How to Prevent Google Workspace Users on iOS Devices From Opening Internal Data With Unmanaged Apps

Quick and easy-to-follow guide for Google Workspace administrators

You can control:

Which iOS apps can open internal documents and links
Whether managed apps can share documents with Apple AirDrop or not

For example, you can prevent a confidential email attachment in your Google Workspace email account from opening in a user’s personal apps. Then only managed apps installed by the Google Device Policy app can open the attachment.

Whether you allow users to open internal documents and links with unmanaged apps or not, they can always share with AirDrop.

Requirements to control if iOS users can access managed content in unmanaged apps

This setting requires Advanced iOS Mobile Management and an Apple Push Certificate, and it only applies to company-owned devices.
It applies only to users with Google Workspace Enterprise Plus, G Suite Enterprise for Education, or Cloud Identity Premium licenses.

How to allow or disable opening work docs in unmanaged iOS apps step-by-step with images

Step 1

In Google Admin at https://admin.google.com, click Devices > Mobile & endpoints > Settings > iOS settings in the menu on the left.

Step 2

Select Data sharing.

Step 3

Select Open docs in unmanaged apps.

Step 4

Check Allow items created with managed apps to be opened in unmanaged apps to allow documents created in managed iOS apps to open in users’ personal apps.

Check Allow items created with managed apps to be shared using AirDrop to allow managed apps to share documents with AirDrop.

Click SAVE after any updates. Changes to the setting may take up to 24 hours.