Provisioning Android Devices with a QR Code

Owned by Kari Mattsson
2017-08-01
4 min read

As NFC provisioning described in Provisioning Android Devices with NFC, QR code provisioning is used for provisioning company-issued Work Managed Devices ("device owner mode"), typically in COBO scenarios. They are also the recommended methods when provisioning a large number of devices. The task is typically done by support personnel when giving out the devices to the users.

With QR code provisioning, you can provision devices using another Android device and a compatible provisioning app. Provisioning with a QR code is similar to using NFC, but NFC provisioning is significantly easier, as using a QR code requires setting up the network manually. Nevertheless, it may work in devices in which NFC does not. The recommended app to use is NFC Device Provisioner.

The target device must support the provisioning method; it should generally have Android 5.0 or newer. It must be in initial condition (new or wiped).

Setting up the NFC Device Provisioner

See Provisioning Android Devices with NFC to make initial settings to the NFC Device Provisioner app. The settings are identical for QR provisioning.

You need to get the QR code visible by scrolling down in the view:

Provisioning a Device

Resetting the Target Device

Before a device can be provisioned with NFC or QR code, it must be in the initial state, such as a new device. If not, you need to perform wipe for it to reset it to initial state.

  • If the device is previously managed by the EMM service, you can wipe it in Devices→Inventory by selecting the device and clicking Execute on selected devices→Wipe device to factory settings.
  • If the device is unmanaged, you can reset it manually in the Android settings menu.

Notice

On some rare occasion, wiping a managed device may leave protections that prevent provisioning with NFC or QR code. In such case, it may help that you initialise the device as an ordinary user and then wipe it again manually from Android settings.

After the reset, the device will begin the setup process.

Do not continue from the first step!

Do not continue. NFC or QR code provisioning can only be done at this first screen.

Provisioning with the QR code

The QR code method is more cumbersome than using NFC, as it requires manually setting up the local network. It should only be used for devices that do not support the NFC method. Provisioning goes much as with NFC, except that instead of using NFC, you first need to set up the network and then show the QR code.

You can provision a device using a QR code as follows:

  1. Click the empty area in the initial setup screen 6 times.
    If the device supports QR code provisioning, on-screen instructions will appear.
  2. You will be asked to set up a WiFi connection.
    Follow the instructions in the device.
  3. You are asked to scan a QR code. The code is shown at the bottom of the NFC Device Provisioner app view.
  4. The target device starts setting up. This may take for a while.
  5. You are asked to enter the installation code

    Using the QR code is usually the easiest.
  6. In the Devices→Inventory view:
    1. Create the device if not already created
    2. Select the device
    3. Click Execute on selected devices...
    4. Click Send initial settings to device
      You should now see the installation code as well as the QR code.
  7. Click In a QR code image in the target device
  8. Scan the QR code with the target device
  9. The device is now set up. Confirm by clicking Start <app name> (the actual client app depends on your EMM service provider)
  10. The client app should now start