Unremovable VPP Applications

What

There is a new options for VPP apps, namely preventing the user from removing them.  (iOS/iPadOS 14+ required)

When/Why

We may want to prevent users from removing a VPP licensed and MDM delivered application if it is essential for their day to day use.  Previously a user could remove any deployed application (although it would be reinstalled by FileWave on the next verify).

How

There is nothing special you must do to enable this attribute.  By default, deletion is disabled and you should see the below in each of your VPP filesets.

Note the language of this dialog...not checked means the app is NOT removable.  Checked means the user can remove the app in question.

What we should discuss though is how this setting behaves, so that it is understood:

1. This setting is NOT retroactive...that is, if you have already deployed an app, like iTunes Remote shown above,  the user of that device can still remove it
2. But, if a new device is enrolled and receives this payload, they will not be able to remove it
3. Or, if someone who had it does remove it, and FileWave re-pushes it (on verify), then the newly installed app will NOT be removable
4. This checkbox behavior does NOT affect Kiosk based app distribution, regardless of checkbox setting
   1. Any App installed by the user through the Kiosk can be removed by them as well (this setting is basically ignored)
5. The checkbox does default to unchecked, so if you do have something deployed as a push, but you want folks to be able to uninstall, then you should modify that fileset accordingly