Understanding and Configuring Android Kiosk Mode with Applivery

Kiosk Mode is one of the most commonly used features for deploying dedicated Android Devices. It allows IT administrators to lock down a Device to a single application or a curated set of Apps, preventing users from accessing anything outside of what the organization has defined — no home screen, no App drawer, no system navigation unless explicitly allowed.

Applivery provides three distinct kiosk modes for Android, each designed for different use cases and levels of customization.

Available Kiosk Modes

Single App kiosk mode

Single App kiosk mode locks the Device to one specific application. Users cannot exit the App, access the home screen, or reach any other part of the Device unless the administrator explicitly allows it. This is the go-to mode for point-of-sale terminals, self-service kiosks, digital signage, data collection Devices, and any other single-purpose deployment.

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How to configure Single App kiosk mode

Single App kiosk mode is configured at the Policy level in Applivery.

Go to any of your Policies (1) or create a new one. From the left-hand menu, click Kiosk, and select the Single App (2) option.

Choose the App to lock the Device from the dropdown (3). If no Apps are listed, go to the Apps section of the Policy and add at least one Force-Installed App first.

Configure the lockdown behavior options (described below).

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Single App lockdown options

Option	Description
Device Settings	Whether the Settings app is accessible while in kiosk mode.
Power button actions	Controls the behavior when the user long-presses the Power button.
Status bar	Specifies whether system info and notifications are disabled in kiosk mode.
System error warnings	Whether system error dialogs for crashed or unresponsive Apps are blocked. When blocked, the system force-stops the App as if the user selected "Close app".
System navigation	Specifies which navigation features are enabled (e.g., Home button, Overview/Recents button).
Network escape hatch	If enabled, and a network connection cannot be established at boot, the user is prompted to temporarily connect to a network to refresh the Device policy. The temporary connection is forgotten once the Policy is refreshed.

Warning

We strongly recommend enabling the Network Escape Hatch in all kiosk modes. Without it, a Device that fails to connect to the network at boot — for example, because the last known network is no longer available — may become stuck and unable to receive Policy updates, especially when booting directly into a locked App.

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Preparing your App for Single App kiosk mode

To correctly lock down a custom application in Single App kiosk mode, the App's AndroidManifest.xml must declare the correct intent filters on the activity that should run in kiosk mode.

Add the following intent-filter to the target activity:

<intent-filter>
    <action android:name="android.intent.action.VIEW" />
    <action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN" />

    <category android:name="android.intent.category.HOME" />
    <category android:name="android.intent.category.DEFAULT" />
</intent-filter>

Warning

Declaring android.intent.category.HOME in your App's main activity intent filter may prevent certain kiosk settings — such as system navigation restrictions or status bar control — from being applied correctly on some Devices. Test thoroughly on your target hardware before deploying.

Basic Launcher (Multi-App kiosk mode)

The Basic Launcher allows administrators to define a list of allowed applications displayed in a locked home screen UI. It is built on Android's native Device Policy Controller (DPC) and provides a solid foundation for multi-app kiosk deployments without requiring additional licensing.

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How to configure the Basic Launcher

Inside the Policy, go to the Apps section. Click + Add App and add each application you want to make available in the kiosk launcher.
Key rules for App visibility in the Basic Launcher:

• Only Apps set to Force Installed will appear in the launcher interface.

• All System Apps are hidden by default — if you need a System App visible (e.g., Phone, Camera, Chrome), you must add it explicitly.

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Enable the Basic Launcher

From the left-hand menu, click Kiosk and select the Basic Launcher (4) option. Configure the lockdown behavior options (same options as Single App mode — see the table above).

Advanced Launcher (Multi-App kiosk mode)

The Advanced Launcher is Applivery's custom-built kiosk launcher that extends Android's native DPC capabilities with additional visual customization, access controls, and display management options. It is the recommended choice for deployments where a polished, branded, or highly controlled user experience is required.

To enable it, go to the Kiosk section and switch to the Advanced Launcher (5) tab.

Visual and display configuration

The Advanced Launcher provides full control over the visual presentation of the kiosk interface:

• Wallpaper: Set a custom background image for the kiosk launcher.

• Icon size: Adjust the size of App icons displayed in the launcher.

• App layout: Organize the arrangement of Apps on the screen.

• Folders: Group Apps into folders for a cleaner layout.

• Screen always on: Keep the display permanently active, preventing it from sleeping. Useful for digital signage or always-on terminals.

Startup app: By tapping on a specific App in the Advanced Launcher configuration, you can mark it as the startup app. This causes the App to launch automatically the first time it is installed on the Device — particularly useful for applications that require an initial setup or onboarding flow to run before anything else.

Settings App access control

The Advanced Launcher gives granular control over how — or whether — users can access the Device Settings:

• Restrict access entirely: Prevent the Settings App from opening.

• Configure the landing view: Choose which Settings screen opens when the user taps Settings, rather than showing the full Settings menu.

• Password-protect Settings: Require a password to access the Settings App, ensuring that only authorized users (such as technicians or store managers) can make system-level changes on the Device.

Header and footer customization

The launcher interface supports a customizable header and footer bar, allowing organizations to display contextual information directly on the kiosk screen:

• Custom text: Add a title, instruction, or message in the header or footer.

• Text size: Adjust the size of the displayed text.

• Dynamic variables: Include Device-specific information automatically using dynamic variables such as:

  • Device display name.

  • User email address.

  • Other managed configuration variables.

This is particularly useful for shared Devices deployed across multiple locations, where displaying the Device name or assigned user helps with identification and support.

Display settings

The Advanced Launcher also exposes Device display settings that can be configured and locked through the Policy:

Choosing the right kiosk mode