Windows 10 Kiosk Mode

Windows 10 provides a number of features important for digital signage and interactive kiosk mode applications. In most deployments is necessary to implement most, if not all, of the following:

• Lock down the PC to prevent access to the OS or other applications
• Starting the player app automatically on boot-up
• Preventing the PC and display from powering down (sleep mode)
• Disabling the physical power button on the PC
• Turn off system notifications

Microsoft has detailed how to implement these, and more, in their article: Set up a kiosk on Windows 10 Pro, Enterprise, or Education. Our article will provide an overview of some of the more commonly implemented features.

Locking down the player with Assigned Access

Assigned access is a feature available on Windows 10 Pro, Education, and Enterprise versions. Using assigned access, Windows 10 runs a designated Universal Windows app (the Revel Digital player app) above the lockscreen, so that the assigned access account has no access to any other functionality on the device. Microsoft details the process of using assigned access here: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/configuration/set-up-a-kiosk-for-windows-10-for-desktop-editions#assigned-access-method-for-universal-windows-apps

Auto-start the player app on boot-up

When using assigned access the player app will auto start once the user has logged in. In order for the app to start automatically on boot-up we need to automatically log in the user. There are a couple of methods for accomplishing this as detailed here: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/configuration/set-up-a-kiosk-for-windows-10-for-desktop-editions#set-up-automatic-logon

Preventing the PC and display from powering down (sleep mode)

To disable sleep mode, open the Windows Settings > System > Power & sleep. Then select 'Never' for the Screen and Sleep options.

Disabling the physical power button on the PC

Go to Power Options > Choose what the power button does, change the setting to Do nothing, and then Save changes.

Turn off system notifications

Open the Group Policy Editor by running gpedit.msc. Then navigate to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates\System\Logon\Turn off app notifications on the lock screen.