Apps not appearing or applying correctly — add and assign apps in Esper

Android

When setting up devices with public Play Store or private APK apps, the app may not appear in your tenant library, fail to upload, or not reach devices after being assigned to a Blueprint.

Why this happens

Esper separates app management into two distinct libraries — approved Play Store apps and private APKs — each with its own approval or upload flow. Apps must exist in one of these libraries before they can be assigned to a Blueprint, and a Blueprint must be applied to a device group before any app configuration reaches physical devices.

Add a public Play Store app

1. Navigate to Apps & Configuration → Approved Apps and select Add App → Google Play Store.
2. Search by package ID (for example, com.epson.mobilephone.android.epsonprintserviceplugin) or paste the full Play Store URL. Using the package ID is more reliable than a keyword search.
3. Select the app from the results and approve it to add it to your tenant's managed Play catalog.

Verify: The app appears under Apps & Configuration → Approved Apps within a few minutes of approval.

Add a private or sideloaded APK

1. Navigate to Apps & Configuration → Private Apps and select Upload APK.
2. Select your APK file and upload it. Esper will parse the package name, version code, and version name automatically — confirm these values match what you expect before proceeding.
3. If the upload is rejected, confirm the APK is signed with a valid certificate and targets a compatible Android API level. Also check that no existing entry in your App Library shares the same package name.

Verify: The app appears under Apps & Configuration → Private Apps with the correct version name and package name shown.

Update an existing app to a new version

1. Navigate to Apps & Configuration → Private Apps (for APKs) or Apps & Configuration → Approved Apps (for Play Store apps) and select the app entry.
2. Upload the new APK version or accept the updated Play Store version as applicable.
3. If the app is pinned to a specific version inside a Blueprint, navigate to Blueprints → [Blueprint Name] → Apps, locate the app, and update the pinned version to the new target version. Blueprints do not auto-update pinned versions — this step is required or devices will remain on the old version.
4. Save the Blueprint and apply it to the target device group.

Verify: Open Devices & Groups → [Device Name] → Apps on an affected device and confirm the installed version matches the new target version. Allow up to 15 minutes for the Blueprint push to converge on online devices.

Assign apps to a Blueprint

1. Navigate to Blueprints → [Blueprint Name] → Apps.
2. Select Add App and choose each app from your tenant library.
3. Set the install mode for each app — for example, Auto-install to push the app silently without user interaction.
4. Save the Blueprint.
5. Apply the updated Blueprint to the target device group. Navigate to Devices & Groups → [Group Name], select Apply Blueprint, and choose the updated Blueprint.

Verify: Navigate to Devices & Groups → [Group Name] and check the compliance status. Devices should show In Sync within 15 minutes. Offline devices will receive the update automatically once they reconnect.

Troubleshooting

• Play Store app not appearing after approval: Navigate to Settings → Android Enterprise and confirm your managed Google Play account is linked and the binding status is active. If the binding appears healthy but the app still does not appear, re-sync the managed Play catalog from that same screen.
• APK upload rejected: Confirm the APK is signed with a valid certificate, targets a supported Android API level, and that no existing app in your library shares the same package name.
• Blueprint update not reaching devices: Devices must be online to receive Blueprint changes. Check device connectivity under Devices & Groups → [Device Name] → Activity Feed. The update will apply automatically once the device comes back online.

If this doesn't resolve it

If your managed Google Play binding is broken, a Play Store app approval remains stuck after re-syncing, or an APK upload continues to fail despite meeting the signing and API requirements, contact Esper Support. Include the following when you reach out:

• The package name of the affected app
• The exact error message shown during upload or approval, if any
• A screenshot of Settings → Android Enterprise showing your binding status
• The Blueprint name and target device group if the issue involves Blueprint assignment

Still need help?

If apps still aren't appearing or applying to your devices, submit a support ticket and include the app name, the specific devices or groups affected, and any error messages you've encountered during the assignment process.