Restrict app connections with managed apps

Managed apps let Enterprise admins prevent members from creating their own connections for specific apps. When you mark an app as managed, only admins can create, share, and delete connections for that app. This centralizes control over sensitive credentials, ensures connections stay with the company when employees leave, and prevents unauthorized access to critical business systems.

To understand when to use managed apps versus other options, learn about admin controls for app connections.

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What are managed apps?

Managed apps let you mark specific apps in your Zapier account as admin-managed. When an app is managed:

• Only admins can create, share, or delete connections for that app.
• Members can still use admin-shared connections in their Zap workflows, but cannot create their own connections.
• Connections stay within your account when employees leave, preventing connection loss during offboarding.

Managed apps covers all authentication types, including API keys. This makes it especially useful for apps like OpenAI where allowed domain controls are not available.

Before you begin

• You must have admin access to your Enterprise account.

Mark an app as managed

To mark an app as managed:

1. In the main navigation, click the Admin center icon. You will be redirected to the Admin Center.
2. In the Admin Center sidebar, select App connections.
3. In the Managed apps field, click +Add managed apps. A search box will appear.
4. Search for and select an app that you want to manage. A dialog box will appear.
5. Click Save changes.

Once an app is managed, only admins can create new connections for that app. Zapier does not remove existing member-created connections, but members can no longer create new ones.

Create a managed connection

After you mark an app as managed, you can create managed connections for users in your account to use.

1. Next to the app you marked as managed, click Add managed connection. A pop up window will open.
2. Connect your app account.
3. You will be redirected to the App Connections page.

Share managed connections with members

After marking an app as managed, admins should share connections with members who need them:

1. Go to the App Connections page.
2. Next to the managed app connection you want to share, click the menu icon . A dropdown menu will appear.
3. Select Share connection. A dialog box will appear.
4. In the Share with field's input box, search for users by name, email, or the name of a team they belong to in your account, then select one.
5. Click Share.

Your managed app connections will display a security shield icon. You can see who has access in the People with access field. Users that you shared the managed account with can then select it when building or editing Zap workflows that use that app.

Next steps

You have marked an app as managed, created a managed connection, and shared it with your team. Members can now use the connection in their Zaps without creating their own.

• To share credentials without restricting personal connections, use managed connections.
• To restrict which domains are used for OAuth app connections, use allowed domains instead or in addition.
• To control which apps your team can use, use app access settings.
• To audit all connections in your account, export app connection metadata as a CSV.