Disabling UWB (Ultra-Wideband) on managed Android devices: available approaches and limitations

Android

When Ultra-Wideband (UWB) must be disabled on managed Android devices, the available method depends on the device's Android version and manufacturer — there is no single universal toggle in the Esper Console today.

Why this happens

Android does not expose a unified MDM policy for UWB across all versions. Enforcement options were added incrementally: a standard UserManager restriction arrived in Android 14, while older devices rely on manufacturer-specific Global Settings keys that are not guaranteed to exist or behave consistently across OEMs.

Before you begin

Confirm the following for each target device before choosing an option:

• Android version (Settings → About phone → Android version)
• Device manufacturer and model
• Whether the Esper Supervisor Plugin is deployed and active on the device

Option 1: UserManager restriction (Android 14 and higher — recommended)

This is the most reliable method. The DISALLOW_ULTRA_WIDEBAND_RADIO restriction is a standard Android 14 API that disables UWB at the OS level regardless of manufacturer.

1. Confirm the target devices are running Android 14 or later by navigating to Devices & Groups → [Device Name] → Device Info and checking the OS version field.
2. Contact Esper Support and request that the DISALLOW_ULTRA_WIDEBAND_RADIO UserManager restriction be enabled for your account. Provide your Enterprise ID, the affected device group, and the Android version confirmed in the previous step. Esper Support will apply this restriction via a custom Esper Agent configuration.
3. After Esper Support confirms the restriction has been applied, open Devices & Groups → [Device Name] → Activity Feed and verify the configuration change is listed as successfully delivered.

Verify: On the device, open Settings → Connected devices. The UWB toggle should appear greyed out or be absent entirely within 5 minutes of the policy syncing.

Option 2: Disable UWB via Global Settings (Android 11 and higher)

This method works on most Android 11+ devices but relies on the manufacturer implementing the standard uwb_enabled key. It requires the Esper Supervisor Plugin to write system-level settings.

1. Confirm the Esper Supervisor Plugin is deployed and active by navigating to Devices & Groups → [Device Name] → Apps and verifying the Supervisor Plugin shows a running status.
2. Navigate to Devices & Groups → [Device Name] → Settings → Global Settings.
3. Select Add Setting and enter the following values exactly:
   • Key: uwb_enabled
   • Value: 0
4. Save the setting and allow the device up to 5 minutes to sync.

Verify: On the device, open Settings → Connected devices. The UWB toggle should be disabled or no longer visible. If the toggle remains active after 5 minutes, the device manufacturer likely uses a non-standard key — proceed to the troubleshooting section below.

Option 3: Disable UWB manually on the device (all Android versions)

Use this as a fallback when neither option above is available. This method does not enforce the setting remotely and must be repeated if a user re-enables UWB.

1. On the device, open Settings → Connected devices. On some manufacturers this path may be Settings → Connections or Settings → Connected devices → Connection preferences.
2. Locate the Ultra-Wideband toggle and turn it off.

Verify: The UWB toggle should immediately show as off. Confirm by navigating away and returning to the same screen.

If this doesn't resolve it

If the Global Settings key had no effect, or if you need programmatic enforcement across a large device fleet running Android 13 or earlier, contact Esper Support with the following information:

• Device make, model, and Android version
• Which option you attempted and the result observed
• A screenshot of Devices & Groups → [Device Name] → Activity Feed showing the configuration delivery status
• Your Enterprise ID

Esper Support can investigate whether an alternative OEM-specific Global Settings key applies to your device model.

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.