Apple requires organizations to verify ownership of domains used to create Managed Apple IDs. Here's how to do it.
Why Do I Have to Verify My Domain?
Before this new requirement, anyone could add a domain to their Apple Business Manager account and create Managed Apple IDs using this domain—even if they didn’t own it. This could lead to ownership conflicts and security concerns. However, now that Apple requires everyone to verify their Managed Apple ID domain names, you can be sure that your organization is the only one that can modify the DNS records for its domains.
- If I used the domain before the mandatory verification requirement, is it automatically verified? No. Even if your Managed Apple ID domain name was in use well before the new verification requirement, it isn’t grandfathered in. You still need to complete the verification process.
- What if more than one organization is using the domain? If your Managed Apple ID domain name is used by multiple organizations, this shouldn’t present any ownership conflicts; each organization can independently verify the domain. However, only one organization can federate that domain. In this case, Apple says other organizations will have to move their Managed Apple IDs to another verified domain. Otherwise, they may receive error messages such as, “Managed Apple ID ending with this domain name is not allowed”.
- How soon do I have to verify the domain? According to Apple, you need to verify your Managed Apple ID domain name within 14 calendar days of clicking the Verify button in Apple Business Manager.
- Why did I get an email asking me to verify ownership of my domain? According to Apple’s support documentation, if you get an email asking you to verify your domain, then another organization has claimed a domain that’s currently used by your Managed Apple IDs. You’ll have to verify your ownership of the domain within 14 days of receiving this email.
- What if I can’t or don’t want to verify the domain? In this case, Apple advises you to move the Managed Apple IDs that you aren’t verifying over to a reserved domain or a different verified domain; otherwise, you may receive error messages such as, “Managed Apple ID ending with this domain name is not allowed”. By "reserved domain," Apple is referring to the default domain that shows up under Accounts. It’s the name of the domain that your organization enrolled in Apple Business Manager plus a number: Kandji1.appleid.com, for example.
How to Verify Domains Associated with Your Apple Business Manager account.
To verify domains associated with your organization's Apple Business Manager account, you’ll have to access the Apple Business Manager account that’s tied to the domain and your domain host website.
1. In Apple Business Manager, go to Settings and select Accounts.
2. You’ll see a list of domains with a Verify button next to them; click that button.
3. This will open a TXT record field. Click Copy next to it, then paste the record somewhere for safekeeping. You’ll need it for the next step.
4. Log in to your domain host and add the TXT record to the DNS zone file. The exact steps here will vary depending on your domain host, but essentially you’re going to use the TXT record previously copied to create a DNS TXT record at your domain host.
5. Once you start the process, you’ll receive an ownership verification email at the email associated with your Apple Business Manager account reminding you to finish the verification process. Click Verify Ownership after creating the required DNS TXT record.
6. In Apple Business Manager, go back to the Domains section and click Check Now by the TXT record you copied. If the DNS record was correctly entered into the DNS zone, the Copy button will change to Verified Ownership. If this does not change after a few minutes, repeat steps 1-6 until it does.
