QR Code Provisioning Stuck on 'Waiting for Device Admin or Owner Rights' — recover with ADB or factory reset

Android

If your device is stuck on a "waiting for device admin or owner rights" screen during QR code provisioning, you can recover it using ADB commands or a factory reset. This article walks you through both options.

Before you begin

You'll need one of the following:

A computer with ADB (Android Debug Bridge) installed, connected via USB cable
Access to your device's physical power and volume buttons

How to fix this with ADB (recommended)

This method avoids wiping your device and typically resolves the issue in a few minutes.

On the stalled provisioning screen, tap the device IP address multiple times in rapid succession. This enables ADB access for 5 minutes.
Connect your device to a computer via USB cable.
On your computer, open a terminal or command prompt and verify ADB detects the device:
```
adb devices
```

Run this command to grant Device Owner rights:

adb shell dpm set-device-owner com.example.app/com.shoonyaos.shoonyadpc.receivers.AdminReceiver

Watch your device screen. Provisioning should resume automatically once Device Owner is granted.
Verify the device moves past the error screen and continues through the provisioning flow to successful enrollment.

How to fix this with a factory reset (if ADB doesn't work)

Use this method if the ADB command fails or ADB is not available.

Power off your device by holding the Power and Volume Down buttons simultaneously (button combinations vary by device model).
Boot into recovery mode and perform a factory reset following your device manufacturer's instructions.
Once the device returns to factory state, restart the 6-Tap QR code provisioning from the beginning.
Verify the device completes provisioning without displaying the Device Owner error.

Troubleshooting

If you see an error like "Not allowed to set the device owner because there are already some accounts on the device":

Your device has existing user accounts that prevent Device Owner assignment. You must use the factory reset method (Option B above).

If provisioning fails repeatedly after a factory reset:

Verify no MDM or Google account was previously enrolled on the device — a prior Device Owner registration can block re-enrollment.
Confirm your provisioning QR code was generated from the correct Esper endpoint and has not expired.
If the issue affects multiple devices of the same model, consider testing with an alternate provisioning method such as Zero-Touch or KME if your OEM supports it.

Device-specific notes:

Redmi and Xiaomi devices use custom MIUI or HyperOS builds that may restrict Device Owner grants. Physical button combinations for recovery mode vary by model — confirm the correct key combination for your specific device model before attempting a factory reset.

Still need help?

If these steps don't resolve the issue, contact Esper Support and provide the following information:

Device model and serial number
Android version and any custom OS version (such as MIUI)
The exact error message displayed
Which recovery method you attempted and what happened