Overview
Distributing and managing applications across a mobile device fleet is one of the most frequent and operationally critical tasks an IT team performs. SOTI MobiControl provides a comprehensive application management framework built around App Policies — centrally defined rules that control which applications are installed on which devices, whether installation is mandatory or optional, and how app updates are scheduled and enforced. App Policies are the mechanism through which administrators deploy business-critical line-of-business apps, enforce security application requirements, manage public store apps, and retire outdated software, all from a single web-based console.
This article explains how App Policies work in SOTI MobiControl and covers best practices for managing an enterprise application portfolio across a multi-OS device fleet.
Creating an App Policy
App Policies are created from the App Management section of the SOTI MobiControl web console. When creating a new policy, administrators define the target platform (Android Enterprise, iOS, Windows Modern, macOS, etc.), select or upload the application, and configure installation behaviour. Applications can be sourced from the Google Play Store (via Android Enterprise managed Google Play), Apple App Store (via Apple VPP tokens), Microsoft Store, or uploaded directly as enterprise APK, IPA, or EXE/MSI package files. Each App Policy is assigned to one or more device groups, and devices in those groups receive the policy on their next check-in.
Mandatory vs. Optional Applications
Each application added to an App Policy can be designated as mandatory or optional. Mandatory applications are silently installed on target devices without user interaction — the device management agent handles the installation automatically in the background. Optional applications appear in the MobiControl-managed App Catalog where users can choose to install them. Organizations typically use mandatory policies for all security applications, authentication apps, and primary line-of-business applications, and optional policies for productivity utilities that only specific roles require.
The SOTI MobiControl Apps Catalog for Windows Modern devices supports user-initiated installs of optional apps, and administrators can control which optional apps each device group can see, ensuring users only encounter apps relevant to their role.
App Policy Updates and Scheduling
When a new version of an application is available, administrators update the App Policy with the new version. SOTI MobiControl then pushes the updated application to all devices in scope. For iOS devices, administrators can now schedule the day and time for app policy updates to be applied, preventing updates from interrupting active working shifts. This is particularly important in environments such as warehouses or call centers where devices are in continuous use throughout the day and unexpected application restarts would cause disruption.
On Android devices, SOTI MobiControl supports Zebra FOTA (Firmware Over-the-Air), allowing administrators to push LifeGuard security patches and Android OS updates to Zebra devices directly from the MobiControl console without switching between management portals or manually downloading firmware files.
App Policy Cloning
To reduce administrative overhead when setting up application policies across multiple departments or device groups with similar requirements, SOTI MobiControl supports App Policy Cloning. Administrators can clone an existing App Policy into a draft state, modify the copy as needed — changing the target device group, adjusting mandatory/optional settings, or updating application versions — and publish it without building the policy from scratch. This significantly speeds up the configuration of new device deployments and reduces the risk of misconfiguration due to repetitive manual data entry.
Managed App Configuration (AppConfig)
For enterprise applications that support AppConfig, SOTI MobiControl allows administrators to pre-configure application settings and push them silently to devices as part of the App Policy. Managed App Configuration can set server URLs, authentication credentials, feature flags, and UI customisation options inside the application without requiring the end user to manually configure anything after installation. This is especially powerful for VPN clients, email clients, and enterprise productivity applications that need to connect to internal infrastructure with organisation-specific settings. SOTI MobiControl also supports import and export of Managed App Configurations, allowing administrators to replicate configurations across multiple App Policies targeting the same application.
Apps Dashboard