Kiosk mode in Windows 11 allows you to create a restricted user experience where users can only access specific apps or websites. This is useful for public terminals, point-of-sale systems, or demonstration devices.
Complete Guide: Setting Up Kiosk Mode in Windows 11
Prerequisites
- Windows 11 Pro, Enterprise, or Education edition
- Administrator access
- The apps you want to allow in kiosk mode
- A separate user account for kiosk mode (will be created during setup)
Method 1: Using Windows Settings
Step 1: Create a Kiosk Account
- Open Windows Settings (Win + I)
- Navigate to Accounts > Other users
- Click "Add account" under "Other users"
- Select "I don't have this person's sign-in information"
- Choose "Add a user without a Microsoft account"
- Create a local account with a username and password
Step 2: Configure Kiosk Mode
- Go back to Settings > Accounts > Other users
- Click on the kiosk account you created
- Click "Change account type"
- Select "Kiosk" from the Account type dropdown
- Click "OK"
Step 3: Set Up the Kiosk App
- Under the kiosk account settings, click "Set up kiosk"
- Choose the type of kiosk:Single-app kiosk (one application only)
- Multi-app kiosk (selected applications)
- Select the application(s) to run in kiosk mode
- Configure additional settings:Auto-login
- Session timeouts
- Start menu layout
- Restricted access settings
- Method 2: Using Microsoft Intune (Enterprise)
Step 1: Access Intune
- Sign in to Microsoft Endpoint Manager
- Navigate to Devices > Configuration profiles
- Click "Create profile"
Step 2: Configure Profile
- Select platform: "Windows 10 and later"
- Select profile type: "Templates"
- Choose "Kiosk" template
- Configure settings:
Profile name: [Your Kiosk Profile Name] Description: [Optional Description] Platform: Windows 10 and later
Step 3: Kiosk Settings
- Configure kiosk mode type:
- Single app
- Multi-app
- Specify allowed applications
- Set user account type
- Configure auto-login settings
- Set up network and security options
Method 3: Using PowerShell (Advanced)
Step 1: Create Configuration File
- Open Notepad
- Create XML configuration:
xml
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?> <AssignedAccessConfiguration xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/AssignedAccess/2017/config"> <Profiles> <Profile Id="{Profile-ID}"> <AllowedApps> <App AppUserModelId="Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge_8wekyb3d8bbwe!MicrosoftEdge" /> </AllowedApps> </Profile> </Profiles> <Configs> <Config> <UserGroup Name="Kiosk Users" /> <ProfileId Id="{Profile-ID}" /> </Config> </Configs> </AssignedAccessConfiguration>
- Save as
KioskConfig.xml
Step 2: Apply Configuration
- Open PowerShell as Administrator
- Run commands:
powershell
# Import configuration Import-Module AssignedAccess Set-AssignedAccessConfiguration -ConfigurationFile path\to\KioskConfig.xml # Verify configuration Get-AssignedAccessConfiguration
Additional Configuration Options
Security Settings
- Disable keyboard shortcuts:
- Task Manager (Ctrl+Alt+Del)
- Alt+Tab switching
- Windows key
- Configure auto-login:
powershell
Set-AutoLogon -Username "KioskUser" -Password "Password" -Enable $true
Network Settings
- Configure proxy settings (if needed)
- Set up firewall rules
- Configure network restrictions
UI Customization
- Hide taskbar
- Remove access to Settings
- Disable notifications
- Customize start menu layout
Troubleshooting
Common Issues and Solutions
- Kiosk Mode Not Starting
- Verify user account permissions
- Check application configuration
- Review event logs
- Application Crashes
- Test application stability
- Check application permissions
- Review application logs
- Unable to Configure
- Verify Windows edition
- Check administrator rights
- Review policy settings
Best Practices
Security
- Use strong passwords
- Regularly update kiosk configuration
- Implement network isolation
- Enable device encryption