SkieHow to replace a broken student tablet without losing its setup
To replace a broken student tablet, enrol the new tablet and use the replace-device action in the MDM. In Skie, a replacement keeps the student, group and history, applies the same rules and frees the old device's seat. Apps and files stored only on the broken tablet are not copied across.
Why this deserves a process
Tablets crack, drown in water bottles and fall off desks. In a school of any size, replacing one is routine. If each replacement means creating a new student record, re-assigning rules, adjusting the licence count and losing the history, the routine becomes a daily chore.
The goal is simple: the student gets a working tablet that behaves exactly as the old one did, and the school's records show a clean change.
What carries over and what does not
| Item | Carries over? |
|---|---|
| Student record and group | Yes |
| Rules and app list from the group | Yes, applied fresh to the new device |
| Device history and alerts | Kept against the student |
| Licence seat | The old seat is freed, the new device uses one seat |
| Data inside apps on the old tablet | No, unless the app syncs to an account of its own |
| Photos and files on the old tablet | No, unless saved elsewhere |
Step by step
- Confirm the old device is genuinely out of use, and mark it lost if it may be somewhere it should not be
- Prepare the new tablet: freshly set up or reset, with any Google account removed
- Check the model: a new device model goes through a one-time model review during setup
- Enrol the new device using the same method as the others, in the same group
- Use the replace-device action to link the new tablet to the student
- Confirm the rules applied and the compliance score on the new device looks right
- Retire the old tablet: physically collect it, and remove management if it will be reused
Why identity matters
A good system recognises a device by its IMEI or serial number. That way, a tablet that is reset and re-enrolled is not mistaken for a new one and does not use up a second seat. When you replace a device on purpose, the replacement action ties the new one to the student and releases the old one.
One student, one device is the rule that makes this clean. If a tablet is shared by several students, replacement becomes ambiguous. See Role-based access for school device management for who should be allowed to do it.
Who should be able to replace a device
Replacement should not need the main administrator. A branch or section head can handle it with the right role, and teachers can be limited to their own class. That keeps the process quick while keeping the records tidy. For loss and theft, which have an extra safety angle, Lost or stolen managed tablet sets out the response.
Handling the old tablet
If the old tablet still turns on, remove management before it is reused or sold. In Skie, Remove Skie turns off every protection, shows every app again, restores DNS, releases ownership and deletes no apps. If it may have been lost rather than broken, use lost mode first: lock, contact message and tracking, plus a record with IMEI, serial, SIM details and location trail for a police report. Remote erase of a lost device is not available yet, and the team is working on it.
Keep a simple replacement log: date, student, old device, new device and reason. Patterns, such as one class breaking tablets more often, are easy to spot later.
Where Skie fits
Skie for Enterprise includes replace device as an everyday action. It keeps the student, group and history, applies the group's policy to the new tablet and frees the old seat. It works on any Android 12 or newer tablet, so a replacement does not need to be the same model, as long as the new model has been reviewed.
Frequently asked questions
How do I replace a broken student tablet in MDM?
Enrol the new tablet in the same group and use the replace-device action to link it to the student. In Skie this keeps the student, group and history and frees the old seat.
Will the student lose their apps and data?
The apps and rules return from the group. Data stored only on the broken tablet does not move, unless the app saves to an online account.
Does a replacement use another licence seat?
No. The old device's seat is freed, so one student still uses one seat.
Can the new tablet be a different model?
Yes, if it runs Android 12 or newer and its model has been reviewed once during setup.
What if the tablet was stolen, not broken?
Mark it lost first. Lost mode locks the device, shows a contact message and tracks it, and builds a record for a police report.