Replacing a passcode profile with a passcode declaration on macOS requires a passcode change

We've put in a feedback assistant request, but not sure if we will get feedback in that channel or not and also want to highlight for others.

When replacing a basic passcode profile on a macOS device with a passcode declaration, the user is required to change the password after logging out and back in. Explicitly including the "ChangeAtNextAuth" key set equal to false, set required a password change after logging out and back in. Once the declaration is active and the password has been changed, future updates to the passcode declaration do not require a password change unless the existing password is not compliant.

Steps to reproduce:

  1. Install a basic passcode profile on a macOS device
  2. Ensure the existing password matches the requirements specified in the profile
  3. Install a passcode declaration with the same settings as the passcode profile currently installed
  4. Remove the traditional passcode profile from the device
  5. After the passcode declaration is installed, check the local pwpolicy with the command pwpolicy getaccountpolicies and look for the key policyAttributePasswordRequiredTime
  6. Log out of the macOS device
  7. Log back into the macOS device and you are presented with a change password prompt

Expected result: Simply replacing an existing passcode profile with the exact same settings in a passcode declaration should not require a password change if the existing password is compliant.

Actual results: After replacing the passcode profile with a passcode declaration, a password change was required even though the existing password was compliant.

Initial testing was done with a macOS VM running 15.5. Additional testing has now been done with a macOS VM running 26.4.1 and the same behavior was observed.

Answered by DTS Engineer in 886236022
FB22494634

Thanks! It looks like this has already found its way to the right folks and they’re treating it as… yep… a bug. I’ve no info to share as to the schedule for a fix, but you can monitor the state of the bug in Feedback Assistant.

Share and Enjoy

Quinn “The Eskimo!” @ Developer Technical Support @ Apple
let myEmail = "eskimo" + "1" + "@" + "apple.com"

want to highlight for others.

Cool.

We've put in a feedback assistant request

What was that bug number?

Share and Enjoy

Quinn “The Eskimo!” @ Developer Technical Support @ Apple
let myEmail = "eskimo" + "1" + "@" + "apple.com"

@DTS Engineer FB22494634 is the Feedback assistant number in the portal.

Accepted Answer
FB22494634

Thanks! It looks like this has already found its way to the right folks and they’re treating it as… yep… a bug. I’ve no info to share as to the schedule for a fix, but you can monitor the state of the bug in Feedback Assistant.

Share and Enjoy

Quinn “The Eskimo!” @ Developer Technical Support @ Apple
let myEmail = "eskimo" + "1" + "@" + "apple.com"

It’s better to reply as a reply, rather than in the comments; see Quinn’s Top Ten DevForums Tips for this and other titbits.

is it normal to not receive any response in the feedback assistant when there are known bugs found?

Unless the folks investigating the issue need more info from your, they’ll only reach out via Feedback Assistant if and when an OS release with a fix starts seeding.

For more background on how this process works, see Bug Reporting: How and Why?

Share and Enjoy

Quinn “The Eskimo!” @ Developer Technical Support @ Apple
let myEmail = "eskimo" + "1" + "@" + "apple.com"

Replacing a passcode profile with a passcode declaration on macOS requires a passcode change
 
 
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