Kiosk Mode on Windows
Deliver a Kiosk Mode experience on Windows devices. This is especially useful for fixed-use devices: kiosks, tablets, or interactive displays.
In PandaSuite, Kiosk Mode for a Windows EXE is enabled with the Full screen option in the generation form. This option launches the application directly in full screen.
The previous Kiosk menu shown in some screenshots or older procedures is not accessible in current EXEs launched in full screen. To enable Kiosk Mode on the PandaSuite side, use Launch method > Full screen.
Enable PandaSuite Kiosk Mode
- Open the EXE export form from the dashboard.
- Under Launch method, enable Full screen.
- Generate the EXE, then install or reinstall the application on the Windows device.
- Launch the application: it opens directly in full screen.
The Menu bar option controls the menu bar in a regular window. With Full screen launch, the Windows application may hide the menu bar.
Lock Down the Windows Device
PandaSuite Kiosk Mode controls how the application is displayed: the EXE starts in full screen. It does not lock down the operating system by itself. To prevent access to File Explorer, the taskbar, the desktop, or Windows settings, also configure Windows lock-down.
Choose the method based on the expected level of control:
| Need | Recommended Windows method |
|---|---|
One PandaSuite .exe as the main kiosk interface | Shell Launcher. This option replaces Explorer.exe with the PandaSuite EXE for the kiosk account. It is suited to Windows desktop applications, but requires Windows Enterprise, Education, or IoT Enterprise. |
| Several allowed applications with a restricted desktop | Assigned Access multi-app or an MDM configuration. This option can restrict available apps, the Start menu, and some system policies. |
Recommended preparation:
- Create a dedicated Windows account for the kiosk, ideally a standard local account without administrator rights.
- Install the PandaSuite EXE on the device. For a shared workstation, prefer Install for all users of the device to keep a stable installation path.
- Keep a separate administrator account protected by a password for maintenance.
- Configure automatic sign-in for the kiosk session if the device must restart without intervention.
- Configure Shell Launcher or your MDM solution to launch the PandaSuite EXE when the kiosk account signs in.
- Test restart, application exit, network loss, touch input, virtual keyboard behavior, and the maintenance procedure before deploying on site.
For a PandaSuite EXE, Shell Launcher is generally the most coherent Windows option for single-app lock-down, because the application is a Windows desktop app. Assigned Access multi-app can be useful if the device must allow several applications in a restricted session.
See the Microsoft documentation to choose the right setup: Windows kiosk configuration options, Shell Launcher, and Assigned Access.