface is looking mighty fine.

I am completely new to Configurator 2. I am using iPads in classroom carts and currently manage them with Configurator 1. We also use JAMF management software to distribute apps to iPads owned by students in our district. I have used Configurator 1 for years. I am trying to move to Configurator 2. I have set up iPads, pushed profiles and sent apps. Unfortunately, I am getting a message asking for apple ID and password. I read your earlier post that said to use the VPP ID that the apps were purchased under. That makes total sense. The problem is that when I try to sign in to AC 2 with that ID it says that the VPP account is being used with our JAMF server and enabling it on Configurator 2 will disable the other account and all existing users and their assignments will be removed. Can you tell me if there is a way I can use Apple Configurator 2 for redeemable codes and our JAMF product for managed apps? Or do I need to set up a new VPP account for our classroom carts?

End result is I want to be able to install apps onto shared classroom carts and NOT have students have to use apple IDs to access the apps. Nor do I want to have to touch them each and log them all in with an apple ID and them out.