Wipe corporate data from a device

To wipe your own device that you use for work or school, go here instead.

This feature is available with Cloud Identity Free and Cloud Identity Premium editions. Compare editions 

If a managed device goes missing or a user leaves your organization, you can use Google Admin console to wipe work or school data from the device. Depending on the device platform, you can wipe a user’s work account, their work profile, or all data. Users can still access their work data on a computer, a web browser, or another authorized mobile device.

System requirements

To wipe an account from a device

  • Mobile devices must be managed (basic or advanced mobile management)

    Note: For Android devices that meet all the following conditions, you can only wipe the device (not the account):

    • Currently under basic mobile management but previously under advanced mobile management
    • In Device Owner mode (company-owned devices and personal devices set up as “work only”)
    • Managed with Android Device Policy
  • Endpoints must be managed with Drive for desktop

To wipe a device

  • Mobile devices (Requires advanced mobile management):
    • Android devices with the Android Device Policy
    • Device-enrolled iOS devices with a device policy profile
    • Google Sync (Google Workspace only)
  • Microsoft Windows 10 or 11 devices must be enrolled in Windows device management

Step 1: Decide what to wipe from the device

You can wipe all apps and data from a device or only from a work account. You can do the following actions:

  • Wipe a device—If it’s a company-owned or personal device that’s lost or stolen. This option removes all work data and apps from the device. For Android devices that don’t have a work profile and device-enrolled iOS devices, it also removes personal data and apps.
  • Wipe an account—If it’s a personal device and the user is leaving your organization.

How wipe works by platform or management type

Expand section  |  Collapse all

Step 2: If you have access to the device, manage accounts

If the device isn’t lost or stolen, and you have access to it:

  1. Make sure the user can access their work account:
    • If they don’t know their password, you need to reset it. Reset the password before you wipe the device. If you don't, the user might need to wait at least 24 hours before they can sign back in to the device.
    • If the account is suspended, you need to restore it. For details, go to Restore a suspended user.
  2. Make sure any administrators who have access to Android devices with factory reset protection can sign in. The accounts must be active for the admin to access the device after it’s wiped.
  3. Sign out and remove the work account before you wipe the device or account.

Step 3: Wipe a device or a work account from a device

To find the devices you want to wipe, go to the user's account page or the Devices list.

Important: Google Cloud Support can’t unlock or restore a device for you. If you have problems unlocking a reset device, contact the manufacturer for help.

Expand section  |  Collapse all

Allow Android users to wipe their own device

This feature is available with Cloud Identity Premium edition. Compare editions 

Requires advanced mobile management

You can allow users to remotely wipe their own devices. When they wipe their device, the same data is removed as when an administrator chooses to wipe a device. For details, go to Decide what to wipe from the device.

Before you begin: If you need to set up a department or team for this setting, go to Add an organizational unit.

  1. Sign in with an administrator account to the Google Admin console.

    If you aren’t using an administrator account, you can’t access the Admin console.

  2. Go to  Menu and then Devices > Mobile and endpoints > Settings > Android.

    Requires having the Services and devices administrator privilege.

  3. Click Generaland thenUser device wipe.
  4. (Optional) To apply the setting to a department or team, at the side, select an organizational unit. Show me how
  5. Check the Allow Users to wipe their devices from My Devices box.
  6. Click Save. Or, you might click Override for an organizational unit.

    To later restore the inherited value, click Inherit

To give your users details on how to remotely wipe their device, go to Remotely manage lost or stolen work devices.

Related topics


Google, Google Workspace, and related marks and logos are trademarks of Google LLC. All other company and product names are trademarks of the companies with which they are associated.

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