Device alias not found when looking up removed or historical device by name

Android

If you're trying to find the alias (friendly name) of a device that you previously removed from your Esper tenant, you may not be able to locate it through the Esper Console. This article explains why and what options are available to you.

Why you can't find a removed device's alias

The Esper Console does not maintain a browsable history of removed devices or their configured aliases. Once you remove a device from your tenant, its alias is no longer available in the Esper Console UI or standard device reports.

Additionally, if you never assigned a custom alias to the device when it was active, there is no alias record to retrieve. The device would have only been identified by its auto-generated Esper Device ID.

How to check if an alias was configured

Before assuming the alias is lost, verify whether one was ever set up:

Locate the device's Esper Device ID or serial number from your original provisioning records, support tickets, or internal communications.
In the Esper Console, go to Devices & Groups and search by Device ID or serial number.
If the device is still active, select it and navigate to Device Details to view its current alias.
If the device has been removed, check your Device Reports — historical data may be retained depending on your report retention settings.

If the device is already removed

Once a device is removed from your tenant, retrieving its previous alias becomes difficult:

If you have the Device ID or serial number from your support ticket or provisioning records, use that to identify the device in your internal records.
If neither the Device ID nor the serial number is available, and the device has been removed, recovery is not currently possible through the Esper Console.

How to prevent this in the future

To avoid losing device information when you remove devices:

Maintain your own records (spreadsheet, CMDB, or asset management system) of device names, serial numbers, and Device IDs before removal.
Always assign a clear, descriptive alias when enrolling devices so they are easier to identify later.
Check Device Reports regularly to archive historical data before it ages out of your retention period.

Still need help?

If you believe an alias was configured for a removed device and cannot locate it through the above steps, contact Esper Support with the following information:

Device ID
Serial number
Approximate date the device was removed
The alias you are looking for (if you remember it)