Device stuck in "Wipe in Progress" after remote factory reset: perform manual factory reset to clear retained Device Owner

Android

When a remote factory reset is triggered from the Esper Console, the device can become stuck in a WIPE IN PROGRESS state — remaining offline and unresponsive while the device entry never clears.

Why this happens

A remote factory reset sends a wipe command through the Esper Agent to the Android Device Owner API. If the device loses its cloud connection at the moment the command is received — or if a firmware-level issue prevents the wipe from completing — the device halts mid-process. Android retains the Device Owner record, so the device cannot be reprovisioned until that record is cleared by completing a full factory reset locally.

Before you begin

Confirm the device is genuinely stuck and not simply slow to complete:

In the Esper Console, navigate to Devices & Groups → [Device Name] → Device Information and confirm the status reads WIPE IN PROGRESS.
Confirm the device shows no active cloud connection. A device that is still connected may complete the wipe on its own within 10–15 minutes — wait before proceeding.

Steps

Collect logs from the device before resetting. These logs confirm the wipe command was received and help diagnose why it did not complete. Connect the device via USB with ADB enabled and run:
```
adb pull /data/data/io.esper.agent/files/Logs ./esper-logs
```
Save the output before continuing — the factory reset will erase them.
Perform a manual factory reset using one of the following methods:
- Device Settings: Navigate to Settings → General Management → Reset → Factory Data Reset and confirm the reset. The exact path varies by OEM and Android version.
- OEM Recovery Mode: Power off the device, then use the hardware key combination for your device model to enter recovery mode (refer to your device manufacturer's documentation). Select Wipe data / Factory reset and confirm.
Recovery Mode is the more reliable option if the device is unresponsive within the Android UI.
Confirm the Device Owner record has been cleared. After the device restarts to its out-of-box setup screen, the Android Device Owner is automatically removed as part of a complete factory reset. If the device boots directly into a setup wizard with no managed profile prompt, the record has been cleared successfully.
Remove the stuck device entry from the Esper Console. Navigate to Devices & Groups → [Device Name], open the device detail panel, and select Remove Device. This clears the WIPE IN PROGRESS entry so the device can be re-registered under a new record.
Reprovision the device using your standard provisioning method. Supported methods include:
- QR code provisioning
- Zero-Touch Enrollment
- Knox Mobile Enrollment (KME)
- Apple Business Manager (ABM) — for iOS devices
Follow your tenant's existing provisioning flow. If you do not have a provisioning QR code, generate one under Provisioning → Provisioning Templates in the Esper Console.

Verify: In the Esper Console, navigate to Devices & Groups and confirm the device appears with a status of Active. The previous WIPE IN PROGRESS entry should no longer be present. Blueprint policies should begin applying within 5 minutes of the device coming online — check Devices & Groups → [Device Name] → Activity Feed to confirm commands are being received and acknowledged.

If this doesn't resolve it

If the device will not accept a factory reset through Settings or Recovery Mode — for example, because a managed lock or firmware restriction is blocking the wipe — a forced reflash using an OEM-specific flashing tool may be required. Contact your device manufacturer for reflashing instructions for your model.

If the WIPE IN PROGRESS entry persists in the Esper Console after removing the device, or if the device re-registers but immediately returns to an error state, contact Esper Support with the following information:

Device serial number and the Esper device ID from Devices & Groups → [Device Name] → Device Information
ADB logs collected in Step 1
Device manufacturer, model, and Android version
Timestamp of when the remote factory reset was originally triggered

Still need help?

If manual factory reset doesn't resolve the "Wipe in Progress" state, submit a support ticket and include your device serial number, the timestamp of the failed remote factory reset, and confirmation of whether the manual reset was completed.