Hey, let’s discuss about Enforcing Automatic Date and Time for Supervised iOS Devices using Intune. This policy turns on the “Set Automatically” option for date and time on the device. The user cannot turn it off. The device will always set the correct time by itself. This keeps the time accurate.
The device will update the time zone based on its location. It needs a mobile network or Wi-Fi with location services to find the correct place. When the device knows the location, it changes the time zone automatically. This helps prevent wrong time settings.
This feature is useful for schools and companies. It stops users from changing the time to bypass rules. It helps make sure the time on the device always follows the organization’s policy.
This policy only works on supervised devices. Supervised devices are fully managed by the organization. It gives IT better control over how the device works. This improves device security and compliance.
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Enforcing Automatic Date and Time for Supervised iOS Devices using Intune
The policy works on iOS 12 and later versions. So it supports modern Apple devices like iPhones and iPads. It provides a simple way to keep time settings correct. It helps avoid confusion and problems with apps, meetings, and security checks.
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How this Helps Supervised Devices
This policy helps supervised devices by keeping the time always correct. The user cannot change the time or time zone, so the organization stays in control. This prevents users from adjusting the clock to avoid app rules or restrictions. It makes the device more secure and reliable for work or school use.
Create a Profile
First sign in to the Microsoft Intune admin center. Go to Devices and select Configuration profiles. Then click Create profile to open the profile creation window. Select platform and profile type. After that, click Create to begin configuring your new policy.
| Steps | Details |
|---|---|
| Platform | iOS/iPadOS |
| Profile Type | Settings Catalog |
First Step
To begin configuring a policy in Intune, start with the Basics step. Here, we can add the name of the policy and give a brief description.
- Name of the Policy: Force Automatic Data and Time
- Description: To Enable this Policy
- Platform: iOS/iPadOS
Configuration Settings
In the Configuration settings tab, click the Add settings button to open the Settings picker.Type Automatic data and time or search the category Restrictions in the Search bar. Then Select the Force Automatic Data and Time.
Once you have selected Automatic date and time policy and closed the Settings picker. You will see it on the Configuration page. Here we have only two settings True or False. By default, it will be set to false. If you want to block these settings, click on the Next button.
Allow Automatic Data and Time Policy
If we allowed or configure this policy, you can allow the force automatic date and time policy by toggling the switch. Then you can click the Next button to proceed.
Scope Tags
In Intune, Scope Tags are used to control who can view and modify a policy. The scope tag is not mandatory, so you can skip this section. It functions as a tool for organisation and access management, but assigning it is optional. Click Next if they’re not required for your setup.
Assignments
In the Assignments tab, you choose the users or devices that will receive the policy by clicking Add Group under Include Group, select the group that you want to target (e.g HTMD Supervised Devices – iOS/iPadOs) and then click Next to continue.
Review + Create
At the final Review + Create step, we see a summary of all configured settings for the new profile; after reviewing the details and making any necessary changes by clicking Previous. We click Create to finish, and a notification confirms that the “Force Automatic Data and Time created successfully”.
Monitoring Status
To view a policy’s status, go to Devices > Configuration in the Intune portal, select the policy (like Force automatic date and time), and check that the status shows Succeeded (1). Use manual sync in the Company Portal to speed up the process.
How to Check on End User Device
To check this on an iPhone or iPad, go to Settings. Then open General and select Date & Time. You will see the option Set Automatically. If this policy is applied, the switch will be turned on and the user will not be able to turn it off.
How to Remove Assigned Groups from this Policy
After creating the policy, if you want to remove the specific group that you previously selected, you can easily do that. First, go to Devices > Configuration policies. In the Configuration policy section, search and select the policy. In the Assignment section, you will find an Edit option and click on it. Then, click the Remove option.
For detailed information, you can refer to our previous post – Learn How to Delete or Remove App Assignment from Intune using by Step-by-Step Guide.
How to Delete this Policy from Intune
If you want to delete this policy for any reason, you can easily do so. First, search for the policy name in the configuration section. When you find the policy name, you will see a 3-dot menu next to it. Click on the 3 dots, then click the Delete button.
For detailed information, you can refer to our previous post – How to Delete Allow Clipboard History Policy in Intune Step by Step Guide.
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Author
Anoop C Nair has been Microsoft MVP from 2015 onwards for 10 consecutive years! He is a Workplace Solution Architect with more than 22+ years of experience in Workplace technologies. He is also a Blogger, Speaker, and Local User Group Community leader. His primary focus is on Device Management technologies like SCCM and Intune. He writes about technologies like Intune, SCCM, Windows, Cloud PC, Windows, Entra, Microsoft Security, Career, etc