Device provisioning stuck on Device Owner rights conflict: reset and retry

Android

If your device gets stuck during provisioning with a message saying "waiting for device admin or owner rights," this means another application already holds Device Owner privileges on the device. Follow these steps to resolve the issue and complete provisioning.

Before you begin

Device provisioning can get stuck when another MDM application (or a previous Esper enrollment) already holds Device Owner rights on the device. Android only allows one application to have Device Owner privileges at a time, so Esper cannot claim that role until the existing Device Owner is removed.

How to fix this: Quick reset

On the provisioning screen that shows "waiting for device admin or owner rights," tap the Esper logo multiple times in rapid succession (typically 5–10 taps). This triggers a built-in provisioning reset.
Wait for the device to return to a clean state.
Retry provisioning using your standard method (QR code, Zero-Touch, KME, or ADB).

How to fix this: Factory reset (if quick reset doesn't work)

If the logo-tap reset does not resolve the issue, the device likely has a pre-existing Device Owner from a previous enrollment. A factory reset is the most reliable way to clear this.

Factory reset the device to remove all Device Owner assignments from the Android system.
Do not power on the device and proceed through initial setup before provisioning. Instead, factory reset immediately before you provision.
Scan your provisioning QR code or use your provisioning method right after the factory reset completes.
Wait for provisioning to finish. The device should appear in Devices & Groups with a valid Esper Device ID and a status of Online or Provisioned.

How to verify Device Owner rights via ADB

If you need to check which application currently holds Device Owner rights, you can use ADB:

Connect the device to a computer via USB.
Enable ADB debugging on the device.
Run the following command to see which application is the Device Owner:
```
adb shell dpm list-owners
```

If another application is listed, you have two options:

Factory reset the device (recommended) — this is the most reliable way to clear any Device Owner.
Remove the Device Owner via ADB (if you know the application component name) by running:
```
adb shell dpm remove-active-admin <component>
```
Replace <component> with the fully-qualified component name returned by dpm list-owners. Note: this command may fail if the existing Device Owner has device admin protections. A factory reset is the reliable fallback.

Still need help?

If the provisioning screen still appears after trying these steps, contact Esper Support. include:

Device manufacturer and model
Android OS version
Provisioning method you used (QR code, Zero-Touch, KME, or ADB)
Output from adb shell dpm list-owners (if you ran it)