View Mode (Orientation) change unavailable in tablet Settings tab: clarify current orientation state before troubleshooting

Android

Title: Screen orientation won't change on tablet — resolve Blueprint conflicts and verify current state

When attempting to change screen orientation on a tablet through the Esper Console, the setting may appear to have no effect, revert immediately, or remain unavailable.

Why this happens

The device may already be set to the orientation you want, so no visible change occurs. If the orientation does change but then reverts, a Blueprint applied to the device is enforcing a conflicting orientation and overwriting manual changes during its next convergence cycle. In rare cases, OEM firmware on certain devices (such as Zebra or Honeywell) enforces a hardware-level orientation lock that MDM policy cannot override.

Before you begin

Confirm the device shows Online status in Devices & Groups. The Esper Agent cannot receive configuration commands while the device is offline.
Know which orientation you want to apply: portrait, landscape, or auto-rotate.

Steps

Check the current orientation setting. Navigate to Devices & Groups → [Device Name] → Settings and locate the View Mode field. Note the current value. If it already matches your desired orientation, the device is correctly configured and no further action is needed — tablet-class devices often default to landscape, which can cause confusion if landscape is the goal.
Apply the desired orientation. Select your orientation from the View Mode dropdown and click Save. Wait 30 seconds, then check the physical device to confirm the screen has rotated. Refresh the Settings tab and confirm the displayed value matches what you applied.
Check whether a Blueprint is overriding the setting. If the orientation reverted after step 2, navigate to Devices & Groups → [Device Name] → Blueprint and review the View Mode value in the Blueprint currently applied to this device. Blueprint policies take precedence over manual Settings changes and are reapplied on every convergence cycle, which is why manual changes do not persist.
Update the Blueprint's orientation setting. Go to Blueprints, open the blueprint applied to this device, and update the View Mode field to your desired orientation. Save and apply the blueprint. The device will sync and hold the new orientation going forward.
Check for an OEM orientation lock (multi-device issue). If the same problem affects all devices in a group and no Blueprint conflict is found, the device manufacturer may be enforcing a hardware-level orientation lock. Consult the device manufacturer's documentation to determine whether a firmware setting or OEM tool must be used to permit rotation before MDM policy can take effect.

Verify: After applying the updated blueprint, the physical device should display the correct orientation within 2 minutes. Refresh Devices & Groups → [Device Name] → Settings and confirm the View Mode value matches your intended orientation. If a Blueprint was updated, confirm the device's Blueprint status shows In Sync.

If this doesn't resolve it

If the orientation still reverts or cannot be changed after completing all steps, contact Esper Support and include the following:

Device name and serial number
Device make, model, and Android version
The name of the Blueprint applied to the device
A screenshot of Devices & Groups → [Device Name] → Settings showing the current View Mode value
A screenshot of the Blueprint's View Mode setting
The timestamp of your last attempted change, so the Activity Feed can be reviewed

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.