Hexnode UEM app on iOS using 10 GB Documents & Data and crashing on launchSolved

This can happen when the Hexnode UEM app is unable to launch and its local app data cannot be cleared normally by iOS. If the app crashes immediately on launch, portal-initiated Hexnode app log collection may also fail because the app cannot respond to the log request. For troubleshooting, check whether iOS has generated a crash report for the app:

1. On the iPad, open Settings.
2. Go to Privacy & Security > Analytics & Improvements.
3. Open Analytics Data.
4. Look for a recent file beginning with HexnodeMDM- that matches the time of the crash.

To clear the inflated Documents & Data, the practical workaround is to uninstall and reinstall the Hexnode UEM app on the affected device. This removes the local app data and allows the app to be installed fresh.

If uninstalling is blocked, check whether the Hexnode UEM app is configured as a required or mandatory app in a policy applied to the device. When an app is enforced as required, iOS may show that removing the app is not allowed, and the uninstall option may not appear from the portal. Temporarily removing the app from the required app configuration allows it to be manually uninstalled from the device. After reinstalling, the app can be added back to the required app configuration if needed.

That explains the failed log request. I also couldn’t get a screen recording from the iPad because the recording stopped when I tried opening the app. I had to record the behavior using another device, and it looked like the app was just crashing instantly.

One thing to watch out for: if the required app setting is part of a shared policy applied to a large number of devices, changing it can affect all devices in that policy scope. In that case, review the policy assignment carefully before removing the required app setting. If the device needs to be recovered urgently and policy changes are not practical, wiping and re-enrolling the affected iPad is a valid recovery option, though it is more disruptive.

In my case the portal didn’t show an uninstall option, and trying from the iPad said the action was not allowed. Since the shared policy affected a lot of devices, I didn’t want to change it just for one iPad. I ended up wiping the affected device and re-enrolling it so the user could get back to work.

That is understandable. If the app data grows again on the same or another iOS device, check iPad storage early under Settings > General > iPad Storage > Hexnode UEM. If the app begins crashing again, look for a current HexnodeMDM-…ips crash report under Analytics Data immediately after the crash. A recent crash report is important because older reports may not reflect the actual storage growth or launch failure event. At this point, the confirmed recovery options are:

• Uninstall and reinstall the Hexnode UEM app to clear Documents & Data, if removal is permitted.
• Temporarily adjust the required app restriction if that policy is what blocks removal.
• Wipe and re-enroll the iPad if the app cannot be removed safely or the device must be restored quickly.

The exact root cause may not be identifiable if the app stops generating current crash logs after it begins failing to launch.