App uninstall command reports success in Event Feed but does not remove app from device (Android TV)

Android

Title: App uninstall reports success but app remains on Android TV device

When an app uninstall command is issued from the Esper Console on an Android TV device, the Activity Feed shows the command as successful but the app remains installed on the device.

Why this happens

Android TV handles app lifecycles differently from standard Android. If an app is active in the foreground or background at the time of the uninstall command, Android TV can acknowledge the command without completing the removal. Some apps integrated with the device launcher or flagged as system-level apps may also resist uninstall through standard MDM commands.

Steps to resolve

1. Confirm the app is still installed. Navigate to Devices & Groups → [Device Name] → Apps and check whether the app appears in the installed apps list. A success message in the Activity Feed alone does not confirm removal.
2. Ensure the app is fully closed on the device. On the Android TV device itself, exit the app completely so it is not running in the foreground or background. Android TV will not always force-stop an app before processing an uninstall command, so this must be done manually.
3. Retry the uninstall command. In the Esper Console, go to Devices & Groups → [Device Name] → Apps → [App Name] and select Uninstall. Wait for the command to complete, then check the Activity Feed for the result.
4. If the direct uninstall still fails, remove the app through its Blueprint. Navigate to Blueprints in the Esper Console, open the blueprint assigned to the affected device, and remove the target application from the app list. Save the blueprint and apply it to the device. Blueprint convergence instructs the Esper Agent to reconcile the device state, which can succeed where a direct uninstall command does not.
5. Capture a bug report before rebooting. If the app still cannot be removed, go to Devices & Groups → [Device Name] → Actions → Bug Report and generate a report immediately. Do not reboot the device first — a reboot clears the logs needed to diagnose the failure.

Verify: After completing the steps above, navigate to Devices & Groups → [Device Name] → Apps. The app should no longer appear in the installed apps list. Allow up to 5 minutes after Blueprint convergence for the device status to update in the Esper Console.

If this doesn't resolve it

If the app remains installed after both the direct uninstall and Blueprint approaches, the app may require OEM-level or device administrator access to remove — this is common with pre-installed system apps on some Android TV hardware. Contact Esper Support with the following information:

• The bug report generated from Devices & Groups → [Device Name] → Actions → Bug Report
• Device make, model, and Android OS version
• Full package name of the app (e.g., com.example.appname)
• Whether the app was sideloaded through Esper or came pre-installed on the device
• Whether the issue affects one device or multiple devices

Still need help?

If you're still experiencing issues with app uninstall commands not removing apps despite success reports, please submit a support ticket and include your device model, Android TV version, and the specific app that failed to uninstall.