How to delete a device’s location history retained in Hexnode UEM?

Organizations need to track the location of deployed devices for various reasons, ranging from asset management to helping recover lost devices. Also, the location history maintained in the inventory plays a crucial role in defining geofencing policies and ensuring device compliance. Hexnode UEM offers functionality for location tracking of enrolled devices, both at regular intervals and instantaneously, using its Enable Location Tracking policy and Scan Device Location action, respectively. Hexnode UEM also retains a comprehensive record of these tracked device locations as Location History reports. However, while prioritizing employee privacy within an organization, maintaining sensitive information such as device location history may raise security concerns. Additionally, retention of such data for an extended period might be against the organizational policies, especially in cases wherein the devices are disenrolled or their ownership changes. To address these concerns, IT administrators can utilize the Delete Location History action to delete the location history of multiple endpoints simultaneously.

To delete a device’s location history:

1. Login to your Hexnode UEM portal.
2. Navigate to the Manage tab.
3. Select the devices whose location history has to be deleted.
4. Click on the Actions drop-down and select Delete Location History.
5. Click Continue on the confirmation prompt.
6. Click Confirm to initiate the deletion.

Automatic location history deletion

Hexnode UEM also provides an option for IT admins to define a retention period for device location history. After the specified retention period has elapsed, the location history of all enrolled devices will be automatically deleted.

To set the retention period of location history:

1. Login to your Hexnode UEM portal.
2. Navigate to the Admin tab.
3. Click on the Location history retention drop-down under General Settings > Location Tracking.
4. Choose a suitable period from the drop-down. The available options are:
   • 1 day
   • 7 days
   • 15 days
   • 30 days
   • 60 days
   • 90 days

After the execution of the Delete Location History action or when the location history retention period expires, the location history is removed from the portal. The location history of the device maintained in the Location History reports or under the Location History sub tab will be deleted.