iOS devices stuck in Drift: invalid MDM profiles causing Converge failure on Blueprint apply

iOS

When you apply a Blueprint to an iOS device and the device remains in a Drift state, the Converge operation fails and the device does not become Compliant.

Why this happens

iOS maintains an MDM subsystem that validates each configuration profile before applying it. If a profile payload references a capability unsupported by the device's iOS version, or if a previously installed profile is corrupted on the device, iOS rejects the profile and reports it as invalid. A locked device screen can also interrupt the Converge operation mid-way, leaving the device in Drift.

Before you begin

Confirm the device is online and connected to the internet.
Confirm the device screen is unlocked — a locked screen can prevent Converge from completing.
Confirm you have sufficient permissions in the Esper Console to view device details and trigger Converge.

Steps

Identify the invalid profile from the Activity Feed.
In the Esper Console, go to Devices & Groups → [Device Name] → Activity Feed. Locate the Converge failure event and note the exact profile name reported as invalid — for example, The profile "Hide Preloaded Apps - Esper.io" is invalid. Record the full error string; you will need it if the issue persists.
Confirm the device iOS version and model.
On the affected device, go to Settings → General → About and note the iOS version and device model. Some profile payloads are not supported on older iOS versions, and confirming the version helps determine whether the blueprint needs to be updated.
Unlock the device screen and confirm the device is active.
Ensure the device screen is fully unlocked and the device is not in a low-power or restricted state. iOS will not apply MDM profiles to a locked or sleeping device.
Retry the Converge operation.
In the Esper Console, go to Devices & Groups → [Device Name] → Blueprint and select Converge. With the device unlocked and online, wait for the operation to complete, then return to Devices & Groups → [Device Name] → Activity Feed to check the result.
Check whether the same error appears across multiple devices or Blueprints.
Repeat the Activity Feed check on any other affected devices. If the identical profile invalidation error appears across multiple devices and multiple blueprints at the same time, the issue is likely originating in the backend rather than on individual devices, and requires support investigation.

Verify: In the Esper Console, go to Devices & Groups → [Device Name] → Blueprint. The device status should show Compliant and the Drift indicator should be cleared within a few minutes of a successful Converge.

If this doesn't resolve it

If the device remains in Drift after retrying Converge with the screen unlocked, contact Esper Support and include the following:

Device name, model, and iOS version from Settings → General → About
The exact error strings copied from Devices & Groups → [Device Name] → Activity Feed
The name of the affected blueprint or blueprints
Whether the error appears on a single device or across multiple devices and blueprints simultaneously
Screenshots of the Activity Feed error and the device About page

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.