Remote actions

Lock it, reboot it, erase it. From your desk, with a clear answer.

From any device page in NounDesk you can Lock, Reboot, turn on Lost mode, Erase (with typed confirmation), Reset the password, Clear an app's data or Refresh device info. Bulk actions cover lock, reboot, assign policy, assign employee, move to group and retire. Every command shows an honest status, Sent, Waiting for device, then Completed, Failed or Expired, and NounDesk never reports success before the device confirms.

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Remote actions in NounDesk.

Seven actions, one device page

The moment you need a remote action is rarely calm, so the actions are short, the confirmations clear and the status honest.

  • Lock and Reboot clear most of the day-to-day calls without anyone driving to a site.
  • Lost mode, Reset password and Clear app data handle the awkward cases.
  • Erase factory resets the device and keeps factory-reset protection on, so a stolen phone stays useless.

Bulk actions for whole groups

Select several devices, or a whole group, and act once. Reboot every driver phone before the morning shift, or move a crew's tablets when a job ends.

  • Lock, reboot, assign a policy, assign an employee, move to another group or retire, in one action.
  • Retiring stops management and keeps the record, which is what you want for an old device.
  • Bulk erase is deliberately not offered, because one slip should not take a crew offline.

Status you can believe

Every command moves through visible states, and NounDesk never shows Completed because it hopes the phone did the thing. It shows it when the phone says so.

  • Sent means the command has been handed to Google.
  • Waiting for device means the phone is off or out of signal and will pick it up when it reconnects.
  • Completed, Failed or Expired is the device's own answer, recorded in the activity log.

Safe by default

The defaults are chosen so that a busy Friday afternoon does not end in an accident you cannot undo.

  • Erase requires you to type the device name, and is never available in bulk.
  • Policy changes show an impact preview and ask you to acknowledge anything disruptive.
  • Nothing is erased automatically when an employee leaves, and Operators cannot erase at all.

The moment you need a remote action is rarely calm. A phone is missing, a tablet froze mid-lunch rush, a technician forgot their PIN on the first job of the day. NounDesk keeps the actions short, the confirmations clear and the status honest.

When a remote action is not enough

Some jobs need more than a lock or a reboot. Two related features pick up from here.

  • See the screen with remote support

    Open a session in your own TeamViewer, AnyDesk or Splashtop account with one click from the device page.

  • Keep an erased phone useless

    Factory reset protection means a wiped phone won't set up until one of your company's Google accounts signs in.

Remote support →Factory reset protection →Lost-device recovery →

Every remote action, explained

Open an action to see what it does and when to use it.

Lock

Locks the screen immediately on the next check-in. The employee unlocks with their normal PIN or password. Use it when a phone is left somewhere it should not be but is not lost.

Reboot

Restarts the device. Clears most "it is frozen" calls without anyone driving to the site.

Lost mode

Locks the device, shows your message and phone number, and starts reporting location. Only an administrator can end it.

Erase

Factory resets the device. You type the device name to confirm. Factory-reset protection stays on so the device cannot be set up without your Google account. Never available in bulk.

Reset password

Sets a new unlock PIN or password when someone is locked out. Tell them the new one out of band.

Clear app data

Resets one app to a fresh install without touching the rest of the device. Useful when a single app is misbehaving.

Refresh info

Asks the device to report its hardware, apps and security state now instead of waiting for the next scheduled check-in.

Related features

Lost-device recovery

Lost company phone? Lock it in lost mode, show your number on screen, see where it last reported and erase it if needed. Location only in lost mode.

Dashboard & inventory

An Android device dashboard and inventory for small fleets: see which phones are online, offline or need attention, and filter by group, employee, policy.

Remote supportNew

Help employees with their company Android phones from your desk. NounDesk sets up your TeamViewer, AnyDesk or Splashtop app and opens it in one click.

Industries

Who uses remote actions

The trades that lean on this feature most, each with its own scenario and recommended policy.

Delivery & logistics

Driver phones that navigate, scan, and lock when they go missing.

Driver phones running navigation and proof of delivery all day. Keep the dispatch app on the version you tested, get told when a phone goes quiet, and lock it the moment it is lost.

Read more →
Security companies

Guard phones that protect the client's site, and the client's privacy.

Guard phones that go onto a client's premises. Camera and screenshot controls per post, a strong screen lock, and an audit log you can hand to procurement.

Read more →
Transportation

In-cab tablets that run the route app and nothing else.

In-cab tablets locked to the dispatch or ELD app, phones that pass between drivers at shift change, and a missing tablet in the depot that you can lock from the office.

Read more →

See every industry →

From the blog
ArticleEmployee Lost a Work Phone? What to Do in the First HourA calm, ordered checklist for the hour after a company Android phone goes missing, whether or not you have device management in place.ArticleHow to Factory Reset a Company Phone for a New EmployeeYes, you can factory reset a company phone, but do it in the right order or factory reset protection can lock it for good. The steps, in plain English.ArticleEmployee Quit and Kept the Company Phone? What You Can DoLock it, show a return message or erase it remotely: what you can do when a former employee keeps a company Android phone, and how to prevent it.

Read the complete guide to Android MDM for small business →

User guide
Guide · DevicesRemote actionsHow to lock, reboot, reset a password, clear app data, put a phone in lost mode or erase it from NounDesk, and what each status means.Guide · DevicesCommand statusesWhat Queued, Waiting for device, Completed, Failed and Expired mean after you lock, reboot or erase a device, and what to do next.Guide · DevicesFind and manage devicesSearch and filter the NounDesk device list, read the Trust column, open a device and use bulk actions to assign, move, lock or reboot many devices.Guide · DevicesRetire devices and offboard employeesThe difference between erasing a device, retiring it and deactivating an employee, and the safe order to do them in.

Browse the full user guide →

Remote actions: questions answered

Why is there no bulk erase?

Because the cost of a mistake is too high. Erasing wipes a device completely. NounDesk offers bulk lock, reboot, reassignment and retirement, but erase is always one device at a time with a typed confirmation.

What does "Waiting for device" mean?

The command has been handed to Google and will run the next time the device checks in. Phones that are off or out of signal pick it up when they reconnect. If the device never does, the command expires and says so.

Can an employee undo a remote lock?

They can unlock with their normal PIN or password, which is the point of a lock: it protects the screen, it does not punish the employee. Lost mode is different; only an administrator can end it.

Does erase keep factory-reset protection?

Yes, by default. After an erase, the phone will not set up again until one of your company's Google accounts signs in, so a stolen phone cannot simply be reused.

Ten phones. Ten minutes. Protected.

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