Restrict access to "Sign in" and the App Store

[jpblock82]

I have MacBooks and iMacs (both M-series and Intel) ranging from macOS 12.3 up to 14.3.  We have lab computers and do not want students signing with Apple IDs or using the App Store.  I've created a Restrictions config profile with both "Apple ID Preference Pane" and "App Store" disabled.  I login with a local admin or standard account and it will show it locked down (sweet!).  Then you close system preferences/settings then re-open it, and there is the ability to login, as if the configuration profile isn't even there.  Reboot and do it again, then its back to restricted... then not.  This is clearly broken.  The App Store also opens right up every time... 

So what's the fix?

[AJPinto]

Something sounds clearly wrong. Make sure that your configuration profiles are scoped correctly, and that there are not seperate profiles managing the same thing.

Also, get rid of macOS 12, and 13.

Note: Because of dependency on architecture and system changes to any current version of Apple operating systems (for example, macOS 14, iOS 17, and so on), not all known security issues are addressed in previous versions (for example, macOS 13, iOS 16, and so on).

About software updates for Apple devices - Apple Support

[jpblock82]

Thank you for the response.  I'm was orginally only scoping the 1 machine that is running macOS 13.6.4.  I've since added another machine to the scope, version 14.3 for testing.  This works perfectly every time regarding the "sign in" option that is in System Settings.  It still is a crapshoot regarding the machine that is on 13.6.4.  This seems to be an issue with macOS 13.6.4 (I assume) so we will be getting all those machines upgraded so to handle 14.0 and up.  I did get the App Store to not open at all on both versions by including the "Restrict App Store" under the Applications tab within the Restrictions payload.