Mac Management
Macs managed to the same standard as your Windows machines: macOS and app updates applied on schedule, FileVault on, approved software installed, settings enforced and remote support on hand, instead of every Mac being looked after by whoever owns it.
Overview
Macs are not unmanageable. They are just usually unmanaged.
In many offices the Macs are the exception. The Windows machines are patched, encrypted and monitored, while the designers', founders' and executives' MacBooks are left to their owners on the theory that Macs look after themselves. They do not: macOS updates get postponed for months, FileVault is off on half of them, and nobody knows what software is installed or who has admin rights.
We manage Macs alongside Windows from the same platform and to the same standard. Every Mac reports its health, storage, battery and installed software; macOS and app updates are applied on a schedule, with deferrals a user cannot extend forever; FileVault is turned on with recovery keys stored centrally; and settings are enforced through configuration profiles. When something breaks, a technician connects remotely and fixes it, whichever operating system it is.
Capabilities
What's included
- macOS update managementSecurity updates and new macOS versions rolled out on a schedule, with sensible deferrals and a report of every Mac that has fallen behind.
- Third-party app patchingChrome, Zoom, Microsoft 365, Adobe and the other apps on your Macs kept current, not just the operating system.
- FileVault encryptionDisk encryption turned on and confirmed on every Mac, with recovery keys held centrally instead of on a sticky note.
- Software deploymentApproved applications installed silently and kept consistent, so a new Mac matches the rest of the team on its first day.
- Configuration profilesWi-Fi, screen lock, firewall, password and privacy settings applied by policy and reapplied if someone changes them.
- Monitoring and remote supportDisk space, battery health, crashes and offline Macs watched, and remote control for a technician when a user needs help.
- Apple Business setupNew Macs assigned to your organization at purchase and enrolled automatically the first time they start up.
How It Works
Delivered through managed IT
Macs are enrolled in the same management platform as your Windows PCs and servers, so patching, monitoring, remote support and software inventory sit in one place and one report. New Macs are enrolled automatically through Apple Business (formerly Apple Business Manager), which applies your settings before the user reaches the desktop.
Why Atlas
Secure. Reliable. Responsive.
Flat monthly fee
Predictable per-device pricing. No surprise invoices and no hourly meter running while your team waits for help.
Proactive, not reactive
Monitoring, patching, and automation run around the clock — so most issues are resolved before your staff ever notice them.
Responsive & accountable
One team that knows your environment and answers fast. You reach a real technician, not a ticket queue in another time zone.
Month-to-month
We earn your business every month. No multi-year lock-in — you stay because the service works, not because a contract traps you.
Common Questions
Questions we get asked
Do Macs really need managing? Isn't macOS secure by default?
macOS has good security built in, but defaults only help when they are switched on and kept current. Unmanaged Macs regularly sit months behind on updates, run with FileVault off and give every user admin rights. Insurers and compliance frameworks ask the same questions about Macs as about Windows, and being a Mac is not an answer they accept.
Can you manage Macs and Windows PCs together?
Yes, and that is usually the point. Both report into the same platform, follow the same patching schedule and encryption rules, and appear in the same inventory and reports. Your team calls the same help desk whichever machine they use, and you get one view of the whole fleet instead of a Windows tool and a separate spreadsheet of Macs.
Will management slow our Macs down or get in the way of creative work?
It should not. The management agent is lightweight, updates run on a schedule you agree with deferrals for deadlines, and settings are kept to what security and support actually need. Designers keep the tools they rely on; we add them to the approved list rather than block them, and we test major macOS releases against key creative apps before rolling them out.
Our Macs were bought from a regular store. Can they still be enrolled?
Yes. Macs bought outside Apple Business can be added to it with Apple Configurator, after which they enroll automatically the next time they are set up. Until then they can be enrolled manually with the user's help. New Macs are easiest when bought from Apple or a reseller linked to your Apple Business account, because they arrive ready to enroll.
References
Standards referenced
Secure. Reliable. Responsive.
Book a consultation and we’ll map out a managed IT plan for your business, or email contact@atlasbm.net.