Kiosk mode is a highly restricted user account on a computer, laptop or tablet. The user is only granted access to a single app – they cannot use other settings or programs.
The mode is useful for interviewing blue collar employees, for example. They can be provided with a device for a short time as part of a survey, on which they only run the survey as a program.
The following explains how to set up the Kiosk mode on devices with iOS / iPadOS and Windows. Explanations for Android devices are omitted here, since the setup and functionality of the mode strongly depends on the different versions.
iOS / iPadOS: “Guided Access”
- The “Guided access” option is located under “Settings > Accessibility”.
- After activating the option, the app that is to be selected for the kiosk mode can be launched.
- By pressing the home button three times (iPhone 8 or earlier) / by pressing the side button three times (iPhone X or later), the settings for the mode – such as locking certain functions – can be accessed and edited.
- After tapping “Start”, a passcode can still be set, which can later be used to switch the device from kiosk mode to normal mode.
- Kiosk mode is now ready to launch!
The kiosk mode can be ended at any time by pressing the Home and On/Off buttons for a long time.
Detailed information about the kiosk mode in iOS / iPadOS can be found here.
Windows: “Assigned Access”
- Open the Settings app > Accounts. Select Other users or Family and other users.
- Select “Set up a kiosk > Assigned access”, and then select “Get started”.
- An existing or new Microsoft account can now be registered or created here, which is to be used for the Kiosk mode. Alternatively, a user without a Microsoft account can be added under “I don’t know the credentials for this person”.
- After a restart, you can now log in with the account you just created and set it up. At the same time, the app/software that is to be used in the kiosk mode can be installed.
- Now log back in with your normal user and select the option “Add another person to this PC” in the Start menu again under “Settings > Accounts > Family & other users”.
- There, the option “Set up assigned access” can now be selected. Here, one selects the user created for this purpose and the software/app that is to be used.
- Now, as soon as you log in with the newly created user, the app and the kiosk mode start automatically!
The key combination “Ctrl+Alt+Del” can be used to change the user at any time and thus exit the kiosk mode!
Detailed information about the kiosk mode in Windows can be found here.