Device locked in kiosk mode with deleted Esper tenant: factory reset or OEM reflash recovery

Android

When Android devices enrolled in Esper by a third-party integrator are locked in kiosk mode and the managing Esper tenant has since been deleted, the devices cannot be unlocked or unenrolled remotely — leaving them inaccessible without local intervention.

Why this happens

The Esper Agent stores and enforces the last-applied kiosk configuration locally on the device. When the managing Esper tenant is deleted, that configuration remains active because the agent has no remote instruction to lift it. Esper Support cannot release or unenroll devices whose managing tenant no longer exists — recovery must happen on the device itself.

Before you begin

Confirm all of the following are true before proceeding:

A third-party integrator originally enrolled the devices into Esper on your behalf.
The Esper tenant (account) used to manage the devices has been deleted.
You do not have credentials to an Esper Console that manages these devices.
The devices are locked in kiosk mode and unreachable remotely.

Work through the three options below in order. Start with Option 1 — it is the fastest path. Move to Option 2 only if Option 1 is unavailable, and Option 3 only if Options 1 and 2 do not fully remove device management.

Option 1: Factory reset via the Esper Hidden Dock

On the locked device, open the Esper Hidden Dock using the gesture sequence documented in Accessing Esper Settings from the Hidden Dock. The Hidden Dock provides access to device-level Esper settings without requiring console access.
Navigate to Esper Settings → Factory Reset (the exact label may vary by device and agent version).
If a PIN is required to proceed, contact the original integrator to obtain the Esper kiosk PIN they configured. Without this PIN the Hidden Dock will not allow a factory reset.
Confirm and initiate the factory reset from within the dock.
Allow the device to complete the wipe and reboot fully.

Verify: The device boots to the standard Android setup wizard with no Esper kiosk UI present. This confirms device management has been removed.

Option 2: Hardware factory reset via Android Recovery Mode

Use this option if the Hidden Dock is inaccessible or the PIN cannot be obtained.

Power off the device completely.
Boot into Android Recovery Mode using the hardware key combination for your device model. For Zebra TC210K devices this is typically Power + Volume Up held together during boot. Consult your device manufacturer's documentation for the exact combination for your model.
Use the volume keys to highlight Wipe data / Factory reset and press the power button to select it. Confirm the action when prompted.
Allow the device to complete the full wipe and reboot.

Verify: The device boots to the standard Android setup wizard with no Esper kiosk UI and shows no active device management enrollment. Navigate to Settings → General Management → Reset to confirm no management profiles remain.

Option 3: OEM firmware reflash

Use this option if the device re-enrolls automatically after a factory reset — a behavior that indicates a provisioning configuration embedded at the firmware level. A full OS reflash from the original equipment manufacturer removes all device management bindings, agent artifacts, and enrollment configuration.

Identify the exact model and serial number of the affected device. You will need this when contacting the manufacturer.
Contact your device manufacturer's support team directly — for example, Zebra Technologies Support — and request a full firmware or OS reflash for your device model. Reference the serial number when opening a support case.
Follow the manufacturer's instructions to complete the reflash. This process varies by OEM and may require returning the device to the manufacturer or using a specific flashing tool.
After the reflash is complete, power on the device and allow it to boot fully.

Verify: The device boots to the stock Android setup wizard with no device management agent present. Navigate to Settings → General Management and confirm no management profiles or device owner apps are listed.

If this doesn't resolve it

If all three options have been attempted and the device remains locked or continues to re-enroll, contact Esper Support with the following information:

Device model and serial number
Android OS version on the device
The name or domain of the deleted Esper tenant, if known
A description of what happened at each recovery step — specifically which option was attempted and what the device did after each attempt
Whether the device re-enrolled automatically after a factory reset, and if so, the enrollment method that appeared (QR code prompt, zero-touch, etc.)

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.