- For devices on Esper Agent version 8.2+, enroll an account and devices during or after provisioning.
- For devices on an Esper Agent version below 8.2, enroll an account and devices in EMM before provisioning devices (steps 1 and 2 of this guide).
The Esper console gives you access to Play for Work, the enterprise version of Google Play. Within Play for Work, you can approve applications, which can be installed on your GMS (Google Mobile Services) devices.
You should sign up for a Managed Google Domain (recommend) or Google Play for Work before creating a blueprint that manages device applications.
Google Play does not support AOSP (Android Open Source Project) devices.
Requirements:
- GMS devices
- You’ll need to be an Enterprise Administrator in the Esper Console
- You’ll need to be a Super Admin access for the Managed Google Domain account for new users
- You’ll need access to the Managed Google Play account and Super Admin access for the Managed Google Domain account if upgrading account
In this article:
- About Google Play in Esper
- About Managed Google Domains Upgrades
- Setting Up Google Play for Devices
- Viewing Managed Google Play Account Information
- Unsubscribing from Google Play for Work
- Troubleshooting
About Google Play in Esper
You'll need to subscribe to Google Play for Work and set up a blueprint to enroll devices in EMM.
After setting up your EMM account, you'll have access to the Google Play Store from the Esper Apps section. If you give device users access to the Google Play Store app, you can limit installable applications from the Play Store to Esper-approved applications.
About Managed Google Domains Upgrades
Starting in 2025, Google now allows you to seamlessly upgrade your account from a Managed Google Play account to a Managed Google Domain account for improved security and integrations.
For new users
We recommend that new users enroll in a Managed Google Domain account when setting up their Google Play account in the Esper console.
For current users considering an upgrade
You can upgrade to a Google Domain account from your Managed Google Play for Work account at any time. Upgrades are optional. If you choose to upgrade, the change is irreversible and you will NOT be able to revert to the original Managed Google Play for Work account. Google manages this process and Esper has no control over it. Your devices should see no impact during the and after the upgrade.
For all other current users
You do not need to upgrade your Google Managed Play for Work account at this time. Google is encouraging users to upgrade to a Google Managed Domain for improved security and integration.
Setting Up Google Play for Devices
Step 1 for New Users (recommended):
Requirements:
- You will need a Google Workspace (formerly G-Suite) account with Super Admin credentials
We recommend checking your current EMM bindings before setting up Google Play for Devices. Go to your Google Admin console and navigate to Devices > Mobile & endpoints > Settings > Third-party integrations. Ensure there aren’t any EMM enrollments that could interfere with Esper device management.
To begin enrollment, go to the Esper console and click on Apps > Play Store.
You’ll be prompted to sign into your domain account. You’ll need to be a super admin for the Google Workspace account to sign up.
From the Managed Google Domain Enrollment page, select Create a new binding and then press Confirm.
The enrollment process will begin. Once set up, you will be redirected to the Esper console. You should now have access to the applications in the Google Play Store. Proceed to Steps 2 and 3 of this guide to verify your account and start managing Google Play applications on devices.
Step 1 for Upgrading Users:
If you previously set up EMM using a personal Gmail account or other unmanaged Google account, you can now upgrade the account seamlessly from the Esper console. Google is now encouraging — though not mandating — organizations to transition to managed Google domains for improved integration and security. Migrations do not disrupt the device experience and do not require device re-enrollment. The process takes around five minutes to complete.
You may see an option to upgrade while viewing the Play Store in the Esper console.
The rollout is taking place in stages. If you do not see the option to upgrade, it is likely not enabled for your account yet.
Requirements:
- You will need a Google Workspace (formerly G-Suite) account with Super Admin credentials
- The existing Android Enterprise binding in your EMM configured with a Gmail or other unmanaged Google account
- Credentials for the current Android Enterprise registration account which can be:
- The Google account originally used to enroll the tenant in EMM (often an @gmail.com account)
or
- Any Google account listed as an Owner for the Enterprise in Google Play Admin Settings
If you no longer have access to these credentials, follow Google’s documentation for recovering administrator access.
First, go to the Esper console and click on Apps > Play Store. Then click on Upgrade for free.
If you do not see this option, it’s likely the changes are still being rolled out to your account. This process is managed by Google and Esper cannot provide an estimate on the timeline for the change.
There may be two Upgrade for free links. Clicking on either link will begin the upgrade process.
Authenticate by selecting the Google account listed the Owner for your current Android Enterprise registration.
Enter your email address to complete the email verification process.
Tip: Record the work email address you use here. Esper does not currently store the email address used to migrate your Google Domain.
Choose your sign-in method:
- Use your passkey
- Enter your password
- Try another way
Then set up your domain.
- If your organization already has a managed Google domain, sign in with the Super Admin account.
- If your organization does not have a domain, provide your organization’s details to create a new domain.
Then, authorize the Android Enterprise registration to finalize the migration.
Then complete the upgrade by clicking on Upgrade.
You’ll see the following confirmation message.
You can continue to use the Play Store in the Esper console as you did before. The device experience should remain uninterrupted during and after the upgrade.
Step 1: Google Play for Work Enrollment for New Users (legacy)
If you have not signed up for Play for Work to create a managed Google Play account for your Esper tenant, you can go to Apps > Play Store.
We recommend using a dedicated account for this service.
Click the Click to Enroll button.
Then enter your email address.
Press Next.
Your steps will differ depending on your account type. Choose your account type from the tabs below. The following factors may prevent enrollment:
- Non-admin G-Suite accounts will not be able to sign up for EMM.
- If you see a message, "This enterprise is already enrolled with another EMM", you'll need to unsubscribe from your previous service before enrolling with Esper.
- For non-managed Google accounts check https://play.google.com/work/adminsettings
- For Managed Google Domain accounts check https://admin.google.com/
Then, under Sign up for Android Only, click on Sign up.
On Google’s managed Google Play sign-up page, click Getting Started.
Sign in to the Gmail account you intend to use for enrollment.
If you are already signed into a Google Workspace account you will see a slightly different screen asking you to choose a non-Google Workspace account to continue. Copy the URL, open a new Incognito window, and go to the URL. You should now see the SIGN IN button. You can then use an existing Gmail account or create a new one to enroll.
Fill in the information requested by Google, including your company name, and if applicable, contact information for your Data Protection Officer and/or EU Representative. Accept the agreement, and click Confirm.
Click Complete Registration.
You’ll be redirected to your Esper tenant. If you used an incognito window, you’ll need to log into your tenant. If you’re already logged in, you’ll see a screen in Esper indicating enrollment is in process.
After you've enrolled in EMM, approve or unapprove Google Play apps from the Esper App section. Learn more about Google Play approval. Then set up a blueprint to enroll devices in EMM.
Step 2: Verify Your Enrollment
While in Apps > Google Play Store, click on the user settings button to access your Organization details.
You’ll see the name and ID associated with your Google EMM binding. Take note of this ID and verify it through your Managed Google Domain Account or your Non-managed account.
For Managed Google Domain Accounts, access https://admin.google.com and navigate to Devices > Mobile & endpoints > Settings > Third-party integrations. Confirm the EMM binding is active and matches the one shown in the Esper console.
For non-managed accounts, go to https://play.google.com/work/adminsettings and confirm that the new organization is listed and ensure it is bound to your EMM.
Step 3: Blueprint Managed Google Play Enrollment
You may temporarily see an older version of this blueprint setting during Spring 2025. See the note in Control Managed Google Play for more information.
After you've set up your EMM account, you'll need to set up a blueprint to enroll devices in Managed Google Play.
For devices on Esper Agent 8.2+, enroll the devices through a blueprint by going to Platform Services and enabling Managed Google Play. You can unenroll a device by disabling this toggle. When the toggle is disabled, you'll be prompted to remove Google Play apps from the blueprint.
For devices below Esper Agent 8.2, in a blueprint, go to Platform Services and enable Managed Google Play. Devices must be enrolled during provisioning and cannot be unenrolled without a factory reset.
You can now add Google Play apps to devices in the following ways:
- You can also enable Google Play Store Visibility from the Platform Services section to give users access to the Google Play Store.
- If you'd rather control the apps visible on the device, go to the Apps & Configuration section to select approved Google Play Store applications from the dropdown.
- Do you also want to use Enterprise apps? Provisioning may fail if those apps are improperly signed due to Google Play Protect. Learn more about Install Verification Errors.
Once you've set up the blueprint, save and publish it, and then provision devices with it.
Viewing Managed Google Play Account Information
To view Managed Google Play Account information, go to Apps and click on the ellipsis (...). Choose Managed Google Play Account.
You will see your Google Enterprise ID, the updated date, and the registration name.
Then, log into your Managed Google Play account.
Unsubscribing from Google Play for Work
You may need to unsubscribe from Google Play for Work if:
- Your organization will no longer utilize the Google Play Store and its apps
- You signed up for Google Play for Work through a different service. In that case, you may see a message telling you "This enterprise is already enrolled with another EMM" when you attempt to sign up for EMM through Esper.
Step 1: Go to the Google Play Admin Settings page.
You may need to switch accounts. Click Switch Accounts to switch to the Gmail address you used for enrollment.
Step 2: Select your account or give login credentials.
Step 3: Under Settings, navigate to the "Organization Information" section. Click the vertical ellipsis on the right. Choose the option to Delete Organization. Now your email will be disassociated with the said organization.
Troubleshooting
I provisioned devices without setting up EMM. Can I still enroll them in EMM after provisioning?
You can enroll an Android device that is on Esper Agent version 8.2+ through a blueprint.
If your device is on an Esper Agent version below 8.2, you'll need to factory reset it in order to enroll in EMM. After a factory reset, follow the steps in Setting Up Google Play for Devices.
When I try to enroll in EMM, I receive an error message: Unable to Open Google Play Store.
Your account may already be enrolled in EMM through another provider. Follow the steps to unsubscribe from EMM and try again. If you still encounter errors, contact Esper.
I received an error while enrolling in Google Play for Work or the Google Domain.
Most of the enrollment process is handled by Google. If you’d like, you can contact Esper Support with screenshots or recordings where you experienced the issue. Depending on the issue, we may be able to provide next steps, but Google is ultimately the manager of this service.
I was informed I need to complete a financial features declaration. How do I do this?
This is one of Google's requirements. More information can be found on Google's support page.
See our App Troubleshooting guide for more errors, why they happen, and their solutions.