AWS VPN for iOS using SAML

Currently, AWS does not support the AWS VPN client for iOS devices (iPhone/iPad) in organizations requiring SAML-based authentication. This is indeed a limitation in the current AWS Client VPN offering.

The AWS Client VPN service does support SAML-based federated authentication, but this feature is only available through the AWS-provided client, which is currently limited to Windows, macOS, and Linux platforms. For these desktop operating systems, users must use the official AWS client (version 1.2.0 or later) to connect to Client VPN endpoints configured with SAML authentication.

For mobile devices like iOS and Android, there is currently no official AWS-provided client that supports SAML authentication. While the OpenVPN client can be used on mobile devices for some AWS VPN configurations, it does not support the "auth-federate" keyword required for SAML-based authentication. This means that when a Client VPN endpoint is configured to use SAML, mobile devices cannot connect using standard OpenVPN apps.

As for future plans, AWS has not publicly announced any specific intentions to create a similar VPN client for iOS devices that supports SAML authentication. The lack of mobile support for SAML-authenticated AWS Client VPN connections is a known limitation, and it does seem like a natural requirement for many organizations.

If mobile access with SAML authentication is crucial for your use case, you may need to consider alternative VPN solutions that support SAML on mobile devices or explore other remote access options compatible with your authentication requirements and mobile platforms.

To stay informed about potential future developments, it's recommended to keep an eye on AWS announcements and consider reaching out to AWS support to inquire about any plans for mobile support or to express interest in such a feature.
Sources
WANT: Client VPN Endpoint, with Microsoft Entra SAML for mobile devices | AWS re:Post
Native AWS VPN Client for Apple Silicon (arm64) | AWS re:Post
AWS Client VPN connections on Android and iOS applications - AWS Client VPN