Transitioning APNS Certificates to a New Apple ID

This process is particularly useful when the individual associated with the Apple ID used for APNS leaves the company or if there is a need to change the Apple ID for other reasons.

Expiration and Topic String Consideration

• If you do not revoke or create a new certificate, and the topic string remains the same as in SOTI MobiControl, you can renew the certificate up to approximately 6-9 months even after the license expires.
• If the topic string changes, renewal will not be possible.
• The topic string of an APNS certificate in the Apple Push Certificate portal can be found under Subject DN > UID, visible by selecting the (i) icon next to the certificate.

Any SOTI MobiControl environment with APNS configured.

Steps to Migrate Your APNS Certificate to different Apple Id

1. Contact Apple Support using this link or email apns_programs@apple.com.

2. Gather the following required information from the Apple Push Certificates Portal:

• APNS Certificate Subject DN
• APNS Certificate CN
• APNS Certificate Serial Number
• APNS Certificate Expiration Date
• The Apple ID you want to migrate from
• The Apple ID you want to migrate to

3. To find these details from the SOTI MobiControl web console:

• Select Global Settings from the main menu.
• From the settings tree on the left, choose Apple > Apple Push Notification Service to open the Apple Push Notification Service page.

4. Retrieve the certificate information from the server:

• Access the server via RDP.
• Navigate to Local Certificate Manager Store or type certlm.msc in the search bar.

• Navigate to Personal Certificates to locate the APNS certificate.

• Select the latest certificate by checking the expiration date.

5. Review the APNS certificate information:

• Select the certificate and navigate to the Details tab.

• The APNS Certificate Subject DN should be a single line entry when you provide it to Apple.

• Note the current certificate’s expiration date.

• Note the APNS Certificate CN information.

• Note the APNS Certificate Serial Number information.

6. Use the following email template for migration request:

Subject: [Apple Push Notification Service] Transfer of APNS Certificate (Serial Number: 6fbXXXXXXX)

Body:
We request the transfer of our APNS certificate from the old Apple ID to the new Apple ID. Reference: Transfer Apple services when federating – Apple Support (UK).

Details:
APNS Certificate Subject DN: C=US, CN=APSP:a_XXXXXXXXXXX46f32333c14f, UID=com.apple. mgmt.External.a9_XXXXXXXXXXX
APNS Certificate CN: CN = APSPXXXXXXX
APNS Certificate Serial Number: 6fbXXXXXX
APNS Certificate Expiration Date: June 2X, 202X
The Apple ID you want to migrate from: Example: SOTI@gmail.com [It can either be a managed apple id or Gmail id]
The Apple ID you want to migrate to: Example: SOTI@domain-one.in (Managed Apple ID or Personal Apple ID)

Apple may require identification to verify your authenticity. If you are not part of a domain, any government-issued ID or other valid identification should suffice. If you are part of a domain, provide an ID related to your company. This process may take up to 10 business days.

There will be no interruption in communication between the mobile device management (MDM) solution and the devices during the migration.

By following these steps, you can successfully migrate your APNS certificate from one Apple ID to another, ensuring uninterrupted service and compliance with your company’s policies.