Device ownership transfer between tenants requires removal and re-provisioning

Android

AndroidiOS

If you need to transfer device ownership from one Esper tenant to another, the device must be formally removed from the source tenant and factory reset before it can be re-provisioned. This article explains the process and what to expect.

Before you begin

Device ownership transfers require coordination between two tenants:

• Source tenant — the organization that currently manages the device
• Target tenant — your organization, which will receive the device

You will need admin contact information for the source tenant to request device removal. This process typically takes 24–48 hours depending on the source tenant's response time.

Why devices can't be transferred directly

Esper enforces a strict one-tenant model per device. When a device is enrolled in a tenant, Esper's Esper Agent is set as the Device Owner at the Android system level. A device cannot be re-provisioned to a new tenant while Device Owner rights are claimed by another tenant.

Only the source tenant can remove the device and clear the Device Owner binding. Your tenant has no mechanism to forcibly claim a device that is already enrolled elsewhere.

Step 1: Request device removal from the source tenant

Contact the admin of the source tenant (for example, the OEM, reseller, or vendor who originally enrolled the device) and request that they remove the target devices from their Esper Console.

Provide them with the device serial numbers so they can identify the correct devices.

Step 2: Source tenant removes the device

The source tenant admin should navigate to Devices & Groups → [Device Name] → Device Actions and select one of the following:

• Remove — removes the device from the tenant only. A manual factory reset is still required afterward.
• Wipe + Remove — removes the device and performs a factory reset automatically. Use this option if a factory reset is needed as part of the handover.

The source tenant admin must confirm removal for each device by serial number.

Step 3: Factory reset the device (if needed)

If the source tenant used Remove Only, you or an on-site technician must perform a manual factory reset to clear the Device Owner registration. Power off the device and use the hardware factory reset process appropriate for your device model.

If the source tenant used Wipe + Remove, this step is not necessary.

Step 4: Provision the device into your tenant

Once the device is at factory-reset state with Device Owner cleared, provision it into your tenant using your standard Esper provisioning method:

• QR code
• Zero-Touch Enrollment (ZTE)
• Knox Mobile Enrollment (KME)
• Android for Work (#esper)

Step 5: Verify successful enrollment

After provisioning, confirm that:

• Both devices appear in Devices & Groups with status Online
• Device serial numbers match the devices you transferred
• The correct Blueprint is applied to each device

Troubleshooting

Device fails to re-provision after factory reset

Confirm the factory reset was fully completed. Also verify that the device is not reverting to a managed state through an active Zero-Touch Enrollment (ZTE), Knox Mobile Enrollment (KME), or Android Device Management (ABM) profile tied to the original tenant. If these profiles are still active, they must be updated or removed before the device can enroll in your tenant.

If the device is enrolled via ZTE, KME, or ABM, the device IMEI or serial number must also be moved to the correct enrollment profile in the respective OEM, Google, or Samsung portal before re-provisioning.

Source tenant is unresponsive

If the source tenant does not respond or you have lost contact with them, contact Esper Support to request assistance. In some cases, backend tenant-level device release may be possible, though this is not a standard self-service action.

Provisioning errors after factory reset

Gather the following information and contact Esper Support:

• Device serial numbers
• Provisioning method used
• Exact error message from the provisioning attempt
• Esper Agent logs from the device

Still need help?

If you encounter issues during the transfer process or the source tenant is unresponsive, submit a support ticket and include the device serial numbers, source tenant name, and any error messages you received.