If your iPads and Macs are enrolled in Apple School Manager, they stay tied to your district even after they're wiped. A new owner can't set them up, and a locked device is worth only a fraction of an unlocked one. Taking these steps before you ship protects your data and gets you full value.
Step 1: Unenroll devices from your MDM
In your mobile device management tool (Jamf, Mosyle, Kandji, Intune or similar), remove the devices you're retiring. Most MDMs can send an erase command at the same time.
Step 2: Clear Activation Lock
Activation Lock ties a device to an Apple Account. For supervised devices, your MDM can usually clear or bypass Activation Lock before the device is erased. For devices signed in to a personal or Managed Apple Account, sign out and turn off Find My before erasing.
This is the step most often missed, and the one that costs districts the most value.
Step 3: Release the devices in Apple School Manager
Sign in to Apple School Manager with an account that has device management rights.
Open Devices and find the serial numbers you're retiring. You can upload a list.
Choose Release Devices and confirm.
Releasing is permanent: those devices will no longer enroll in your MDM automatically. Only release devices you're sure are leaving the district.
Step 4: Erase and verify
Erase each device (or let your MDM do it), then power one on to confirm it shows the standard setup screen with no Remote Management prompt and no Activation Lock.
We can help
If some devices are still locked or enrolled when they arrive, tell us. We'll send you a list of serial numbers that need to be cleared so nothing gets missed, and every device still receives certified data wiping and appears on your audit report.
Planning an Apple refresh? Request a free recovery estimate for your retiring iPads and Macs.