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I have one student out of two thousand whose iPad has decided to delete Self Service and several other apps from the iPad randomly. When I check the history of the iPad there is no record of the apps being deleted. I have switched the student to a different iPad and have the same problem.



Now, I know what you are thinking. The student must be deleting the apps herself. I haven't ruled that out, but she and the teacher both swear that she is not deleting the apps. If she was deleting them, wouldn't that should up in the history in Jamf Pro? I have also prevented app deletion on her iPad. Yet the apps keep disappearing. It seems that they reinstall when the iPad checks in.



The iPad is a 7th gen iPad running iOS 14.3. iPads are tied to users through LDAP and we use Smart Groups to determine app scopes. Self Service is assigned to all users and devices. I have never run into this issue before and not being able to solve is driving me insane.

@brociousry



If she was deleting them, wouldn't that should up in the history in Jamf Pro?


Not reported in Pro, but Jamf School does flag app deletions by the users. If the app were removed by a scope change or tapping remove in SS then it would be recorded in the management history.



What about other management aspects of the device i.e. are config profiles tied to the same smart group the apps are? If the app deletion setting was enabled before this issue cropped up then you have some ldap gremlins or she may be monkeying with the date and time. I'd dig into whether she's dropping off your smart groups.

Confirm the user info is the same in LDAP and in the device record.
Check that the group/building/etc membership is shown in Jamf user record.

I found one instance in AD where the student's name was off by one letter in the Display Name. I made the change and will see if that takes care of the issue. Thank you for the input and suggestions. I will update tomorrow and mark solved if the problem appears to be resolved.

Have your ever solved this mystery ? I have a student that is having the same issue seesaw app just installs and then 5 mins later it’s gone ? Only one student out of 8,000? 

Enroll another iPad with the same settings (credentials) as the affected device.

Confirm the device is part of the same smart and static groups.


Is it remotely possible the user is deleting the app?

Enroll another iPad with the same settings (credentials) as the affected device.

Confirm the device is part of the same smart and static groups.


Is it remotely possible the user is deleting the app?


I gave the student another iPad and he installed seesaw after 5 mins it disappeared. So instead of putting it in self service I had it automatically install on the iPad homescreen and it stayed. Still have no clue why it’s happening .



Gino Hakimi
Mobile Device Management
Information Technical Specialist
Easton Area School District
610-250-2400 Ext: 35042

Currently facing this issue, was there any solution?

I should mention this as well, This is happening to one user, with multiple devices. I DO NOT deploy using smart groups but with Config profiles. All the apps are set to auto install, are gone immediately. There are no records of it within the device info. I am also using Jamf Pro, which was I was brought aboard for, so I am unaware if there are limitations to my solution capabilities. I do not have much set up in terms of users besides in the Users and Location in device assignment I have put in the usernames. This seems to have generated users automatically, missing most of the other basic upkeep information. 

Does the app scope have any exclusions of static or smart groups?

Are there profiles that can be removed by the user?

Is Screentime (parental controls) setup to disallow apps?

Do you have a screen layout profile set in place where you disallow certain apps?

Does this happen when connected to a cellular or non production network?

Does the app scope have any exclusions of static or smart groups?

Are there profiles that can be removed by the user?

Is Screentime (parental controls) setup to disallow apps?

Do you have a screen layout profile set in place where you disallow certain apps?

Does this happen when connected to a cellular or non production network?


As far as  I can see, there are no exclusions that can be causing it. This is a lone user with multiple issues so its making me believe it is a user or network issue. It does not seem to be an issue with switching networks based on tests with a hot spot, my phone hot spot and the schools network, but am not excluding it being a network issue. It seems like it loses its profile because, as you have said in the past, a location or LDAP issue but after extensive sifting, I can conclude my configurations are working, especially as seeing this is a lone user situation.

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