Knox Configure is a cloud-based service that can be used to customize Samsung Galaxy smartphones and tablets, transforming out-of-the-box devices into fully configured business tools.

When a Samsung device first boots up, it immediately reaches out to Samsung’s Knox servers. If the device has been assigned a profile in a Knox Configure account, a custom profile is downloaded to the device, setting up the initial configuration and — with the free Knox Mobile Enrollment tool — completing the link to enterprise mobile device management (MDM) and enterprise mobility management (EMM) tools.

Using Knox Configure has many benefits for IT teams. It eliminates the need for time-consuming manual device setup, enables more granular customization and ensures profiles take effect right out of the box.

Here’s how to use Knox Configure to customize a mobile device, in eight easy steps.

1. Set up your Knox Configure portal

Getting Knox Configure going is easy, starting with your Samsung.com account. With a few clicks at samsungknox.com, you can enable Knox Configure for your account and begin adding licenses. A key part of getting started is providing your Knox Configure identification to your Samsung reseller so they can begin putting devices into your account.

2. Order devices from your friendly Samsung reseller

When your Samsung reseller receives your order, while they are preparing your devices to be shipped, they also load them into your Knox Configure portal. Because every device starts by contacting Samsung’s master Knox servers as it boots, no special configuration on the device is required — and Knox Configure can’t be overridden. It’s there out of the box, and every time the device is reinitialized.

3. Create profiles for your devices

Knox Configure uses profiles, a collection of settings that are maintained together and can be applied to groups of devices. Knox Configure profile configuration settings span:

• Applications (such as preloaded applications, application whitelists or blocklists, preloaded application data, and application store rules)
• Device branding and appearance (such as home and lock screens, Samsung DeX, sounds and display settings)
• Security settings (such as authentication and restrictions on changing configurations)
• Network (such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, near-field communication and Access Point Name settings).

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4. Select apps and content to preload

When selecting apps, Knox Configure allows for public and private app stores to be used within the profile of each device. During setup phase, administrators can choose which business-specific or third-party apps are necessary for each device and preload them so users don’t have to go through the process individually.

5. Customize with your company’s branding

Devices can be customized to showcase your company’s brand during boot-up, on the lock screen and wallpaper. This changes the device’s look and feel from generic or foreign to resemble a personalized, branded experience for the company or event where it’s being used.

6. Establish connectivity settings

Just as the devices are being filled with apps and content as well as branding profiles, it’s imperative that connectivity settings are implemented on each device. Administrators can configure Wi-Fi, mobile data, Bluetooth and NFC settings on each profile for greater security settings.

7. Set security policies

Knox Configure also has granular security settings, including establishing requirements for passwords and biometric authentication. Although Knox Configure has many MDM features, IT managers can seamlessly shift to their enterprise MDM using Samsung tools. Knox Configure complements and speeds enrollment in your enterprise MDM. With Samsung’s free Knox Mobile Enrollment tool, devices can be quickly installed from scratch and connected to your MDM with a minimum of end-user input — or frustration.

8. Assign devices to Knox Configure profiles and content

As devices show up in your Knox Configure portal, you can assign them to profiles so they’re ready to go before the devices even hit your loading dock. You can even have your reseller drop-ship directly to end users, speeding delivery and fully confident that they’ll get the correct profile configuration without you having to touch the device.

As devices boot up, they connect to Knox Configure. Each Samsung Knox device, tablet, smartphone or wearable will try and contact Samsung’s master Knox servers to determine whether it’s in a corporate account. If the serial number is loaded, the device will receive the Knox Configure profile you assigned in your portal. This happens every time the device is reinitialized. Knox Configure also includes ProKiosk mode, used to tightly control Android devices used in a kiosk or locked-down setting, eliminating the need for specialized kiosk tools to define and manage configurations — and providing boot-time integration that can’t be overridden.

Additionally, Knox Configure provides a dashboard with device status information, showing levels of compliance and making it easy to manage and update profiles. The portal’s logging screens maintain a solid audit trail for compliance.

See what makes Samsung the strongest mobile security partner for your business. Ready to launch Knox Configure? Get your free guide to customizing tablets.