Set up a kiosk mode

Use the Kiosk Mode profile configuration to restrict a device to a custom kiosk display. Kiosk Mode replaces the standard device home screen with a customizable interface that provides the device user access to authorized applications and websites only.

How to enable the kiosk mode

To enable the kiosk mode on your profile, you must:

  1. Whitelist the Branded Kiosk App in your managed Google Play store
    1. On the Public Applications tab, search for: "WizyEMM Branded Kiosk App"
    2. Click on the Branded Kiosk App, and select it for management
  2. On the applications tab of your profile, toggle the Enable the Kiosk mode button
  3. Force install the WizyEMM Branded Kiosk App in your profile
    1. Click on the Choose Applications button
    2. Under Play Store Applications, search for Branded Kiosk App. Select it and click OK.
    3. Make sure the Branded Kiosk App has the Force Installed install type.

The Branded Kiosk App is the WizyEMM kiosk launcher, which replaces your native Android launcher.

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You can configure your Kiosk launcher with two differents set of configurations: 

 

How to add applications to your kiosk

Once the kiosk mode is enabled, you can choose the applications you wish to install on your kiosk. Simply click on the Choose Applications button, and select applications from your managed Google Play store or system applications.

To check out how to whitelist applications in your managed Google Play store or system apps, check out the Application Management section of the Help Center.

You can then select the install types of the applications in your kiosk:

  1. Primary: This must be used in you wish to enable a single app kiosk. This application will be displayed in full screen, hiding all other kiosk applications. This install type can be used if you wish to have a single-app kiosk. Other applications can still run in the background, but won't be displayed on the device. 
  2. Force installed: There must be used in you wish to enable a multi app kiosk. Force installs the application on managed devices. Force installed applications cannot be uninstalled from the device.
  3. Blocked: Blocks applications from running in the background. This can be used to block certain system apps which may be running in the background.

The kiosk mode can be multi-app, or single-app. To force a single-app kiosk on your devices, make sure to install an application with install type "Primary". 

 

How to configure the kiosk mode display using the Branded Kiosk App configurations

Once you have chosen which applications you want in your kiosk, you can configure how you want these applications to be displayed, as well as other elements of your kiosk interface.

These configurations are implemented via the configurations of the Branded Kiosk App. To access them, click on the Configuration button, associated with the Branded Kiosk App.

These following configurations are available:

  • Column number: Set the number of columns
  • Row number: Set the number of rows
  • Show grid: Show a dummy grid with items position. This grid can help you visualize the app positions you will need to insert for your applications, in the authorized app list section. Be sure to disable this option before you deploy your devices, as it will prevent your applications from showing.
  • Screen orientation: Screen orientation between portrait, landscape, and unspecified.
  • Administrator password: Administrator password to exit the kiosk mode
  • Bottom banner background color: Set the color of the bottom banner background, in hex color code.
  • Show bottom banner: Show a banner at the bottom of the screen. This banner contains by default the serial number of the device.
  • Bottom banner text: Text displayed in the bottom banner. You can use variables to automatically pull information from your devices.
  • Status bar color: Set the color of the status bar, in hex color code.
  • Background url: Url of the background to download to be displayed in the application. This URL must be publicly accessible. You can use https://imgbb.com/ to host images online for free.
  • Authorized app list: Set the list of applications that will be displayed in your kiosk display. These applications must already present in your WizyEMM profile, with install type Force Installed. For each application, you must provide:
    • The app package name
    • The app position in the grid
 
For example, below a kiosk is defined with a grid of 3 columns and 5 rows., with a background image accessible here. The show grid option is also activated.
 
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Let's add the 3 applications Gmail, Google Meet, and Google Drive, to positions 12, 13 & 14 respectively. Let's also remove the show grid option.
After saving, the device looks like the following: 
 
Capture.JPG
 

 

How to configure the kiosk mode using management policies

The following configurations are available, only for devices running Android 9.0 and above: 

  • Navigation buttons: Specifies which navigation features are enabled (e.g. Home, Overview buttons) in kiosk mode.
    • Enabled: Home and overview buttons are enabled.
    • Disabled: The home and Overview buttons are not accessible.
    • Home button only: Only the home button is enabled.
  • Power button: Sets the behavior of a device in kiosk mode when a user presses and holds (long-presses) the Power button.
    • Available: The power menu (e.g. Power off, Restart) is shown when a user long-presses the Power button of a device in kiosk mode.
    • Blocked: The power menu (e.g. Power off, Restart) is not shown when a user long-presses the Power button of a device in kiosk mode. Note: this may prevent users from turning off the device.
  • Display Error Messages: Specifies whether system error dialogs for crashed or unresponsive apps are blocked in kiosk mode. When blocked, the system will force-stop the app as if the user chooses the "close app" option on the UI. 
    • Enabled: All system error dialogs such as crash and app not responding (ANR) are displayed.
    • Muted: All system error dialogs, such as crash and app not responding (ANR) are blocked. When blocked, the system force-stops the app as if the user closes the app from the UI.
  • Status bar information to display: Specifies whether system info and notifications are disabled in kiosk mode.
    • Notification and system information: System info and notifications are shown on the status bar in kiosk mode.
    • Only system information: Only system info is shown on the status bar.
    • None: System info and notifications are disabled in kiosk mode.
  • Access to settings: Specifies whether the Settings app is allowed in kiosk mode.
    • Allowed: Access to the Settings app is allowed in kiosk mode.
    • Blocked: Access to the Settings app is not allowed in kiosk mode.

 

How to leave kiosk mode

To leave kiosk mode, long press on the back button of your kiosk device, and the popup Exit Kiosk will appear.

If you have defined an administrator password in the managed configuration of the Branded Kiosk App, submitting this password will exit the kiosk.

The feature works online and offline.