Device is not checking in
Working out why a device has gone quiet.
A device that has not checked in cannot receive policies, apps, or commands. Anything you send sits in the queue as Queued until it comes back.
Work through these in order and stop when the device reappears.
1. Check how long it has been quiet
Open the device and look at Last check-in.
- Under an hour — normal. Nothing to do.
- A few hours — the device is probably switched off or asleep. Wait.
- Over 24 hours — something is wrong. Keep going.
2. Ask the person holding it
Nine times out of ten this solves it. Ask:
- Is the device switched on and charged?
- Is it connected to Wi-Fi or mobile data? Ask them to open a web page to prove it.
- Has it been factory reset, repaired, or replaced?
- Is it in aeroplane mode or a battery saver mode?
3. Rule out the simple causes
| Cause | What you will see | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Flat battery / switched off | Last check-in stops cleanly at a plausible time. | Charge and switch on. |
| No internet | Device works fine but never reports. | Reconnect to Wi-Fi. |
| Aggressive battery saving | Long gaps, then a burst of check-ins. | Ask the person to exclude the work management app from battery optimisation. |
| Device factory reset | Silent since a known date; a new serial may have appeared. | Enrol it again. |
| Device lost | Silent and nobody knows where it is. | Follow Lost or stolen device. |
4. Make it check in now
Once the device is on and online, select Sync now on its device page. It should complete within a few minutes. If it does, the device is healthy and your queued commands will now run.
5. If it is still silent with the device in your hand
- Android: check the work management app is still installed and not disabled, and that the device has a working internet connection.
- Windows: check Settings → Accounts → Access work or school still lists the connection.
If the connection is gone, the device has been unenrolled and needs enrolling again.
6. Clean up
If the device is gone for good, retire it so it stops appearing in your alerts and counts — see Retire a device. Devices left in limbo make every future report harder to read.
