Kiosk mode

Turn a tablet into a single-purpose device.

You don't need a separate kiosk app. NounDesk uses Android's built-in kiosk mode through Android Enterprise, so there is no app to install on the device. NounDesk kiosk mode locks an Android tablet or phone to one app, a set of apps, or a web page, using a four-step wizard. You choose the app from your catalog, a package name or a URL, then decide whether the Home button works, whether the clock and battery show, whether settings are reachable, how bright the screen is, and whether it stays awake while charging. Each kiosk device reports its own health: Ready, Installing app, App missing or Offline.

Start freeAll features
A tablet locked to a single appapp.noundesk.comOrder DeskKiosk health: ReadyHome buttonOffSettingsBlockedStay awakeWhile chargingVolumeLockedBrightnessFixedUpdatesOvernight
Kiosk mode in NounDesk.

Four steps to a kiosk

A tablet on the counter has one job. The wizard walks through four screens and applies the result to a single device or a whole group.

  • Pick the app from your catalog, by package name, or as a web URL.
  • Set behaviour: Home button, clock and battery, power button, settings access and error dialogs.
  • Set the screen and lock down the shared device: brightness, stay awake while charging, volume, Bluetooth and account changes.

Kiosks that tell you when they are not working

Each kiosk device reports its own state, so a dead counter tablet is something you hear about from NounDesk rather than from a queue of customers.

  • Ready, Installing app, App missing and Offline, per device, on the dashboard.
  • A tablet that lost its app after an update shows App missing and raises an alert.
  • Re-push the app from the device page and it returns to the order screen without anyone touching it.

Who runs kiosks

Anywhere a device should do one thing and nothing else, whether it is bolted to a counter or riding in a van.

  • Restaurants and cafés run order screens, table-side menus and kitchen displays.
  • Shops and clinics run check-in, loyalty sign-up and intake forms.
  • Warehouses and schools run scanner apps and shared classroom tablets.

A tablet on the counter has one job. Kiosk mode makes sure it does that job and nothing else: no settings menu for a customer to find, no notification from a game, no screen going dark halfway through an order.

Kiosk devices follow a policy too

Shared tablets are still company devices. The Kiosk security policy template protects them like the rest of the fleet.

  • Encryption on

    Stored data stays unreadable if the tablet walks off.

  • Google Play only

    Apps from outside Google Play are blocked.

  • Updates overnight

    Scheduled for when the counter is closed.

Security policy templates →How to lock an Android tablet to one app →Kiosk mode docs →Managing many kiosks →

The kiosk wizard, step by step

Four screens. Open each step to see what it asks.

1Pick the app

Choose from your app catalog, type a Google Play package name, or enter a web URL. Single-app kiosks show only that app; multi-app kiosks show a simple launcher with the apps you pick.

2Set behaviour

Home button on or off. Clock and battery shown or hidden. Power button allowed or not. Settings access blocked. Error dialogs shown or suppressed so a customer never sees a stack trace.

3Set the screen

Fixed or automatic brightness, screen timeout, and "stay awake while charging" so a docked tablet never goes dark mid-order.

4Lock down the shared device

Volume lock, Bluetooth, calls, SMS, USB storage, wallpaper and account changes, each on or off. Apply to a group and every tablet in it behaves the same.

Related features

App management

Install and manage apps on company Android phones: mark Google Play apps required, available or blocked per policy, and spot missing or outdated apps.

Security policies

Android security policies in plain English: pick a template, set screen lock, updates, camera, Wi-Fi and encryption, and preview changes before publishing.

Dashboard & inventory

An Android device dashboard and inventory for small fleets: see which phones are online, offline or need attention, and filter by group, employee, policy.

Industries

Who uses kiosk mode

The trades that lean on this feature most, each with its own scenario and recommended policy.

Restaurants & retail

The order tablet shows the menu. Nothing else. All day.

Order screens and check-in tablets that should show one app and nothing else. Kiosk mode blocks the settings menu, keeps the screen awake, and tells you before the lunch rush if a tablet dies.

Read more →
Clinics & small healthcare

Front-desk tablets and staff phones that would pass an audit.

Front-desk tablets and staff phones that hold appointment details. Encryption, a real screen lock, patching on a schedule, and reports you can export for a compliance review.

Read more →
Small schools & training

Classroom tablets that stay on the lesson.

Shared classroom tablets used by a hundred students and supported by a teacher. A multi-app kiosk per room, blocked app stores, and updates that run overnight.

Read more →
Property management

Maintenance phones and leasing tablets that keep the keys safe.

Maintenance phones that carry lockbox codes and tenant details, and a leasing tablet that should show the application and nothing else. Lock, reassign and erase from one place.

Read more →

See every industry →

From the blog
ArticleHow to Lock an Android Tablet to One App (Kiosk Mode Guide)Turn a company Android tablet into a single-purpose device: what kiosk mode locks down, how to set it up, and the three settings people forget.ArticleSetting Up Order Tablets for Restaurants Without an IT PersonA practical setup for restaurant order and counter tablets: kiosk lockdown, the settings that survive a busy service, and what to do on a power cut.ArticleFully Managed vs Kiosk Android Devices: Which Setup to UseFully managed or kiosk? How to pick the right Android Enterprise setup for each company phone and tablet, and which security settings belong on each one.

Read the complete guide to Android MDM for small business →

User guide
Guide · PoliciesKiosk modeLock an Android tablet or phone to one app or a few apps with the four-step NounDesk kiosk wizard, then roll it out to your devices.

Browse the full user guide →

Kiosk mode: questions answered

Do I need a kiosk app for Android?

No. Android has kiosk mode built in, and NounDesk turns it on through Android Enterprise, so there is nothing extra to install on the tablet. You pick the app or web page in the wizard and the device locks to it. The step-by-step guide and the kiosk mode docs linked on this page walk through it.

How is this different from a kiosk browser app?

A kiosk browser app is a separate app you install that tries to keep people inside one screen. NounDesk uses the device's own managed kiosk mode instead, so the lock is set by Android itself, and the same console also applies a security policy, pushes the app and reports whether each kiosk is working. If your kiosk shows a website, enter the URL and NounDesk turns it into a full-screen web app.

Can a kiosk run a website instead of an app?

Yes. Enter the URL and NounDesk turns it into a full-screen web app. Most order screens and check-in desks run this way.

Can customers get out of the app?

Not if you turn the Home button off and block settings access in the wizard. The tablet shows your app and nothing else until an administrator changes it.

Will the screen turn off on the counter?

Only if you want it to. Set "Stay awake while charging" and a fixed brightness, and a docked tablet stays on all day.

Can I run more than one app in a kiosk?

Yes. A multi-app kiosk shows a simple launcher with only the apps you choose, for example a menu app and a payment app.

Ten phones. Ten minutes. Protected.

Start a 14-day free trial, no card required. Or load a sample fleet in demo mode first.

Start freeSign up and try demo mode