A system comprising: one or more computer readable storage media; program instructions for a component stored on at least one of the one or more computer readable storage media that, when executed by a processing system, direct the processing system to: in response to receiving a signal that encodes at least one policy setting, wherein the signal comprises a visual pattern, an audio pattern, tactile pattern, kinetic pattern, or combination thereof, interpret the signal to determine the at least one policy setting and apply the at least one policy setting to the system on its own authority to alter device policy settings without the system having an ongoing communication with a device management provisioning server; and further comprising saving one or more prior policy settings, wherein the signal further encodes an expiration time for the at least one policy setting, and comprising applying the one or more prior policy settings to the device after the expiration time has elapsed; wherein the signal is a camera-readable quick response, QR, code, and wherein the signal is received by scaning the policy settings QR code using a camera of the device. one or more computer readable storage media; program instructions for a component stored on at least one of the one or more computer readable storage media that, when executed by a processing system, direct the processing system to: in response to receiving a signal that encodes at least one policy setting, wherein the signal comprises a visual pattern, an audio pattern, tactile pattern, kinetic pattern, or combination thereof, interpret the signal to determine the at least one policy setting and apply the at least one policy setting to the system on its own authority to alter device policy settings without the system having an ongoing communication with a device management provisioning server; and further comprising saving one or more prior policy settings, wherein the signal further encodes an expiration time for the at least one policy setting, and comprising applying the one or more prior policy settings to the device after the expiration time has elapsed; wherein the signal is a camera-readable quick response, QR, code, and wherein the signal is received by scaning the policy settings QR code using a camera of the device. in response to receiving a signal that encodes at least one policy setting, wherein the signal comprises a visual pattern, an audio pattern, tactile pattern, kinetic pattern, or combination thereof, interpret the signal to determine the at least one policy setting and apply the at least one policy setting to the system on its own authority to alter device policy settings without the system having an ongoing communication with a device management provisioning server; and further comprising saving one or more prior policy settings, wherein the signal further encodes an expiration time for the at least one policy setting, and comprising applying the one or more prior policy settings to the device after the expiration time has elapsed; wherein the signal is a camera-readable quick response, QR, code, and wherein the signal is received by scaning the policy settings QR code using a camera of the device.