"Failed to sync" alert in Apple MDM Management — how to check and fix

iOS

When the Esper Console displays a "failed to sync" alert under Apple MDM Management, your iOS devices may appear out of sync even though management commands are still being processed normally.

Why this happens

The Esper Console syncs periodically with Apple's MDM framework via APNs and Apple Business Manager (ABM) or Apple School Manager (ASM). Brief network interruptions, Apple server latency, or a delayed UI refresh can trigger a transient "failed to sync" alert that clears automatically once the next sync cycle completes. In some cases, however, the failure is genuine — caused by an expired MDM push certificate or invalid ABM/ASM credentials.

Steps

1. Check the current sync status. In the Esper Console, go to Devices & Groups and locate the affected iOS device or group. Review the Apple MDM Management sync status indicator. If it now shows as synced, the alert was transient and has already resolved — no further action is required.
2. Refresh the page if the status appears stale. The Esper Console UI can briefly display an outdated "failed" state after a sync has already recovered. Refresh your browser and allow up to one full sync cycle before treating the failure as persistent.
3. Verify that device management is functioning. Attempt to push a management command or configuration change from Devices & Groups → [Device Name] → Apps & Configuration. If the device receives the command successfully, the failure is cosmetic and has resolved.
4. Check your MDM push certificate expiry. In the Esper Console, navigate to MDM Configuration and confirm the MDM push certificate is valid and has not expired. MDM push certificates expire annually; if your certificate is expired, devices will stop receiving management commands entirely and re-enrollment will be required. Re-enrollment re-supervises the device and removes existing MDM profiles, so renew the certificate before it expires to avoid this outcome.
5. Confirm ABM or ASM credentials are valid. In MDM Configuration, verify that the linked Apple Business Manager or Apple School Manager credentials are active and not expired. Expired or revoked credentials will cause persistent sync failures that do not self-resolve.
6. Capture the error state if the failure persists. Take a screenshot of the Esper Console showing the sync status, including any error codes and timestamps visible in the Activity Feed. This information is required if you need to contact support.

Verify: All affected iOS devices should show an active, synced MDM state in Devices & Groups with no remaining failed sync indicators, and management commands should be delivered to devices successfully within one sync cycle.

If this doesn't resolve it

If the "failed to sync" alert persists after completing these steps, or if devices are not receiving management commands, contact Esper Support. Include the following when you reach out:

• A screenshot of the error state in the Esper Console, including any error codes and timestamps from the Activity Feed
• The expiry date of your MDM push certificate
• Confirmation of whether device management commands are failing to reach devices, or whether the issue is limited to the sync status indicator
• The number of affected devices and whether the failure is consistent across all of them

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.