how do i bulk Disenroll dead devices and actually get my Licenses back?Solved

Hi @sarahmiller. This is a very common scenario when going through a hardware refresh.

You are spot on with your suspicion. If you just send the standard disenroll command, the license is not immediately freed up. The command just sits in a pending state, waiting for the offline device to eventually check in and process it.

To reclaim your licenses right now without waiting for those devices, you can use this two-step workflow:

Step 1: Queue the Disenrollment 

1. Go to the Manage tab.
2. Use the filter to isolate your Inactive devices.
3. Check the boxes for the devices you want to remove.
4. Go to Actions > Device Control > Disenroll Device.

Step 2: Force Release the Licenses 

1. Navigate over to the Reports tab.
2. Open the Disenrollment pending devices report.
3. Select all the devices you just queued up.
4. Click Actions > Mark as Disenrolled.

This second step tells the portal to stop waiting for the device to wake up. It removes them from your active inventory and returns the licenses straight back to your available pool.

Quick note: If there is any chance these devices might be turned back on and reused in the future, please make sure they are not locked in Kiosk Mode and that Factory Reset Protection (FRP) is turned off before you sever the MDM connection. 

Best regards,
Eden Pierce
Hexnode UEM

Okay, that makes perfect sense. So basically, if I skip Step 2, I am just shouting into the void and waiting for a dead tablet to answer before hexnode gives me my license back. 

I just followed your steps, ran the report, and forced the “Mark as Disenrolled” action on about 200 old devices. The licenses instantly popped back into our available pool. You saved me a massive administrative headache today. 

You have the logic completely right. The system intentionally holds the license just in case the device wakes up and needs to process the unenrollment cleanly, so you have to manually tell the portal to clear it out. 

Glad to hear you got those licenses back into your pool in time for your new rollout next week. 

Best regards, 
Eden Pierce 
Hexnode UEM