The bind is the process of linking your organisation to an EMM platform through Google, creating an enterprise that enables Android Enterprise management. Without it, the EMM has no way to distribute apps through managed Google Play, create managed accounts on devices, or access enterprise features like zero-touch enrolment.
Android Enterprise consists, simplistically, of three aspects:
To leverage 2 and 3, an enterprise is required. The bind creates this enterprise, generates the authentication tokens your EMM needs, and assigns an enterprise ID (also called an organisation ID) - an alphanumeric identifier, typically prefixed with LC, that uniquely identifies your Android Enterprise tenant. This ID is what links your EMM, your approved apps, and your enrolled devices together.
There are two types of enterprise, and they determine how your bind is managed:
Managed Google domain (recommended) - the enterprise is tied to a domain (e.g. company.com) managed through the Google Admin console. This provides role-based access, MFA enforcement, SSO integration, and the ability to bind multiple EMMs simultaneously. From 2024, all new organisations completing the bind process are provided with a managed Google domain at no cost by default.
Managed Google Play Accounts (legacy) - the standard approach up to 2025, where a personal Google account (a Gmail address or any email set up as a Google account) was used to create and manage the enterprise. Administration is limited to the admin and owner roles available through play.google.com/work/adminsettings, without the broader identity governance, SSO integration, or multi-EMM binding that a managed Google domain provides. The managed Google Play Accounts signup method is deprecated in favour of managed Google domains.
Organisations on the older model can upgrade to a managed Google domain at no cost and without disrupting enrolled devices or approved apps.
Once the enterprise exists, the EMM can: