App not removed from devices — uninstall using Groups or Pipelines

Android

When you need to remove an app from a fleet of Android devices, the app remains installed on devices even after you delete it from a Blueprint or Template — because removing it from the configuration alone does not send an uninstall command to devices that are already provisioned.

Why this happens

Blueprints and Templates define the desired state for newly provisioned or re-synced devices, but they do not retroactively push changes to devices already in the field. To actively uninstall an app from live devices, you must send an explicit uninstall command using Group Apps & Configuration or a Pipeline. If you skip this step, the app will also be reinstalled the next time the Blueprint syncs unless you also remove it from the Blueprint or Template configuration.

Step 1 — Uninstall the app using Group Apps & Configuration

This method sends an uninstall command immediately to every device in a group, regardless of whether those devices are managed by a Blueprint or Template.

1. Navigate to Devices & Groups and open the group that contains the target devices.
2. Select Actions from the group toolbar.
3. Select Apps & Configuration.
4. Set Select Platform to Android.
5. Set App Action to Uninstall.
6. Select the application you want to remove from the app list.
7. Click Uninstall to send the command to all devices in the group.

If you only need to remove the app from a subset of devices, create a temporary sub-group containing just those devices, then repeat the steps above. Alternatively, use a Pipeline with device-level filtering — see Managing apps via Pipelines for instructions.

Step 2 — Remove the app from your Blueprint or Template

The uninstall command removes the app from devices right now, but if your Blueprint or Template still lists the app as installed, it will be re-pushed the next time the Blueprint syncs or a device re-enrolls.

• Blueprints: Navigate to Blueprints, open the relevant blueprint, remove the app from its app list, and save the blueprint.
• Templates: Open the Template, remove the app entry, and save. Note that Templates apply primarily at provisioning time — removing an app from a Template does not uninstall it from already-provisioned devices; the group uninstall command in Step 1 handles that.

Verify: Navigate to Devices & Groups → [Device Name] → Apps for one or more target devices and confirm the app no longer appears in the installed apps list. Device compliance status in the group view should also update within 5 minutes of the command being received.

If this doesn't resolve it

Check the following before contacting support:

• Command shows as Queued: The device is offline. The command will execute when the device reconnects. If you need reliable retry behavior, use a Pipeline instead — Pipelines automatically retry when a device comes back online.
• Uninstall fails on a specific device model: Some manufacturer pre-installed or system apps can only be disabled, not fully uninstalled. Check Devices & Groups → [Device Name] → Apps to confirm whether the app is listed as a system app.
• App does not appear in the Group Actions app list: The app may not be installed on the devices in that group. Verify by checking Devices & Groups → [Device Name] → Apps → Installed on individual devices.

If the issue persists, contact Esper Support with the following information: the app package name, the group name, the device IDs affected, and a screenshot of the command status from the Activity Feed.

Still need help?

If the app is still present on your devices after following these steps, submit a support ticket and include the app name, device names or serial numbers affected, and whether you used Groups or Pipelines for the uninstall attempt.