Removing Esper Agent from a device: factory reset required, standalone uninstall not supported

Android

You can only remove the Esper Agent from your device by performing a factory reset. Because Esper is installed with Device Owner privileges on Android, standard uninstall methods don't work. This article explains why and shows you how to properly remove Esper from your device.

Why you can't uninstall Esper normally

Esper is installed as a Esper Agent — a system-level role on Android that has elevated privileges. Android's security model prevents removing any app that holds Device Owner status through the standard uninstall process. The uninstall button in your device settings will be disabled for the Esper app. A factory reset is the only way to remove Device Owner privileges and uninstall Esper.

How to remove Esper from an online device

Open the Esper Console and go to Devices & Groups.
Select the device you want to remove.
Click Remove Device.
In the confirmation dialog, check both of these boxes:
- Factory Reset Device
- Wipe External Storage (optional but recommended for complete data removal)
Confirm the action. the Esper Console sends a factory reset command to your device.
Wait for your device to restart. It will boot into the Android setup wizard and Esper will be completely removed.

How to remove Esper from an offline device

If your device is offline or you already removed it from the Esper Console without a factory reset, use your device's hardware recovery mode:

Power off your device completely.
Enter recovery mode by holding the volume down and power buttons simultaneously (the exact key combination depends on your device — consult your device manufacturer's documentation).
From the recovery menu, select Wipe data/Factory reset.
Wait for the device to restart. It will boot into the Android setup wizard and Esper will be completely removed.

How to handle devices with queued removal commands

If you already removed a device from the Esper Console without selecting the factory reset option, you can still queue a factory reset command for when the device reconnects:

Go to Devices & Groups and find the device.
Click Remove Device.
Check both Factory Reset Device and Wipe External Storage.
Confirm. The factory reset command is now queued.
When your device comes back online, it will automatically factory reset and Esper will be removed.

Troubleshooting

Recovery mode is blocked on my device: Contact your device manufacturer or POS hardware vendor. They may have locked recovery mode and can provide an alternative reset procedure.

Esper reinstalls after factory reset: If your device is enrolled in Zero-Touch Enrollment or KME (Knox Mobile Enrollment), it will re-provision automatically on next boot. You must de-enroll the device from the Zero-Touch or KME portal before performing the factory reset.

Still need help?

If you've tried these steps and Esper is still installed, or if you encounter a different issue, contact Esper Support.