Kiosk screen orientation not applying consistently — configure in Blueprint

Android

When screen orientation settings are applied directly to a kiosk device, the orientation reverts to a different value shortly after — or after the next policy sync — leaving the display in the wrong rotation.

Why this happens

Esper-managed devices can receive orientation settings from two sources: a device-level change made directly in the Console, and a Blueprint applied to the device or group. When a Blueprint is active, it periodically re-converges and overwrites any device-level setting that conflicts with it. For orientation to persist reliably on kiosk devices, it must be set inside the Blueprint.

Configure screen orientation in a Blueprint (recommended)

Open the Esper Console and navigate to Blueprints.
Select an existing blueprint to edit, or create a new one.
Open the Display & Branding section.
Set Screen Orientation to the value that matches your hardware deployment:
- Portrait or Landscape — locks rotation for standard kiosk mounting
- Inverted Portrait or Inverted Landscape — use when the device is mounted upside-down
- Avoid Auto Rotate on kiosk devices; physical movement can produce unpredictable orientation changes
Save and publish the blueprint.
Apply the blueprint to your target devices by navigating to Devices & Groups → [Device or Group Name] → Blueprint → Apply. Applying at the group level ensures every device in the group receives the same orientation setting without requiring individual changes.

Verify: Navigate to Devices & Groups → [Device Name] → Device Settings → Display and confirm the orientation matches your blueprint value. The compliance status should show Compliant within 5 minutes of the blueprint sync completing.

Change orientation on a single device (temporary only)

Navigate to Devices & Groups → [Device Name] → Settings → Display.
Set the orientation to your desired value. The change takes effect immediately without a reboot.

Note: If a Blueprint is applied to this device, the next blueprint sync will overwrite this setting with the value defined in the blueprint. Use this method only for temporary testing or diagnostics.

Troubleshooting

Orientation reverts shortly after the change

A Blueprint with a conflicting orientation setting is re-converging and overwriting the device-level value. Navigate to Devices & Groups → [Device Name] → Blueprint to identify which blueprint is applied, then check its Display & Branding configuration and correct the orientation value there.

Orientation does not change after applying the Blueprint

The kiosk application may have a hardcoded orientation declaration in its AndroidManifest.xml — for example, android:screenOrientation="portrait". An app-level orientation declaration takes priority over Esper configuration and cannot be overridden by the Blueprint. The app must be repackaged by its developer with the hardcoded declaration removed before Esper can control orientation on that device.

Orientation is correct while the app is open but wrong on the home screen

Confirm that the Blueprint orientation setting matches the intended display state for the kiosk launcher, not just the app. If the Blueprint is set to Auto Rotate, change it to a fixed value as described above.

If this doesn't resolve it

If orientation still does not apply correctly after configuring the Blueprint, collect the following information before contacting Esper Support:

Device model and Android OS version
Esper Agent version (found under Devices & Groups → [Device Name] → Device Info)
Name of the blueprint applied to the device
Screenshots of the Display & Branding blueprint setting and the Device Settings → Display screen on the device
Activity Feed entries for the device around the time the issue occurred, found under Devices & Groups → [Device Name] → Activity Feed

Still need help?

If screen orientation continues to behave inconsistently after configuring it in your Blueprint, please submit a support ticket and include your Blueprint configuration settings, the specific device models affected, and the observed orientation behavior.