Android Enterprise enrollment for rugged devices: QR, zero-touch, NFC

Android Enterprise is Google's standard way to put company devices under an MDM (also called EMM or UEM), whether you use Microsoft Intune, Workspace ONE, SOTI MobiControl or another Android Enterprise MDM. This guide applies to our Zebra TC22, TC27, TC53e, TC58e, TC501, TC701, MC3400, MC3300x, MC9400, ET40, ET401, VC8300, ET60, ET65, the Honeywell EDA52, the Datalogic Memor K20 and K25 and the Newland MT93.

Choose the management mode

Decide the mode before you enroll: fully managed and dedicated enrollment start on a new or factory-reset device, so changing the mode later means a reset.

• Fully managed: for company-owned devices used only for work. The MDM controls the whole device: Wi-Fi, apps, updates and restrictions. Good for scanners assigned to one person.
• Dedicated: a subset of fully managed for single-purpose devices, usually locked to one app or a few apps. Good for shared scanners, kiosks and vehicle computers. Our kiosk mode guide covers the lockdown.
• Work profile: made for employees' own phones. Work apps live in a separate space and the company cannot see the personal side. It rarely fits a company scanner, which needs device-wide control of Wi-Fi, updates and the home screen.

Which method should I pick?

All methods start on a new or factory-reset device. Android versions are Google's minimums for fully managed devices.

Ask your reseller whether it can register devices for zero-touch. Only a zero-touch reseller can add your devices to your zero-touch portal.

Reset the device to the welcome screen

If the device has been set up already, remove any personal Google account and do a factory reset. For Zebra models, follow our Zebra reset guide. Then charge the device and switch it on. On Zebra devices the first screen says "Hi there".

Start enrollment at the welcome screen

QR code

1. In your MDM, create the enrollment QR code for the mode you chose.
2. On the welcome screen, tap six times in the same spot. A QR scanner opens.
3. If the device asks for Wi-Fi first, connect to your network.
4. Scan the code. The device installs the MDM agent and continues on its own.

Zebra documents that devices with recent software can read the code with the built-in scan engine, not only the camera.

Zero-touch

Your reseller creates your zero-touch account and adds the devices you buy. In the zero-touch portal, create a configuration with your MDM's agent and assign it to devices by IMEI or serial number. The device then provisions itself on first boot or after its next factory reset. It needs a connection to Google's servers during setup, so connect it to Wi-Fi when asked. Without a connection, zero-touch is skipped; the device then resets itself after it first reaches Google, with a warning one hour before.

NFC, DPC identifier and token

• NFC: hold the device against the tag or programmer device prepared with your MDM's tool.
• DPC identifier: connect to Wi-Fi, and when the setup asks for a Google account, enter afw# and the identifier your MDM gives you. MDMs built on Google's Android Device Policy use afw#setup. Then scan the QR code or enter the token.
• Token: enter the code from your MDM when its agent asks for it.

Let the MDM finish the setup

The MDM agent becomes the device owner, applies your policies and Wi-Fi profiles and installs your apps from managed Google Play. Keep the device on Wi-Fi and power until it shows the home screen or your locked app. MDM-specific steps are in our guides for Microsoft Intune, Workspace ONE and SOTI MobiControl, and our MDM overview for small fleets compares the options.

What changes per brand

Device-specific settings, such as key mappings, are set through the maker's OEMConfig app, which your MDM configures with managed configurations.

• Zebra: use the Zebra OEMConfig Powered by MX app (required on Android 13 and later). StageNow can give new devices their Wi-Fi settings by barcode so they reach zero-touch. See our StageNow and OEMConfig guide.
• Honeywell: the EDA52 welcome screen can scan a configuration barcode. After the first setup, Provisioning mode switches off and configuration barcodes are ignored until you turn it on under Settings › Honeywell Settings › Provisioning Mode. Honeywell provides an OEMConfig app; search for it in managed Google Play from your MDM.
• Datalogic: the Memor K20 and K25 support zero-touch, QR code, NFC bump, token and DPC identifier enrollment, plus Datalogic OEMConfig and Scan2Deploy Studio.
• Newland: the MT93 runs Android with Google Mobile Services, and Newland lists the MT93 Pro, and all MT93 models on Android 15, as Android Enterprise Recommended. Newland's own free management software, Ndevor, supports the MT93.

More in our Honeywell, Datalogic and Newland provisioning guide.

Check the device after enrollment

• The device shows in the MDM console in the right mode, with your Wi-Fi, apps and restrictions.
• Scanning works in your app. On Zebra devices, see our DataWedge guide.
• With zero-touch, factory reset one test device: it should enroll again by itself.

Common problems