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Exam Information
Official specifications published by Apple
Exam Format
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Validity
Skills this practice test covers
- Choose User Enrollment, Device Enrollment or Automated Device Enrollment for each ownership model.
- Link Apple Business Manager or Apple School Manager to an MDM solution and assign devices to it.
- Escrow FileVault recovery keys and manage Activation Lock with bypass codes.
- Reset devices with Return to Service and protect lost devices with Managed Lost Mode.
- Enforce software update deadlines and control access to beta releases through MDM.
- Configure content caching and 802.1X Wi-Fi payloads for managed devices.
Explore related topics
DEP-2026 exam content
13 domains · 44 topics · 135 of 270 questions are written for DEP-2026
Plan a Deployment9 questions
Planning starts with Apple's built-in MDM framework and the key terms around it. Candidates compare what MDM can see and do on user-owned and organization-owned devices, and how to move users and their data to new managed devices.
Skills tested
- Explain the purpose of Apple's built-in MDM framework and the Apple Push Notification service.
- Compare MDM commands, actions and data access on user-owned and organization-owned devices.
- Choose a backup and restore method to move a user to a new managed device.
Questions by topic
- Apple MDM Framework3
- Key Terms and Concepts2
- MDM Features by Ownership Model3
- Backup and Restore for Managed Devices1
Prepare Your Environment12 questions
Before devices arrive, the organization needs an MDM solution and a network ready for Apple devices. This domain covers evaluating MDM solutions, migrating between them, Wi-Fi, proxies, firewalls, VPN and Bonjour, and content caching.
Skills tested
- List the key considerations when evaluating an MDM solution for Apple devices.
- Plan the move from one MDM solution to another.
- Prepare Wi-Fi coverage, proxies, firewall rules and Bonjour for Apple services.
- Explain content caching across subnets and tethered caching.
Questions by topic
- MDM Migration3
- Content Caching4
- Network Infrastructure3
- Evaluating MDM Solutions2
Device Enrollment16 questions
Enrollment decides how much control the organization has over a device. Candidates compare the three main enrollment types and the account-driven methods, and match each one to an ownership model and its management options.
Skills tested
- Distinguish User Enrollment, Device Enrollment and Automated Device Enrollment.
- Compare the account-driven methods for User Enrollment and Device Enrollment and their results.
- Match each enrollment type to its ownership model, requirements and constraints.
Questions by topic
- Enrollment Types5
- Device Management by Enrollment Type3
- Enrollment Type Requirements and Capabilities3
- Data Separation1
- Ownership and Enrollment Options3
- Three Main Enrollment Types1
Apple Business Manager and Apple School Manager15 questions
These Apple portals connect purchases, devices and people to the organization's MDM solution. Candidates manage reseller and carrier links, roles, locations and user groups, server tokens, device assignments and content licenses.
Skills tested
- Connect Apple Authorized Resellers and carriers to the organization's account.
- Assign roles, locations and user groups for administrators and users.
- Link an MDM server with a token to enable Automated Device Enrollment and app purchases.
- Buy apps and books, and transfer licenses to another location.
Questions by topic
- Roles, Locations, and User Groups3
- MDM Server Linking3
- Content Purchasing and Management3
- Reseller and Carrier Connections3
- Device Assignments3
Apple Configurator5 questions
Apple Configurator runs on a Mac or an iPhone and prepares devices directly. Candidates use it for enrollment, supervision and deployment, and to add devices to Apple Business Manager or Apple School Manager.
Skills tested
- Explain how Apple Configurator supports enrollment, supervision and deployment.
- Add devices to Apple Business Manager or Apple School Manager with Apple Configurator.
Questions by topic
- Apple Configurator Features3
- Adding Devices to ABM/ASM via Configurator2
Device Setup9 questions
Setup Assistant is the first thing a user sees on a new or erased device. Candidates decide how MDM should manage it, how to reset it on a managed device, and what happens when MDM creates local macOS accounts.
Skills tested
- Pick a Setup Assistant strategy for common deployment cases.
- Choose a method to reset Setup Assistant on a managed device.
- Predict Setup Assistant behavior when MDM creates local macOS accounts.
Questions by topic
- Managing Setup Assistant3
- Resetting Setup Assistant3
- Local macOS Account Creation3
Device Configuration3 questions
This domain covers declarative device management, in which the device applies configurations itself and reports its own state. Candidates describe the properties that set declarative configurations apart for each enrollment type.
Skills tested
- Describe how declarative configurations differ from configuration profiles.
- Explain which declarative configurations apply to each enrollment type.
Questions by topic
- Declarative Configurations3
Identity Services6 questions
Managed devices can sign users in with their organization accounts. Candidates distinguish the identity services that handle passwords and user names securely, and the requirements for federated authentication with an identity provider.
Skills tested
- Compare single sign-on options such as the Kerberos SSO Extension and Platform SSO.
- List the requirements for federated authentication in Apple Business Manager or Apple School Manager.
Questions by topic
- Authentication and Single Sign-On5
- Federated Authentication1
Managing Content and Data Flow10 questions
This domain is about getting apps and content onto devices while keeping work and personal data apart. Candidates explain how managed, custom, unlisted and in-house apps are distributed, and which content MDM can manage.
Skills tested
- Distribute managed apps to devices or to users.
- Separate personal data from organization data on a managed device.
- Identify the types of content that MDM can manage.
Questions by topic
- App Distribution5
- Data Separation3
- MDM-Managed Content Types2
Device Security21 questions
This domain protects devices, and the data on them, when they are lost, stolen or passed on. It covers encryption and FileVault keys, recovery keys and MDM escrow, Return to Service, Activation Lock, locking and locating devices, Managed Lost Mode and safe storage of organization data.
Skills tested
- Describe what is encrypted on iOS, iPadOS and macOS, and where FileVault keys can be stored.
- Escrow recovery keys and personal recovery keys in an MDM solution.
- Manage user-linked and organization-linked Activation Lock and bypass codes.
- Lock, locate and put devices into Managed Lost Mode.
- Reset a device quickly for a return to service.
Questions by topic
- Encryption and Key Storage7
- Activation Lock3
- Locking, Locating, and Managed Lost Mode3
- Recovery Keys and MDM Escrow3
- Managed App Security3
- Return to Service2
Network Integration11 questions
Apple devices depend on a healthy network. Candidates assess network responsiveness and quality, configure managed devices for Wi-Fi and 802.1X networks, and set the priority of wireless application traffic.
Skills tested
- Assess network responsiveness and quality before a rollout.
- Build the MDM payloads that join devices to 802.1X wireless networks.
- Prioritize application traffic on Wi-Fi with the Apple MDM framework.
Questions by topic
- Network Assessment3
- Network Traffic Management6
- Wi-Fi Network Management2
Software Updates11 questions
Updates must reach every device on time without surprising users. Candidates compare ways to manage updates through MDM, predict the notifications around a deadline, and control access to beta releases.
Skills tested
- Choose a method for managing software updates through MDM.
- Predict the notifications a device shows before and after a missed update deadline.
- Manage access to beta releases with MDM and AppleSeed for IT.
Questions by topic
- Managing Software Updates via MDM3
- Software Update Notifications and Deadlines5
- Beta Software Update Management3
Device Support7 questions
Some problems need hands on the Mac itself. Candidates resolve startup, restore and recovery issues on a Mac with Apple silicon using macOS Recovery, and configure content caching on a Mac.
Skills tested
- Use macOS Recovery to fix startup, restore and recovery issues on a Mac with Apple silicon.
- Configure the content caching service on a Mac.
Questions by topic
- Mac Recovery and Troubleshooting5
- Content Caching Configuration2
Requirements
- No formal prerequisites: anyone can book the exam.
- Recommended: fundamental IT knowledge, including operating systems, storage and networking.
- Recommended: an intermediate understanding of how to set up, configure and support Mac, iPhone and iPad.
- Recommended: practical experience deploying and managing Apple devices in an organization.
About the DEP-2026 exam
Apple's Deployment and Management exam (DEP-2026) checks that an IT professional can bring Mac, iPhone and iPad into an organization and manage them through mobile device management (MDM). Its sections run from planning and enrollment through Apple Business Manager, identity services and device security to software updates and Mac recovery. The questions are based on macOS Tahoe, iOS 26 and iPadOS 26. A pass earns Apple Certified IT Professional (ACITP), valid for two years.
Device Security has the most questions in the PlanetCert practice test, followed by Device Enrollment and by Apple Business Manager and Apple School Manager. The explanations separate options that sound alike, such as User Enrollment and account-driven Device Enrollment, or user-linked and organization-linked Activation Lock. Flashcard Mode suits the many feature names, from Bootstrap Token to Managed Lost Mode. Brainy AI Assistant can explain what a device shows when an update deadline passes, or which enrollment type keeps personal data separate.
How to earn the certification
- Earns
- Apple Certified IT Professional (ACITP)Intermediate
Apple Certified IT Professional is valid for two years.
How to prepare for DEP-2026
- 1
Build a small test fleet
Enroll at least one Mac and one iPhone or iPad in a test MDM server, linked to Apple Business Manager if possible. Most objectives describe a task that can be tried on real devices.
- 2
Follow Apple's own course
Apple's free Apple Deployment and Management course and its exam prep guide link each objective to an Apple article or tutorial. Work through them one section at a time.
- 3
Chart the enrollment types
Make a table of User Enrollment, Device Enrollment and Automated Device Enrollment against ownership, supervision and what MDM can manage. Many enrollment objectives ask for exactly these differences.
- 4
Spend longest on device security
No other section has more practice questions. Practise FileVault key escrow, Activation Lock bypass codes, Managed Lost Mode and Return to Service until each step is clear.
- 5
Finish under exam timing
Sit the DEP-2026 practice test in Timed Mode after the last section is done. Bring every missed question on update deadlines, Setup Assistant or content caching to Brainy AI Assistant.
Start a timed DEP-2026run
Apple's preparation materials are its free Apple Deployment and Management course on its IT training site and the exam prep guide, which links every objective to Apple documentation such as the Apple Platform Deployment guide.
Who DEP-2026 is for
- IT administrators who manage Mac, iPhone and iPad for a company or a school.
- Endpoint and MDM engineers who add Apple devices to a mixed fleet.
- Help desk staff who are moving from supporting single devices to deploying them at scale.
Typical job titles: Apple device administrator · Endpoint administrator · MDM engineer · Systems administrator · IT support specialist
DEP-2026 glossary
18 terms from the exam objectives and the vendor's official material, each defined in a sentence.
- 802.1X Authentication
- A network access standard in which a device proves its identity, for example with a certificate, before it joins the network.
- Activation Lock
- A theft deterrent that ties a device to an account, so that it cannot be activated after an erase without that account or a bypass code.
- Apple Business Manager
- Apple's web portal where an organization manages its devices, apps and accounts and links them to its MDM solution.
- Apple Configurator
- An app for Mac and iPhone that prepares, supervises and enrolls devices and can add them to Apple Business Manager.
- Apple Push Notification service (APNs)
- The Apple service that tells a device to check in with its MDM server for new commands.
- AppleSeed for IT
- Apple's beta program in which organizations test coming operating system releases before they ship.
- Automated Device Enrollment
- Enrollment that happens during setup for devices the organization bought through Apple or an authorized reseller.
- Bootstrap Token
- A key that a Mac escrows with MDM, which lets MDM give new user accounts a secure token and approve some updates.
- Content Caching
- A macOS service that stores Apple software and updates on the local network, so devices download them only once.
- Declarative Device Management
- A management model in which the device applies configurations and reports changes in its state itself, instead of waiting for MDM commands.
- Federated authentication
- Sign-in in which Apple Business Manager or Apple School Manager trusts an identity provider, so users sign in with their existing organization credentials.
- FileVault
- The full-disk encryption feature of macOS.
- Kerberos SSO Extension
- A built-in single sign-on extension that gets Kerberos tickets for users from an Active Directory domain.
- Managed Lost Mode
- An MDM mode that locks a lost supervised device, shows a message on its screen and can report where it is.
- Return to Service
- An MDM erase that keeps the Wi-Fi details and enrollment settings, so the device sets itself up again for the next user.
- Setup Assistant
- The series of screens a new or erased device shows when it first starts, which MDM can skip or customize.
- Tethered caching
- Content caching that shares a Mac's internet connection and cache with iPhone and iPad devices connected to it by USB.
- User Enrollment
- An enrollment type for personal devices that keeps organization data separate and limits what MDM can see.