Removing duplicate inactive devices when active devices share the same name

Android

Title: Duplicate device names in Esper Console — remove the inactive record

When a device is re-provisioned or replaced without first removing its record from the Esper Console, two entries appear with the same display name: the original inactive record and the newly enrolled active device. This makes it difficult to know which entry to act on, and removing the wrong one will take a live device offline.

Why this happens

Each time a device enrolls, Esper Console creates a new device record. If the old record was never deleted before the hardware was re-provisioned, both records persist under the same friendly name. The original record stays in an offline state while the replacement device registers as a separate entry alongside it.

Step 1: Identify which record is inactive

1. Open Devices & Groups in the Esper Console and navigate to the group that contains the duplicates.
2. Search for the shared device name. If two entries appear, proceed to the next step.
3. Click the first entry and note the following fields in the device detail pane:
   • Status — an active device shows Online; an inactive record shows Offline or Inactive.
   • Last Heartbeat — the inactive record will show a stale or missing timestamp.
   • Device ID — a unique identifier visible in the detail pane and in the browser URL. This is the safest way to distinguish the two records.
4. Repeat for the second entry, then write down the Device ID of the record showing Offline status and a stale heartbeat. This is the record to remove.

Step 2: Remove the inactive record

1. Click the inactive device record you identified above.
2. Select Remove Device.
3. Choose Remove Only when prompted. This deletes the Console record without sending a wipe command to the hardware — the correct choice for a device that is already offline or unreachable.
4. Return to the device group and confirm only one entry now appears for that name.

Verify: The device group should show a single entry for the device name with a status of Online. If the duplicate entry is gone and the remaining record is responding normally, the issue is resolved.

Common problems

The serial number does not match your records

Open the device detail pane and check the Serial Number field. Cross-reference this against your physical hardware inventory or deployment records to confirm you have the correct inactive record before removing it.

Remove Device is greyed out or not visible

Your user account may lack device removal permissions. Have your administrator review your role under Company Settings → Users & Roles and grant the necessary permission.

The inactive record reappears after removal

The physical hardware is still powered on and attempting to re-enroll. Power off the device or perform a factory reset before removing the record from the Console.

The active device was removed by mistake

Re-provision the device using its blueprint. The device will re-enroll and return to its assigned group automatically.

If this doesn't resolve it

If duplicate records continue to appear or you cannot determine which record is safe to remove, contact Esper Support. Before reaching out, collect the following:

• The Device IDs of both duplicate records (visible in the detail pane URL)
• Screenshots of both device detail panes showing status and last heartbeat
• The serial number of the physical hardware, if available

Still need help?

If you're unable to identify which duplicate devices to remove or need assistance determining device status, please submit a support ticket with a list of the duplicate device names and their serial numbers or device IDs.