Use the iOS Google Device Policy app

This article is for Google Workspace customers. Learn more about Google Workspace.

If you use an iOS device for work or school, you might need to install the Google Device Policy app as a security measure. Your administrator can use this app to keep your organization's data secure. You're asked to install the app if:

  • Your administrator enforces certain security policies for mobile devices. Learn more
  • Your administrator wants to manage corporate apps on your device. Learn more
  • You try to sign in to a third-party app using the account you use for work or school.

Requirements

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Download and set up the Device Policy app

Step 1: Download the Device Policy app

  1. On your iOS device, open the App Store and search for Google Device Policy.
  2. Tap Google Device Policy"".
  3. Follow the on-screen instructions to download and install the app on your device. You might need to enter your Apple ID and password.

After you install the Device Policy app on your device, you need to set it up (see step 2 below).

Step 2: Set up the Device policy app

  1. Tap Google Device Policy"".
  2. Select the Google Workspace account you want to use with the app. If you haven't already signed into that account on your device, tapAdd Account and enter your username and password.
  3. If you're a 2-Step Verification user, enter a verification code when prompted.
  4. Accept the Terms of Service.
  5. If prompted to install a security profile to keep your data safe, tap Download"".
  6. Complete the steps below for your iOS version.

iOS 12.2 and later

  1. When your web browser opens and tries to download the profile, tap Allow and then Close.
  2. Close your web browser and open your iOS settings.
  3. Tap Profile Downloaded.
  4. Tap Install Now and then Install.
  5. If prompted, enter your passcode and tap Install.
  6. Tap Install and then Trust to accept Remote Management.
  7. Tap Done. If your administrator needs to approve your device, you'll receive an email. Wait until your administrator approves your device.
  8. Close your iOS settings and open the Device Policy app"" to complete the setup.

iOS 12.1.3 and earlier

  1. Tap Allow and then Install.
  2. If prompted, enter your passcode and tap Install.
  3. Each time you're prompted, tap Install to continue.
  4. Tap Trust to accept Remote Management.
  5. When the profile is installed, tap Done.
    If your administrator needs to approve your device, you'll receive an email. Wait until your administrator approves your device.
  6. If prompted, tap Settings and enter your Google Workspace password.
  7. If needed, tap Re-enter password and enter your Google Workspace password.

It can take a few minutes for your device to synchronize with the server. After you set up the Google Device Policy app, you might be prompted to enter your Google Workspace password in your device settings. If you use 2-Step Verification, use an app password instead of a regular password. For details, see Sign in using app passwords.

Manage the Device Policy app

Unregister your account from the Device Policy app

When you unregister your account from the app, all managed apps are removed from your device.

  1. Tap Google Device Policy"".
  2. Tap Menu"" and then Unregister.
  3. TapUnregister to confirm that you want to remove all data and apps associated with your account from your device.
  4. TapUnregister to unregister your account from your device.

After you unregister your account, your username remains listed in the Device Policy app and you can register again at any time.

Remove your account from the Device Policy app

Before you can remove your account from the Device Policy app on your device, you need to unregister your account.

  1. Tap Google Device Policy"".
  2. Tap Menu"".
  3. Select your username and tapManage Accounts.
  4. Tap Manage.
  5. Tap Remove for the account you want to remove.
  6. Tap Remove to confirm.

Delete the Device Policy app on your device

You can delete the Google Device Policy app in the same way you delete any app from your device. When you delete the app, the managed apps and restrictions set by your administrator stay on your device.

Troubleshooting

App installation problems

Problem Solution
I don't see Profile Downloaded in iOS settings.

Set Safari as your default browser.

  1. Go to your device settings.
  2.  Find your default web browser (for example, Chrome) and tap it.
  3. Tap Default Browser App and then Safari.
App installation failed. App Name is not available in your country or your device. You're trying to install an app that is either unavailable in your country or on your device type.
App installation failed. Please check that you are logged into your iTunes account. Your Apple iTunes account isn't set up properly, your password has changed, or your iTunes account has been disabled.
App installation failed. Please enable app installation at Settings and thenGeneral and thenRestrictionsand thenInstalling Apps. There's an app installation restriction on your device and you can't install apps. To enable app installation go to your device settings and tap General and then Restrictions and then Installing Apps.

App alerts and error messages

Alert or Error message Solution
Unable to open Safari Apple Safari is disabled on your device. To install the Google Apps Device Policy profile, you need to enable Safari on your device atGeneral and then Restrictions.
New payload doesn't match old payload You already have a management profile on your device. To fix the problem, remove the old profile by going to your device settings. Then, tap General and then Device Management and then Google Apps Device Policy Payload Profile and then Remove Management.
You may be using a jailbroken device to access your work data, which your organization doesn't allow.

Your device might be jailbroken—a process that removes restrictions on a device. Your administrator has blocked access to corporate data on jailbroken devices.

To fix the problem, you need to reset your device to factory settings. When you reset the device, make sure to back up your data first, and select Erase All Content and Settings to fully reset the device (Reset All Settings will not fix the problem). For help with backing up your data and resetting your device, see your device's documentation or contact your administrator.
Install the latest version of Google Device Policy so you can access your work data. You're trying to access your corporate account from a device that doesn't have the latest Google Device Policy app installed. To continue, install the Google Device Policy app.
"Google Device Policy" must be updated from the App Store so that you don't lose access to your work data You're trying to access your corporate account from a device that doesn't have the latest Google Device Policy app installed. To continue, install the Google Device Policy app.
Security check passed. Tap here to minimize future notificaions by running "Google Device Policy". The Google Device Policy app temporarily stopped running and restarted. You don't need to do anything. Tap the notification to open the Google Device Policy app.
Couldn't automatically sync "Google Device Policy". Tap here to sync the device yourself. The Google Device Policy app stopped syncing. Tap the notification to open the Google Device Policy app and sync your corporate account to your device.
"Google Device Policy" must be synced now do you don't lose access to your work data. Open Device Policy App to get work access. The Google Device Policy app stopped syncing. Tap the notification to open the Google Device Policy app and sync your corporate account to your device.
To use Google Workspace on this device, first you will need to install a security profile to keep your data safe. Your device isn't registered for mobile management and managed by your administrator, so it doesn't have a security profile installed.
App verification required (Error 403: emm_app_verification_required) When you have advanced device management enabled, some apps might require you to connect with the Google Device Policy app, to ensure that the device policy profile is installed. To continue to use the app, tap Learn More to go to the Google Device Policy app, sign in if the Google Device Policy app requests it, and then go back to the app that you were using.

Problems syncing work data

If your work account isn't syncing to your device, check if the Google Device Policy app is set to refresh in the background and try to sync again if needed:

To turn on Background App Refresh:

  1. On the device, tap Settings and then Google Device Policy.
  2. If Background App Refresh is off, tap On"".
  3. Open Google Device Policy "" and tap Menu "" and then Status.
  4. If the device doesn't automatically try to sync, tap Sync"".

If you are trying to use a third-party app, you might need to refresh your sign in:

  1. Open the app and sign out the account you use for work or school.
  2. Sign in to the app again.

Related topics

  • Get corporate apps on iOS
  • How your iOS device is managed


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