Windows Phone 8.x & Windows 10 Mobile: AirWatch Agent best practices

The new agent is available only on Windows 10 devices.

  • New “VMware AirWatch Agent” published to the Windows store is a new Universal application that can be installed on all SKUs of Windows 10. The new agent has been tested and verified on Windows 10

  • Desktop and Windows 10 Mobile by the AirWatch Product Team.

  • Old “AirWatch MDM Agent” apps which is currently on Windows Store is only available & visible, to Windows Phone 8.1 and Windows 8.1 desktops. New “VMware AirWatch Agent” is hidden for these versions.

  • Users who had the Phone 8.1 and Desktop 8.1 applications installed on their devices and upgraded to Windows 10 will still be able to use the old applications.

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Windows 8.1 AirWatch Agent Users

Customers who wish to continue using the current Windows 8.1 AirWatch Agent on Windows 8.1 can do so without any disruption to the usage of the application.Once the device upgrades to Windows 10, the device supports downloading the new agent. Both the new agent and the old agent can exist on the device,but AirWatch recommends deleting the old agent.
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Windows 10 Agent Users

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Customers who wish to use the new agent on Windows 10 Desktop must take the following steps:
Enrolled Device Download

  • The new Universal Agent from the store.Enter
  • The username and password to authenticate into the agent. This is required as the one time access token will have expired.
  • Wait until the new agent configures.
  • Delete the older agent.

New Enrollment Download

  • The new Universal Agent from the store.
  • Launch the app and begin enrollment.
  • The agent opens the Work Access settings to begin enrollment.
  • The agent will be auto-configured.

Implications for Customers on Windows Phone:
NOTE: Windows 10 Mobile is supported on AirWatch version 8.2 GA and above. For versions below this, the new Agent will not auto-configure and will require Server URL, GroupID and credentials.

Hi Malay, is it possible to get the 8.1’s version on 10 mobile phones? The reason is pretty simple the new version is not supported by my company at this time. I know old version is working on wp 10 if coming from 8.1. But on wp10 native phones as you said the old version is not visible. Thanks for your help.

Hi,
Thanks for your question.

If you have log in to “myairwatch” portal, there is good article,
Support - Knowledge base - Device Enrollment
Article Title: Windows 10 Agent Best Practices
Created on Apr 1, 2016 5:09
https://support.air-watch.com/articles/98959287-Windows-10-Agent-Best-Practices


The Windows Phone 8.1 and Windows Desktop 8.1 applications that are currently on the store will continue being available to new Windows Phone 8.1 and Windows 8.1 devices but will be hidden from the store for Windows 10 devices that were not on Windows 8.1 and did not have the old agent at any time. This is in order to prevent two apps from being visible to Windows 10 end users and causing confusion


You basically have two options to try:

  1. You can manually side load the "AirWatch MDM Agent .xap" file on the Windows 10 Mobile device and install it that way.
    .xap file can be downloaded from ‘myairwatch’ support portal on this link:
    https://resources.air-watch.com/view/59eb05000800c944254d/en

  2. If you have the URL (Given below) for the Windows Store, for this “AirWatch MDM Agent” ver 3.6.0 for Windows Phone 8.1 devices ,then you can send this URL via SMS or email on the device and try access it that way.
    https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/store/p/airwatch-mdm-agent/9wzdncrfjc2d

Thanks
Malay

Hi Malay, no way you can provide to me the xap file? This would be great.

This link will expire in 24 hours.
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3067903/AWAgent%203.6.0%20Windows%20Ph%208.x.zip

Thanks.

Greetings,

I am unable to install XAP app in my Windows 10 mobile, seems it needs APPX file, any help.

Appreciate all the help.

beinghis

Hi Beinghis,

You are right. Windows 10 is following UWP rules and thus .appx or .appxbundle are the compatible file types for side loading.

I was under impression that Windows 10 Mobile is backward compatible with .xap files.

Not sure if this video will help you:

OR
Try Windows Phone power tools:
http://wptools.codeplex.com/

I am not sure about any other method or way.

Anybody else know?

NOTE: Only attempt this if current “VMWare AIrWatch Agent” UWP app is not available. Not sure if in current version .xap is supported. This may not be official way of installing or sideloading apps in enterprise and I take no responsibility if it doesn’t work for you.

Thanks

Hello Malay,

I run into a problem after upgrading my phone to Win 10.
I had the old Aorwatch MDM Agent on Win 8.1 which survived the upgrade fine. I just had to re-enroll the phone. Worked like a charm. All was fine, until i had a problem with VPN and had to do a factory-reset now on Win 10.
On the factory default Win 10 i was not able to install the old agent, only the new VMWare Airwatch Agent. Enrollment does not work anymore.

Would you be so kind to help me with sharing the old agent so i can sideload it on my phone?

Thx!

Hi jerry311,

on ‘Windows 10 Mobile’ there seems to be an issue with .xap file as Win10Mob using .appx.
Only 'VmWare AirWatch Agent" UWP app is in .appx format but old ‘AirWatch MDM Agent’ for WP 8.1 is only in .xap format.

So I don’t think you can sideload old agent now. You need to use “VMWare AirWatch Agent” app.
To be able to make use of this UWP app for Win10Mob, your AirWatch Console version should support this on Win10Mob. “Auto Discovery” must be configured to enrol Win10Mob with your AirWatch.
Please check ‘My AirWatch’ support articles and release notes.

Please note that “Anniversary Update” have few issues and VPN/Wi-Fi certs still seem to be an issue with Win10Mob.

‘My AirWatch’ login, support section have following links, can be useful.
https://support.air-watch.com/articles/98959287-Windows-10-Agent-Best-Practices

Thanks
Malay

Thx!
I will check with our IT.
They will either resolve it or replace my old Win10 mobile to an iPhone. This is their final solution.

By the way, my enrollment fails at username/password it does not matter what format i try.

All good.
If you are end user then I would recommend that your IT need to resolve these issues and have prep in place for Win10Mob support and comms.

This sounds like environment configuration issue.
Thanks.