Last updated: July 24, 2026

How to seamlessly migrate VPP/ABM/ASM server token from another MDM service without affecting productivity?

Description

When you're migrating from another MDM service to ManageEngine Mobile Device Manager Plus, there is the cumbersome task of migrating the apps purchased via Volume Purchase Program (Apple VPP) / Apple Business Manager (ABM) / Apple School Manager (ASM) to ManageEngine MDM. You can seamlessly and efficiently do the same as explained below:

Steps

• Verify if your Volume Purchase Program (VPP) account has upgraded to Apple Business Manager (ABM) or Apple School Manager (ASM). If not, upgrade it as explained here.
• On the ABM portal, create a new location and assign a technician to this location. Download this new location token from ABM portal and upload it in MDM as explained here.
• When you deprovision the device from the previous MDM service and enroll it ManageEngine MDM, disassociate the app licenses associated to this device on the older MDM service. Once disassociated, these app licenses will be available on ABM portal for reassignment. Now assign these unused licenses to the new location created. 
• Now, on the MDM server, click on Device Mgmt from the top menu and select App Repository from the left pane. 
• Click on Sync Apps and select ABM from the dropdown to sync the reassigned licenses. The app licenses are also synced automatically once every 24 hours.
• Once the devices gets enrolled with MDM, you can distribute the previously added app to the devices. Thus, you can migrate app licenses in phases from your previous MDM service to ME MDM.

This is applicable for paid apps. In case of free apps, you can simply repurchase them and associate to the newly created location token. It is recommended to associate the licenses only to newly created locations because if the location has existing app licenses associated, only the unassigned licenses will be migrated to it.

In case, you've added devices to your previous MDM service via Apple Device Enrollment Program (DEP) or ABM, you can skip either of these steps as well:

METHOD #1

• On the ABM portal, you need to create a new server under the Devices section using the ME MDM public key as explained here and then assign devices to the created server.
• Now, on the MDM server, click on Enrollment from the top menu and select Apple Enrollment (ABM/ASM) and click on Sync Devices.

METHOD #2

• On the ABM portal, click on the virtual server you've created for your previous MDM service, you can edit the existing and then upload ME MDM public key. So, when the device is reset, it gets enrolled with ManageEngine Mobile Device Manager Plus.

Frequently asked questions

How do I migrate paid VPP app licenses to Mobile Device Manager Plus from another MDM service?

After confirming your VPP account has upgraded to Apple Business Manager or Apple School Manager, create a new location and token in ABM, disassociate the licenses from the old MDM service so they become available for reassignment, assign them to the new location, then sync and redistribute the apps in phases as devices are re-enrolled.

What about devices that were originally enrolled through Apple Business Manager or DEP - do they need separate migration steps?

Yes. Either create a new server in ABM's Devices section using the new MDM's public key and assign the devices to it, then sync devices from Apple Enrollment, or simply update the existing virtual server's public key so devices enroll onto the new MDM automatically the next time they're reset.