What happens to App Store Installs/Updates after you restrict the App Store?

McAwesome
Valued Contributor

I'm starting to investigate restricting access to the App Store on our macOS, iOS, and iPadOS devices.  The technical side is easy enough with just a config profile, but I'm unsure what will happen to existing machines that have installed things from the App Store.  I don't think these applications will be uninstalled, but I'm not sure about if they'll get future updates. 

Can someone clarify the behavior around existing App Store installs after the App Store has been restricted?

4 REPLIES 4

cwaldrip
Valued Contributor

If you block the App Store, and you probably should if you want to maintain financial/license/security control over your end points, then you should be distributing AppStore software through Jamf. This means managing purchases (single apps and volume purchases) through Apple Business Manager (or Apple School Manager). Installs and updates aren't effected by the user's access to the App Store - that just blocks them from using the App Store in the GUI.

McAwesome
Valued Contributor

I'm aware of that.  What I'm unclear on is what happens when an update is released for an app the user installed through the App Store before we blocked it.

scottb
Honored Contributor

Well, try it?

cwaldrip
Valued Contributor

If it's installed under a personal iCloud account, they won't be able to open the App Store and can't manually install the update. If software is installed through an ABM purchase and assignment in Jamf there's an option there to keep the software up-to-date and it should happen in the background.