iPad kiosk mode: how to lock an iPad to one app
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The fastest way to lock an iPad to a single app is Guided Access — built into every iPad, free, no Mac or extra software, set up in minutes. It’s the right choice for one or two devices, which covers most kiosks. The heavier options (Single App Mode, mobile device management) exist for unattended multi-device fleets and are summarised at the end.
| Method | Setup effort | Survives reboot | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guided Access (this guide) | Minutes, no Mac | No — manual re-enable | 1–2 devices |
| Single App Mode | Supervision (erases the iPad) | Yes | 3+ devices, unattended |
| Mobile device management | Enrolment + ongoing cost | Yes, remote recovery | Multi-site fleets |
Step 0 — if your kiosk is a web app: Add to Home Screen
This is the step most guides omit. Locking Guided Access onto Safari leaves the address bar and tabs exposed — visitors can browse anywhere. Open the kiosk URL, tap Share → Add to Home Screen, and lock onto that icon instead. It opens full-screen with no URL bar. (Native apps skip this.)
Set up Guided Access
- Settings → Accessibility → Guided Access → turn on.
- Passcode Settings → Set Guided Access Passcode. Use a real passcode, not Face/Touch ID alone (biometrics tied to one person fail the day they’re on holiday), and not the device unlock code if staff know it.
- Open the kiosk app and triple-click the top button (Home button on older iPads).
- Set the options below, tap Start.
Options worth setting: disable the volume and sleep/wake buttons; circle any screen regions that should ignore touch; no Time Limit; and set Guided Access’s own Display Auto-Lock (inside its settings page) to Never — it’s separate from the system one.
Exact steps: Apple’s Lock iPad to one app with Guided Access and Use Guided Access. Menu wording shifts between iPadOS versions; those pages are authoritative.
Honest limitations
It doesn’t survive a restart (after power loss, someone must unlock and triple-click again); anyone with the passcode can exit; and there’s no remote visibility — if the session ends, you find out when you walk past. For a plugged-in kiosk that someone walks past daily, these are acceptable trade-offs.
Keep it running (the checklist)
- Auto-Lock: Never — in Settings → Display & Brightness and Guided Access’s own Display Auto-Lock.
- Power permanently connected. Removes the most common failure: a dead iPad on Monday.
- Do Not Disturb on — no calls or AirDrop prompts over the kiosk.
- Automatic updates off — not for security: an overnight update reboots the iPad and silently ends Guided Access. Update manually during the monthly check instead.
- Lock screen locked down — disable Control Centre and Notification Centre access from the lock screen.
- Stable Wi-Fi — and test what your app does when the connection drops.
- A stand that covers the buttons and a secured cable beat most software settings.
- Weekly two-minute check: screen on, app responsive, charging, Wi-Fi. Monthly: install updates, re-enter Guided Access.
Troubleshooting
- Screen sleeps anyway → Auto-Lock lives in two places (see checklist); check both.
- Guided Access off after reboot → expected, not a bug. Unlock, open app, triple-click. Frequent reboots = check the power supply.
- Someone exited the app → they knew the passcode. Change it. If it keeps happening, see the fleet options below.
- App reloaded and lost state → iPadOS reloads long-idle web apps; a kiosk web app should treat every load as fresh. App-side fix.
- Won’t hold charge under constant use → underpowered third-party chargers can supply less than the screen draws at full brightness. Use original-spec, lower brightness a notch.
When you outgrow Guided Access
Running three or more kiosks, or devices nobody walks past daily? The step up is Single App Mode: the iPad is put into Apple’s supervised state (organisation-owned mode — applying it erases the device, so back up first) and then locked to one app at the OS level. It boots straight back into the app after any restart and can’t be exited on the device itself. Setup is via Apple Configurator (free Mac app, USB cable) or Apple Business Manager plus a mobile device management service such as Jamf, Mosyle, Hexnode, or SimpleMDM, which pushes the locked app over the air and shows device status remotely. Apple’s overview: About device supervision. Until you’re at that scale, Guided Access plus the checklist above is the simpler, free answer.
Frequently asked questions
- Can I use an old iPad?
- Almost certainly — Guided Access has shipped with every iPad for over a decade. Old iPads are popular kiosks precisely because the job is undemanding.
- Does this work on Android tablets?
- Yes, via a different mechanism — app pinning (dedicated-device mode when managed).
- Do I need an MDM (mobile device management)?
- No. For 1–2 devices, Guided Access is enough and free. It pays off with several devices across locations.
- Does Guided Access cost anything?
- No — built into iPadOS. No Mac, no account, no subscription.
- Can visitors exit the app?
- Only by triple-clicking and entering your Guided Access passcode — keep it private and don’t reuse the device unlock code.
- What happens after a power cut?
- The iPad restarts to the lock screen; someone re-enables Guided Access manually. (Supervised Single App Mode devices reboot straight into the app — the main reason fleets move to it.)
Setting up a visitor feedback kiosk? Sensa runs on any iPad you already own — the Free tier takes about ten minutes from sign-up to your first response.
Start free with one location