iPad Provisioning: Web Clips Install Before Preloaded Apps Are Hidden — Workaround Using Custom Home Screen Layout

iOS

Title: Web Clips appear on page 2 after iPad provisioning — fix with Home Screen Layout

When provisioning an iPad with a Blueprint that includes both Web Clips and hidden preloaded apps, Web Clips may land on page 2 of the Home Screen instead of page 1.

Why this happens

During provisioning, Web Clips are installed before the Esper Agent finishes hiding preloaded apps. Because the preloaded apps temporarily occupy Home Screen slots on page 1, iOS pushes the incoming Web Clips to page 2. Applying a custom Home Screen Layout via a PList payload forces iOS to place Web Clips in the correct position regardless of installation order.

Before you begin

This workaround requires the following:

• Edit access to the Blueprint in the Esper Console
• The exact URLs of every Web Clip included in the Blueprint
• Basic familiarity with XML syntax

Step 1 — Add a Home Screen Layout payload to your Blueprint

1. Open the Esper Console and go to Blueprints → [Your Blueprint] → Esper Settings.
2. Locate the PList (Property List) option and enable it. This allows you to inject a raw Apple MDM payload directly into the Blueprint, giving you control over settings that are not exposed through the standard Blueprint UI.
3. In the PList editor, paste the following template:

   <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
   <!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN"
     "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
   <plist version="1.0">
   <dict>
     <key>PayloadContent</key>
     <array>
       <dict>
         <key>PayloadType</key>
         <string>com.apple.homescreenlayout</string>
         <key>BundleIdentifier</key>
         <string>https://example.com</string>
         <key>DisplayIdentifier</key>
         <string>https://example.com</string>
       </dict>
     </array>
   </dict>
   </plist>

4. Replace every instance of https://example.com with the actual URL of each Web Clip. Add one <dict>...</dict> block per Web Clip inside the <array>.
5. Validate the XML before saving — malformed PList code can silently fail or conflict with other MDM profiles. Use an online PList validator or Apple Configurator 2 to confirm all opening and closing tags match and every URL is correctly formatted.
6. Save the Blueprint.
7. Go to Blueprints → [Your Blueprint] → Settings / Restrictions and confirm all existing app restrictions and device settings are still present. Enabling the PList payload should not alter other Blueprint settings, but it is worth confirming before re-provisioning.

Step 2 — Re-provision the device

1. Factory reset the iPad.
2. Before starting provisioning, go to Devices & Groups → [Device] → Blueprint and confirm the device serial number is associated with the updated Blueprint. If it is not listed, add it now.
3. Re-register the device to the Blueprint and allow provisioning to complete fully.

Step 3 — Resolve empty tiles on the Home Screen

If placeholder or greyed-out tiles appear after provisioning, the PList references a Web Clip URL or app that is not actually installed by the Blueprint. To fix this:

1. Go to Blueprints → [Your Blueprint] → Esper Settings and open the PList editor.
2. Remove any BundleIdentifier or URL entry that does not correspond to a Web Clip or app confirmed as installed by the Blueprint.
3. Save the Blueprint and re-provision the device.

Verify: After provisioning completes, the Home Screen should show all Web Clips on page 1 and all preloaded apps should be hidden. No empty or placeholder tiles should be visible. Allow up to 5 minutes after enrollment for the Home Screen Layout profile to apply.

If this doesn't resolve it

If Web Clips still appear on page 2 or the Home Screen Layout does not apply, collect the following before contacting support:

• The full PList XML you are using (redact any sensitive URLs if needed)
• The device serial number and Blueprint name
• Screenshots of the Home Screen showing the incorrect layout
• The Activity Feed log from Devices & Groups → [Device] → Activity Feed captured immediately after provisioning

Contact Esper Support with the above information.

Still need help?

If you're still experiencing issues with web clips appearing before preloaded apps are hidden during iPad provisioning, submit a support ticket and include details about your custom home screen layout configuration and the specific apps affected.