Windows Single or Multi App Kiosks

A Kiosk is also referred to as an Assigned Access.  Assigned Access is a feature that allows you to configure a PC as a Kiosk device to serve a specific purpose. In this article, we shall discuss Windows 10 Single or Multi App Kiosks. Please see how to Disable or Remove Kiosk Mode Via the Local Settings, Single App Kiosk Mode: Setup Assigned Access using Local Settings, and Setup Kiosk Mode on Windows 10 with AD User Account.

Organizations often need to apply custom settings (configurations) to devices for their users. Windows 10 provides several features, ways or methods to help set up (configure) or lock down certain parts of Windows 10.

“You can use assigned access to restrict customers at your business to using only one Windows app so your device acts as a kiosk”. “Digital signage can be a useful and exciting business tool. Use digital signs to showcase your products and services, to display testimonials, or to advertise promotions and campaigns. A digital sign can be a static display, such as a building directory or menu, or it can be dynamic, such as repeating videos or a social media feed.”

Configure Kiosks and Digital Signs on Windows Desktop Editions

Note: At the moment, the information present on Microsoft relates to prerelease products. Nevertheless, it may be substantially modified before it is commercially released.

Why Configure Kiosks and Digital Signs on Windows Desktop? Desktop devices in an organization perform specific tasks (special purposes). For example “a PC in the lobby that customers can use to view your product catalogue or a PC displaying visual content as a digital sign”.

Windows 10 offers two different lockdown experiences for public or specialized needs.

Windows 10 Kiosk lockdown experiences

1. Single-App Kiosk

In this lock-down experience, it runs a single Universal Windows Platform (UWP) app in full-screen above the lock screen.

Note: In this way, Users (Customers or People) using this type of Kiosk can only see that App alone.

When a Kiosk account signs in using a Kiosk account (local standard account), the Kiosk Apps will be launched automatically (Note: Only be launched). You can configure automatic sign-in to these apps as well.  

Note: The Person using the Kiosk cannot do anything on the device outside of the Kiosk app.

Note: A single-app kiosk is recommended for Public use. 

Furthermore, One of the advantages of a single-app kiosk is that it provides an easy-to-use application placed on the Kiosk Desktop (in front of them), which is needed only and removes other apps from the view that they do not need access to.

2. Multi-App Kiosk

This runs one or more apps from the Desktop. When users using this app sign in, they see a customized Start Menu that shows the tiles for the apps they are allowed to access.

Bearing the access control in mind, you can configure a lock-down experience for different account types. When a multi-app kiosk is configured, specific policies are enforced which will affect non-admin users on the device.

Kiosk Configurations are based on Assigned Access, a feature in Windows 10, which enables Admins to manage user experience by limiting the application’s entry points exposed to the users.

Kiosk Configuration Setup Choices

However, there are various ways in which Kiosk configuration can be carried out depending on the following factors

App Type: Kiosk to run a Universal Windows Platform (UWP) app or Windows Desktop Application. Also for digital Signage, make use of the digital sign player as your kiosk app.

Kiosk Type:  This option has two deciding factors
A: If you intend to run a single app for everyone to see and utilize, consider running a single app kiosk that either runs as a Universal Windows Platform (UWP) or Desktop App.
B: If you would permit sign-in to the Kiosk or run more than one App then a Multi-App Kiosk is recommended.

Edition of Windows the Kiosk Will run on: Kiosk mode is not available on Windows 10 Home. Kiosk mode works on Windows 10 Enterprise and Education Edition.
Note: For Windows 10 Pro, some of the methods work for this edition of Windows.

Which Type of User Account will be utilized by the Kiosk: This option also depends on the two options available below.
A:  If you intend to ensure users sign in with their credentials, then you should deploy a Multi-App Kiosk.
B: The Single App Kiosk configuration does not allow users to sign in.

Note: You can sign in to an app that requires a sign-in method. 

Note: Moreover, The kiosk account can be a local standard user account, a local administrator account, a domain account, or an Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) account, depending on the method that you use to configure the kiosk.

Nonetheless, Single-App Kiosk mode cannot be deployed or accessed via a Remote Desktop Connection (RDP). This means the kiosk users must sign on a physical device that is set-up as a Kiosk.

Single-App Kiosk Setup

There are several ways to achieve this, which are as follows: this runs on Windows 10 Pro, Enterprise and Education Windows Edition

- Using Local Setting (GUI): This is sub-divided into the various version and build of Windows.
- Windows PowerShell
- Windows Configuration Designer (search the AppStore or use the link below)
- Microsoft Intune or other MDM service

When Active Directory or Azure Active Directory does not manage your kiosk, “there is a default setting that enables automatic sign-in after a restart. That means that when the device restarts, the last signed-in user will be signed in automatically.

If the last signed-in user is the kiosk account, the kiosk app will be launched automatically after the device restarts.

To set up Kiosk (assigned access) using Local Settings (PC settings) for Windows 10, Version 1809, follow this link

Note: If there are any local standard user accounts on the device already, the Create an account page will offer the option to choose an existing account.

Note: When a user logs on, windows will automatically open the app you chose in full-screen mode and you won’t be allowed to leave the app. Even standard features like taskbar and start menu won’t appear

To exit the kiosk mode, use the Alt + Ctrl + Del keyboard.

Multi-App Kiosk Setup

This runs on Windows 10 Pro, Enterprise, and Education Windows Edition.

Note: By design, a Kiosk device runs only a single app and users are usually restricted from accessing other features on the Kiosk outside the App. 

This was corrected and enhanced in Windows 10, version 1709. Where the AssignedAccess Configuration Service Provider (CSP) allows administrators to create kiosks that can run multiple apps. Multi-App kiosks can be configured using.

 Microsoft Intune or
 Provisioning Packages 

Note: Consequently, If you don’t want to use a provisioning package, you can deploy the configuration XML file using mobile device management (MDM). Or you can configure assigned access using the MDM Bridge WMI Provider.

I hope you found this article useful on Windows 10 Single or Multi App Kiosks. Please feel free to leave a comment below.