Provisioning stuck at "Step 3 of 3 — Awaiting installation of app(s)": resolve with factory reset and Blueprint update

Android

When a device gets stuck at "Step 3 of 3 — Awaiting installation of app(s)" during provisioning, the setup screen freezes and the device never completes enrollment.

Why this happens

During provisioning, the Esper Agent attempts to install apps from the Google Play Store. If Play Store entitlements are missing, managed Google Play is not correctly bound to your tenant, or network connectivity drops during download, the installations fail silently. The provisioning screen stalls because the Esper Agent is still waiting for install confirmations that will never arrive.

Before you begin

• You need physical access to the device or the ability to send remote commands through the Esper Console.
• This process requires a factory reset. All data on the device will be erased.
• Identify the Blueprint applied to the affected device before starting — you will update it in Step 2.

Steps

1. Remove the device and trigger a factory reset.
   In the Esper Console, go to Devices & Groups → [Device Name] → Device Actions and select Remove Device. In the removal dialog, check the Factory Reset option before confirming. Enabling this option is critical — without it, the Device Owner registration is not cleared and re-provisioning will fail on the same device. Wait for the device to complete the wipe and return to the out-of-box setup screen.
2. Check that managed Google Play is bound to your tenant.
   In the Esper Console, go to Settings → Android Enterprise and confirm that a managed Google Play account is linked. If no account is shown, complete the managed Google Play enrollment before continuing — Play Store app installations cannot succeed without it.
3. Update the Blueprint's app configuration.
   In the Esper Console, go to Blueprints and open the blueprint associated with the affected device group. Navigate to the Apps section. For any app sourced from the Play Store, do one of the following:
   • Switch the app source to a private or enterprise APK hosted directly in Esper — this removes the dependency on Play Store entitlements during provisioning.
   • Verify that each Play Store app has been approved and is available in your managed Google Play organization before keeping it as a Play Store source.
   Save and publish the updated blueprint.
4. Re-provision the device using the updated Blueprint.
   Start the standard QR code provisioning flow on the factory-reset device. Apply the updated blueprint during provisioning. Ensure the device has a stable internet connection throughout — Play Store downloads require network access independent of the Esper Agent connection.

Verify: After provisioning completes, go to Devices & Groups → [Device Name] → Blueprint and confirm the convergence status moves through Acknowledged → In Progress → Succeeded. Then go to Devices & Groups → [Device Name] → Apps and confirm all expected apps are installed. This should complete within 10 minutes of the device coming online.

If this doesn't resolve it

If the Blueprint convergence status stays at Acknowledged without progressing after re-provisioning:

• Collect a bug report: go to Devices & Groups → [Device Name] → Device Actions → Request Bug Report.
• Note the affected device serial numbers and the Blueprint ID (visible in the blueprint's URL in the Esper Console).
• If the issue affects multiple device groups or multiple device models, document which groups and models are affected.

Contact Esper Support with the bug report, serial numbers, Blueprint ID, and a description of the app sources configured in your blueprint.

Still need help?

If provisioning remains stuck at Step 3 after factory reset and Blueprint update, submit a support ticket and include your device serial number, Blueprint configuration, and the exact error message or logs from the provisioning attempt.