App upgrade fails with "Exception" error and reverts to previous version during installation

Android

When you upgrade an app on a managed Android device through the Esper Console, the installation may fail with an "Exception" error and automatically revert to the previous version. This article walks you through diagnosing the issue and collecting the information needed to resolve it.

Before you begin

Do not factory reset or remove the affected device from your Esper tenant until you've collected logs. Logs are essential for identifying the root cause of the installation failure.

Step 1: Verify the device is online and enrolled

1. In the Esper Console, go to Devices & Groups → [Device Name].
2. Confirm the device status is Online.

Step 2: Check the Activity Feed for the specific exception

1. Go to Devices & Groups → [Device Name] → Activity Feed.
2. Look for an entry that reads: Command failed to execute. Failed to install app due to Exception, Reverting to previous installed version
3. Note the full error message following "Exception". The specific exception type—such as INSTALL_FAILED_VERSION_DOWNGRADE, INSTALL_FAILED_UPDATE_INCOMPATIBLE, or a firmware signature mismatch—is critical for diagnosing the problem.

Step 3: Verify device firmware version

1. Go to Devices & Groups → [Device Name] → Device Info.
2. Note the Android OS build number.
3. Check whether the target app version has known firmware compatibility requirements, and confirm your device firmware meets them.

Step 4: Collect Esper Agent logs via ADB

1. Connect to the device via ADB and run:

   adb shell logcat -d -v time > dpc_logs.txt

2. Open the log file and search for entries tagged with esper, Esper Agent, or PackageInstaller to locate the exception stack trace.
3. Save the relevant log section for reference.

Step 5: Request a bug report from the device (optional)

1. Go to Devices & Groups → [Device Name] → Actions → Request Bug Report.
2. Wait for the bug report to generate. If the request times out, proceed with the ADB logcat output from Step 4 instead.

Step 6: Retry the upgrade

Once you've confirmed that the device firmware is compatible with the target app version, retry the app upgrade from the Esper Console. After the upgrade completes successfully, verify:

• The Activity Feed shows Command executed successfully. App installed successfully
• The app version in Devices & Groups → [Device Name] → Apps displays the new target version

Common causes and next steps

App upgrade failures with an "Exception" error are typically caused by one of the following:

• Firmware incompatibility: The target app version requires a different Android OS version or firmware build than what is currently on the device. Contact your app vendor or update the device firmware before retrying the upgrade.
• Version downgrade attempt: The app version you're installing is older than the version currently on the device. Confirm you're upgrading to a newer version.
• Device-specific incompatibility: The app may not be compatible with your specific device model or hardware configuration. Verify compatibility with your app vendor.

Still need help?

If you've completed the steps above and the upgrade still fails, contact Esper Support. Include the following information in your ticket:

• Device serial number
• Device model and Android OS build number
• App name and the version you're upgrading from and to
• The full exception message from the Activity Feed
• ADB logcat output (especially entries tagged with esper, Esper Agent, or PackageInstaller)