How-To

How to Set Up Kiosk Mode on Windows 11

By Brian Burgess

Last Updated on April 28, 2022

A kiosk PC is a great way to allow customers to interact with your website or app on a display. Here’s how to set up a kiosk on Windows 11.

Kiosk mode on Windows 11 allows you to convert a traditional PC into a single-purpose kiosk that only runs a single app. For example, you could set it up so guests in a hotel lobby or the waiting area of a restaurant could access the internet, to fill out an application, or to repeat an advertisement for your business.

Whatever the reason for creating one, here’s a look at how to set up kiosk mode on Windows 11.

How to Enable Kiosk Mode on Windows 11

Setting up kiosk mode is a straightforward process on Windows 11. You can set up kiosk mode using any version of Windows 11, but you may prefer to use it with a monitor that has a touchscreen (as long as you’ve not disabled it).

To enable kiosk mode on Windows 11:

1. Open the Start menu and click Settings.
2. Navigate to Accounts > Family & other users.
3. Under the Set up a kiosk section, click the Get started button.
4. Type in a name for your kiosk and click Next.
5. Select the app you want to use with the kiosk and click Next. For example, you could select Microsoft News so users have something to browse through and read while waiting in the lobby. You can select whatever available app you want—just note that some will have different options than others.
6. The kiosk wizard will notify you it’s ready to go. To use the device as a kiosk will require you to sign in with your Microsoft account and use Ctrl + Alt + Del to exit kiosk mode.
7. To manage Settings in kiosk mode, open Settings > Accounts > Family & other users > Kiosk and click the Kiosk option.
8. Open the Kiosk info category to expand the menu and manage various settings. You can set it up using Microsoft News, remove the kiosk entirely, or set it to automatically restart if it crashes or flashes an error.
9. After you finish, restart Windows 11 to complete the process.

How to Run a Windows 11 Kiosk

When you create a kiosk on Windows, you’re creating another user account on the system.

Use the following steps to run your kiosk:

1. After rebooting your PC following the creation of the kiosk, you will find it listed in the user section in the lower-left corner of the sign-in screen.
2. Click on the kiosk user at the lower-left corner and sign in.
3. You and the other users can now access the kiosk and begin using it. It should go without saying that the device you set up should have a touchscreen. It does have to if you have a connected mouse and keyboard, but the experience will be more pleasant for the user.

How to Change the Kiosk App

If you’re moving your kiosk to a different area of your building or want users to have access to something different, you can change the kiosk app.

Make sure you’ve signed into your user account to do this—you can’t perform these steps using the kiosk-only account.

To change the kiosk app, follow these steps:

1. Open Start > Settings > Accounts > Family & other users.
2. Next, click on Kiosk (active) under the Set up a kiosk section.
3. Expand the Kiosk info section and click the Change kiosk app button.
4. When the Choose kiosk app screen opens, select the app you want to use as a kiosk and click Next.
5. If you choose Microsoft Edge, you’ll have a further step to select—select As a public browser and click Next.
6. Confirm the website you want to open when Edge opens in kiosk mode and click Next. Also, set the amount of time without activity before Edge restarts.

That’s it. Following the steps above, changes the app for your kiosk. If you need to restart the PC or sign in with another account, use Ctrl + Alt + Del to bring up options to sign out.

How to Disable Kiosk Mode on Windows 11

Want to stop running your kiosk? You can disable kiosk mode on Windows 11 at any time. You may want to do this if you plan on using the PC for something else.

To disable kiosk mode on Windows 11:

1. Sign in with your administrator account on the kiosk PC.
2. Go to Start > Settings > Accounts and click the Family & other users option.
3. Under the Set up a kiosk section, click Kiosk (active).
4. Expand the Kiosk info section and click the Remove kiosk button.
5. Click the Remove button when the verification message appears.

You remove the kiosk by following these instructions. If you want to create one later, you can just follow the steps above that cover setting up a kiosk.

Using Windows 11

By following the steps above, you’ll be able to enable kiosk mode on Windows 11 at any time. You can then use your kiosk PC to show your website, enable access to an app or service, or use it as an advertising display in full-screen mode.

If you’re looking for different ways to use your PC, look at creating a guest account or restricting app access to Microsoft Store apps only. You might also be interested in using Dynamic Lock on Windows 11 to protect your PC while you’re away from it.