Last updated: August 13, 2026
Scan Devices
This page explains how to scan managed devices in Mobile Device Manager Plus (MDM) to retrieve granular details such as device summary, network summary, and OS summary, while keeping devices in contact with the MDM server. It covers the steps to perform an immediate scan on selected or all enrolled devices, set up scheduled scans at daily, weekly, or monthly intervals, and interpret scan status icons — Initiated, In Progress, Success, or Failed — along with the corresponding remarks.
With Mobile Device Manager Plus , you can scan managed devices and/or set up scheduled scans in order to obtain granular details of the managed devices. To ensure that the device remains in contact with the MDM server, it is recommended to schedule frequent device scans. This is so that the devices stay in contact with the server. Device summary, Network summary, OS summary and various other details about the devices can be fetched. The steps involved in performing and scheduling device scans are mentioned below.
- On the web console, navigate to the Inventory tab click on Scan Devices.
- Under Device Name, Select the Devices that need to be scanned and click on the Scan Devices button. To scan all the enrolled devices, click on the Scan All button.
The Scan process is initiated and the result of the scan is shown under Scan Status, along with the details shown under Remarks.
Schedule Device Scan
The following steps explain how to schedule the scan at customized intervals.
- On the web console, go to Inventory > Schedule Device Scan and click on Schedule Now
- Customize your schedule by clicking on Daily/Weekly/Monthly, providing a date and time and other details.
- Click on Save Changes to save the configuration.
View Scanning Status
You can see the following status when a device is being scanned.
| Icon | Status | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
 | Initiated | Scanning is initiated from the Mobile Device Manager Plus server and waiting for update from the device |
 | In Progress | Device has started scanning and yet to update the details |
 | Success | Device is scanned successfully |
 | Failed | Unable to scan devices |
Notes:
- The Scan Status and Remarks columns are not shown by default. In Inventory > Scan Devices, use the column chooser at the top-right of the table to add them. If a remark is truncated, hover over the entry to read it in full.
- Compare the scan status with the device's Last Contact Time to check its most recent communication with the server. For the meaning and update behavior of this timestamp, see Viewing Device Information.
- If a scan remains Initiated or In Progress, check Remarks, confirm that the device is powered on and connected to the network, and allow time for a response. For an Android device that remains Initiated, check connectivity, communication mode, and network access using the contact troubleshooting links below. Then select the device and click Scan Devices to retry; use Scan All to request a scan of all enrolled devices. Offline or unreachable devices may remain Initiated until they reconnect and respond, so the Initiated count may differ from the number of devices selected by a filter.
- If a scan Failed, check Remarks for the cause. When the remark says the device could not be contacted, follow Unable to contact the Android device or Unable to contact the iOS device for connectivity checks and resolution steps.
- For a failed scan of an offline device, inventory information updates when the device next connects and syncs. See Real-Time Device Updates.
- For Windows devices, if a console-initiated scan does not complete, trigger a sync on the device: go to Settings > Accounts > Access work or school, select the connected account, and click Info > Sync.
- When investigating stale Location History, compare Scan Status and Last Contact Time using Geo-Tracking troubleshooting.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why should I schedule regular device scans instead of relying on manual scans?
Scheduling frequent scans, daily, weekly, or monthly, helps keep device summary, network summary, and OS summary details up to date.
Additional guidance and troubleshooting
Device name or hostname is stale in the console
If a locally changed device name or hostname has not appeared in the console, select that device under Inventory > Scan Devices and request a scan. After a successful scan, check the updated device details. See Device Name and inventory attributes.
Scan fails when the device clock is incorrect
If scanning fails while Self Service stays on Synchronization in progress or the device browser reports your clock is behind, check device date/time and security certificate troubleshooting.
Profile is applied locally but the console still reports Failed
If a profile is present on the device but the console still shows Failed, scan the device to refresh its reported state and, where appropriate, re-associate the profile. Verify both the local payload and the updated deployment status; this refresh is not proof that an actual configuration failure has been corrected.