Migrating devices from third-party kiosk software (e.g. Fully Kiosk) to Esper: remote migration is not supported — physical access or re-provisioning required

Android

When devices are running third-party kiosk software such as Fully Kiosk, there is no way to remotely install Esper Agent, remove the existing software, or claim Android Device Owner privileges — the devices must be factory reset and re-provisioned before Esper can manage them.

Why this happens

Esper requires Android Device Owner privileges to manage a device. Third-party kiosk apps are installed as standard applications, not as Device Owner, so no remote management channel exists for Esper to use. This is a fundamental constraint of Android Enterprise security architecture: Device Owner rights can only be granted at first boot after a factory reset, not transferred from one management solution to another.

What you need before you start

Choose the reset method that fits your deployment:

Physical access to each device to perform a manual factory reset, or
A remote wipe or factory reset command in your existing kiosk software's admin portal (check your vendor's documentation), or
On-site personnel who can perform factory resets on your behalf

For Samsung devices, Knox Mobile Enrollment (KME) lets you automate Esper enrollment after each reset — register devices in KME before triggering any resets.

Steps

Check whether your kiosk software supports remote factory reset. Log in to your third-party kiosk software's admin portal and look for a remote wipe or factory reset command. If this option exists, you can trigger resets without visiting each device. If it does not, plan for on-site staff to perform manual resets.
Register Samsung devices in Knox Mobile Enrollment (Samsung devices only). Go to the Knox Mobile Enrollment portal, upload the IMEI or serial numbers for every Samsung device in scope, and configure the KME profile to point to your Esper enterprise. For the correct Esper KME settings, go to Esper Console → Provisioning Templates → Knox Mobile Enrollment and follow the on-screen instructions. Complete this step before triggering any factory resets — KME enrollment only takes effect on first boot after reset.
Factory reset each device. Use whichever method is available to you:
- Remote reset: Trigger the factory reset for all devices through your kiosk software's admin portal.
- Manual reset: On each device, navigate to Settings → General Management → Reset → Factory Data Reset and confirm the reset. The exact path may vary slightly by manufacturer and Android version.
Enroll devices without KME (if KME is not in use). If you are not using KME, on-site staff can enroll each device using a QR code after first boot. In the Esper Console, go to Provisioning Templates, select your template, and display the QR code. On the device, follow the Android setup wizard to the point where it prompts for enrollment, then scan the QR code.
Confirm devices appear in the Esper Console. Go to Devices & Groups and verify that each reset device is listed. This confirms Esper Agent was installed and the device completed enrollment.

Verify: Every migrated device should appear in Devices & Groups with a status of Online and the correct Blueprint applied within 10 minutes of completing first-boot setup. If a device shows Inactive or does not appear at all, the enrollment did not complete — repeat the provisioning step for that device.

If this doesn't resolve it

If devices are not appearing in Devices & Groups after reset and re-provisioning, collect the following before contacting support:

The device make, model, and Android version
The provisioning method used (KME or QR code)
A screenshot of any error message shown during the setup wizard or QR code scan
The name of the Provisioning Template used, as it appears in the Esper Console

Contact Esper Support with this information and a description of where in the enrollment flow the device stopped.

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.