FRP Lock persists after factory reset on devices from decommissioned tenant: recovery requires Google account verification or OEM/Google FRP bypass

Android

When a device enrolled in an Esper tenant is factory reset — either deliberately during decommissioning or accidentally — the device may display a Google Factory Reset Protection (FRP) screen during setup, blocking access until the original Google account is verified.

Why this happens

Factory Reset Protection is a security feature built into Android 5.1 and later. When a Google account is signed in on a device and that device is subsequently factory reset, Android locks setup until someone authenticates with that same account. FRP is enforced entirely by the Android operating system — Esper has no ability to bypass, disable, or remove an FRP lock, regardless of how the device was enrolled.

What you need before starting

• Device serial number and IMEI (printed on the device or in your previous Esper Console records under Devices & Groups → [Device Name] → Device Info)
• Proof of purchase (invoice or receipt) for the device
• Any records of Google accounts previously associated with the device or your Esper tenant

Steps to resolve an FRP lock

1. Authenticate with the original Google account. On the FRP challenge screen, enter the email address and password of the Google account that was active on the device before the factory reset. If authentication succeeds, setup continues normally and the FRP screen will not appear again on subsequent resets using the same account. If you do not know the original account, proceed to step 2.
2. Identify the linked account through your Google Workspace or managed Google Play administrator. If your Esper tenant was connected to a Google Workspace domain or a managed Google Play account, contact the administrator for that Google account. Provide the device serial number and IMEI and ask them to identify which account was bound to that device. Return to step 1 and attempt authentication with that account.
3. Contact your device manufacturer (OEM) for FRP removal. If the original Google account cannot be identified or accessed, contact the device manufacturer directly — for example, Samsung, Lenovo, or Zebra — and request enterprise FRP removal. Prepare the following:
   • Proof of purchase (invoice or receipt)
   • Device serial number and IMEI
   • A description of how the reset occurred
   The OEM will verify ownership and provide tools or instructions specific to their devices. If your devices were originally provisioned through Samsung Knox Mobile Enrollment or Android Zero-Touch Enrollment, mention this — some OEMs offer bulk FRP management tools for enterprise-enrolled fleets.
4. Contact Google Support for account recovery. If you have partial information about the original Google account — such as a recovery email address or phone number — visit Google's account recovery page and follow the guided recovery flow. Google Support can assist with account access but cannot bypass FRP on your behalf without successful account authentication.

Verify: After successful authentication in any of the steps above, the device dismisses the FRP screen and proceeds through normal Android setup. Once setup completes and the device reaches the home screen, FRP is cleared. The device can then be re-enrolled into Esper using your standard provisioning method.

If this doesn't resolve it

If you have worked through all four steps and the device remains FRP-locked, contact Esper Support. Before reaching out, collect the following so the team can help efficiently:

• Device serial number and IMEI
• The Esper tenant name the device was previously enrolled in
• A screenshot of the FRP screen the device is currently displaying
• Any OEM case numbers or Google Support reference numbers already opened
• Proof of purchase for the device

Esper Support can help you identify historical enrollment records from your tenant and provide documentation to support your case with the OEM or Google.

--- **Suggested title:** FRP lock persists after factory reset — recover access without the original Google account

Still need help?

If the steps above don't resolve the issue, submit a support ticket with your device model, Android version, Esper Agent version, and a description of what you've already tried — this helps the support team investigate without a follow-up.