Bulk device deletion from Esper Console: filtering inactive devices and reprovisioning workflow

Android

Title: Bulk-delete inactive devices from Esper Console and reprovision them

When you need to remove multiple devices from your Esper Console at once—for example, after a demonstration or when retiring a batch of devices—you can filter by inactivity, delete in bulk, and later re-enroll each device after a factory reset.

Why this happens

Esper retains a device record for every enrolled device until it is explicitly deleted. Deleted devices cannot simply be re-enrolled; the device must be factory reset first so Esper treats it as a new registration. If the device was enrolled through a zero-touch program (Zero-Touch, KME, or ABM), it must also be removed from that portal before reprovisioning will succeed.

Before you begin

• Your user account must hold the Enterprise Admin role (or equivalent) in your tenant. Bulk delete is unavailable for lower-permission roles.
• Plan for downtime: once deleted, a device requires a full factory reset before it can be re-enrolled. A soft reset is not sufficient.

Step 1: Filter inactive devices

1. Open the Esper Console and go to Devices & Groups.
2. Locate the Filter controls above the device list.
3. Find the inactivity or last-seen date filter and select the Select Range radio button. This activates the date-range input fields; the fields remain disabled until this option is selected.
4. Set the End Date to your cutoff date to capture all devices that have been inactive up to that point. Leave the start date blank to include all devices inactive from any point before the cutoff.
5. Click Apply. The device list refreshes to show only devices matching the inactivity criteria.

Step 2: Delete the filtered devices

1. Select the devices to delete:
   • Click the checkbox in the column header to select all devices currently shown, or
   • Check individual devices to delete a specific subset.
2. Click Delete in the bulk action toolbar that appears at the top of the list.
3. Confirm the deletion in the dialog that appears. This action is permanent and cannot be undone.

Verify: Navigate to Devices & Groups and confirm that none of the deleted devices appear in the list. If a device still appears, refresh the page—propagation typically completes within one minute.

Step 3: Reprovision deleted devices

1. Perform a full factory reset on each physical device. A soft reset does not clear the prior device registration and re-enrollment will fail.
2. If the device was originally enrolled through Zero-Touch, KME, or ABM, log in to the respective portal and remove the device before proceeding. Skipping this step prevents the device from enrolling under the correct configuration.
3. Re-enroll the device using your standard provisioning method (QR code, Zero-Touch, KME, or ABM).

Verify: The device appears in Devices & Groups as a new device record with a fresh device ID. It should reach an Active state within a few minutes of completing provisioning.

Troubleshooting

• Select Range does not activate the date fields: Reload the Esper Console in Chrome (latest stable version) and try again. Other browsers may not render the filter controls correctly.
• Filtered results do not show expected devices: Check that the timezone in your Console account settings matches the inactivity window you expect. A mismatch can shift which devices fall inside the date range.
• Bulk Delete is greyed out: Confirm your account holds the Enterprise Admin role in your tenant. Navigate to your account settings to verify your assigned role.
• A deleted device will not re-enroll after factory reset: Confirm the factory reset was complete, not a soft reset. If the device was Zero-Touch, KME, or ABM enrolled, verify it has been removed from that portal.

If this doesn't resolve it

If filters return no results despite confirmed inactive devices, or if a delete action completes without error but the device record persists, contact Esper Support. When you reach out, include the following:

• The device serial number or Esper Device ID of the affected devices
• A screenshot of the filter settings you applied
• The enrollment method used (QR code, Zero-Touch, KME, or ABM)
• Your tenant name and the Esper Console URL you are accessing

Still need help?

If you're unable to locate inactive devices or encounter issues during bulk deletion or reprovisioning, please submit a support ticket and include your device filters, the number of devices affected, and any error messages you received.