iOS Device Stuck in ABM Enrollment Loop — Remove from Esper Console

iOS

Title: iOS Device Stuck in ABM Enrollment Loop — Remove from Esper Console

When an iOS device fails mid-way through Apple Business Manager (ABM) provisioning, the device can become stuck in an enrollment loop and remain visible in the Esper Console even after being removed from ABM and factory reset.

Why this happens

If the MDM profile never fully installed on the device, Esper has no reliable command channel to the device. This means standard removal and erase commands cannot be delivered or executed, leaving a orphaned device record in the Esper Console that must be cleared manually.

Before you begin

Confirm all three conditions are true before following the steps below:

• The iOS device was enrolled through ABM and failed during the Esper provisioning step
• The device has already been removed from ABM and factory reset
• The device record still appears in Devices & Groups and does not respond to standard remove commands

Method 1: Device shows as online with an active Esper Agent session

1. Navigate to Devices & Groups in the Esper Console and select the affected device.
2. Click Remove Device.
3. In the confirmation window, check the Erase Device checkbox. Enabling this option sends a factory reset command alongside the removal request, ensuring the device is wiped even if it briefly regains connectivity.
4. Click Continue.

Verify: The device record should disappear from Devices & Groups within a few minutes. Refresh the page if the record is still visible after 5 minutes.

Method 2: Device appears online but commands remain queued

Use this method if Method 1 does not work and the device continues to show as online but does not respond to the erase command.

1. Navigate to Devices & Groups in the Esper Console and select the affected device.
2. Click Remove Device.
3. In the confirmation window, uncheck the Erase Device checkbox. Removing the erase requirement allows Esper to delete the console record without waiting for a device response, which is necessary when the command channel is broken.
4. Click Continue.

Verify: The device record should be removed from Devices & Groups immediately. If it is still visible after a page refresh, proceed to the section below.

Re-enroll the device after removal

Once the device record has been successfully removed, complete these steps before attempting to re-provision:

1. Re-add the device in Apple Business Manager.
2. In the Esper Console, sync ABM under MDM Integrations → Apple Business Manager to pull in the updated device list. Skipping this sync can leave a residual ABM assignment that blocks re-enrollment.
3. Confirm the device appears correctly in the synced device list before restarting the provisioning workflow.

If this doesn't resolve it

If the device record cannot be removed using either method above, contact Esper Support. Before reaching out, collect the following information to speed up resolution:

• Device serial number
• Your tenant/enterprise ID
• Screenshots of the device record in Devices & Groups, including any queued commands visible in the Activity Feed

Still need help?

If your device remains stuck in the ABM enrollment loop after following these steps, please submit a support ticket and include your device serial number, the date you attempted removal from the Esper Console, and any error messages displayed during enrollment.