Minimum OS version for enrolling Apple devices via ADE

What

FileWave can require a minimum operating system version during Automated Device Enrollment (ADE). During enrollment, the MDM server can return Apple's required software update response when the device is below the configured minimum version. The device then guides the user through the required update before Setup Assistant can continue.

Apple supports this minimum-version ADE workflow on devices running iOS 17, iPadOS 17, macOS 14, visionOS 26, or later. Older operating systems cannot use this ADE enforcement behavior.

When/Why

Use a minimum OS version when organization-owned devices must be updated before they enter production. If the device is below the required version, enrollment pauses, the update runs, and the device returns to Setup Assistant after the update so the user can finish enrollment.

How

In FileWave Central, open the DEP profile and go to Options > Requirements. Enter the minimum version for macOS and/or iOS/iPadOS. Use Apple's version format for the target operating system, and choose a version that is actually available for the device.

You can also specify supplemental version identifiers in addition to the standard MAJOR.MINOR.PATCH format. For example: 17.1 (a).

What is displayed on the device?

When the MDM server requires a minimum OS version, the device displays Apple's software update or Remote Management flow before enrollment can continue.

For macOS:

For iPadOS:

If a macOS device cannot install the required version, macOS displays an error dialog:

On iPadOS, there is no separate error dialog for this case. The Next button remains disabled, so the user cannot continue until the requirement can be met.

Related Content

• Automated Device Enrollment (ADE)
• Apple: Install and enforce software updates for Apple devices

Digging Deeper

During DEP profile handling, FileWave evaluates MachineInfo from the device. If MachineInfo includes MDM_CAN_REQUEST_SOFTWARE_UPDATE set to true, FileWave compares the DEP profile's minimum OS version with the device's OS_VERSION for the relevant platform.

FileWave requests an update when:

1. The current OS version is lower than the minimum OS version.
2. The current OS version equals the minimum OS version, but the current supplemental version identifier is lower than the required supplemental identifier.

The software update request is a JSON 403 response like this:

{
    "code": "com.apple.softwareupdate.required",
    "details": {"OSVersion": <minimum OS version> }
}

Enrollment is interrupted by the Apple dialogs shown above until the device meets the requirement.