Mobile
Android (Kotlin)
Apps built specifically for Android, with full access to the phone's hardware, background location and company-managed devices.
Used for
- Apps for Android
- Delivery partner apps
- Billing and POS apps
- Field staff apps
Android kiosk mode
Kiosk mode development for Androidâ„¢ tablets, phones and terminals
Tablets, phones and terminals locked to your app, so customers and staff see only what they should, with updates and health checks handled from one console.
At a glance
The short version
What it is
Single-app and multi-app kiosks for Android tablets, phones and terminals: locked ordering, check-in and catalogue apps that customers cannot escape.
- What you get
- Self-ordering and table ordering
- Patient and visitor check-in
- Endless-aisle and catalogue tablets
- Attendance and task terminals
- How it works
- Kiosk tablet
- Device policy
- Customer
- Kiosk app
- 2 more
- Runs on
- Android Enterprise
- POS terminals
- TV displays
- Signage
- Admin
- Built with
- Who it's for
- Cost depends on
- Kiosk app complexity
- Single-app or multi-app
- Number of device models
How to start
Tell us what you need in your own words. You talk to the developers who would build it and get a written, line-item estimate.
Get a project estimateWhat a proper Android kiosk looks like
Many businesses start with a tablet in a stand and a browser pinned to the ordering page. Within weeks someone swipes down the notification shade, opens settings, or the tablet installs an update in the middle of lunch service.
A proper kiosk uses Android's lock task mode, available to a device's owner app since Android 5.0 and given finer controls in Android 9. Only allowlisted apps can run, the home and recent-apps buttons disappear, the status bar can be hidden and the lock screen switched off for public use. The device is set up as company-owned, so the lockdown survives restarts and cannot be removed from the settings menu.
We build the kiosk app your customers use, the lockdown and launcher around it, and the console where your team updates content and sees which kiosks are working.
Use cases
Kiosks we build
Self-ordering and table ordering
Restaurant and café tablets that show the menu in several languages, take orders and send tickets to the kitchen.
Patient and visitor check-in
Hospital and clinic kiosks for registration, tokens and feedback, with no route to other apps or stored data.
Endless-aisle and catalogue tablets
Retail tablets that show the full catalogue, check stock at other stores and let staff book a home delivery.
Attendance and task terminals
Shared devices at a warehouse or factory gate for attendance, shift handover and daily checklists.
Ticketing and information points
Transport, event and campus kiosks that issue tickets, answer common questions and show maps.
Feedback stands
One-question feedback tablets at exits and counters, reset automatically after each response.
Comparison
Single-app kiosk, multi-app kiosk or a normal managed device?
| Single-app kiosk | Multi-app kiosk | Fully managed (no kiosk) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What the user sees | Only your app, full screen, from power-on | A simple launcher with a few approved apps | A normal Android home screen with approved work apps |
| Typical use | Customer ordering, check-in, feedback, signage | Staff tablets with billing, stock and chat apps | Sales, delivery and technician phones |
| Home, recent apps and notifications | Hidden | Home shown for the launcher; notifications optional | Available as normal |
| How it is set on Android | Lock task mode with one allowlisted app (install type KIOSK in the Android Management API) | Lock task mode with several allowlisted apps and a kiosk launcher | Device-owner policies without lock task mode |
| Leaving the kiosk | Through the console, or a hidden PIN-protected exit where the set-up allows one | The same; staff switch only between allowed apps | Not applicable |
| Lock screen | Usually off for public devices | On or off, depending on who uses it | On, with a passcode |
Challenges
Problems a real kiosk set-up prevents
Customers escaping the app
Swiping down, long-pressing the power key or opening recent apps to reach a video site or settings.
Pop-ups over your screen
Low-battery warnings, update prompts and other apps' notifications covering the ordering screen.
Blank or sleeping screens
Tablets dimming, sleeping, or stuck on the home screen after a power cut instead of reopening your app.
Updates at the wrong time
App or system updates starting during peak hours and leaving a kiosk on a progress bar.
No idea which kiosks are down
Staff find out a kiosk is broken only when a customer complains.
What is included
What a kiosk project includes
Platform: Kiosk tablet or terminal
Kiosk app
- Touch-first screens for standing users, with large targets and Indian language options
- Idle timer that clears the session and returns to the welcome screen for the next person
- Offline queue for orders or check-ins when Wi-Fi drops
- Allowlisted payment and printer apps, so a hand-off never breaks the lockdown
Platform: Managed device
Lockdown and launcher
- Lock task mode with the status bar, notifications, power menu and lock screen set for public use (individual controls on Android 9 or later)
- A branded multi-app launcher for staff kiosks
- Auto-start after a reboot, and the screen kept on while plugged in
- A PIN-protected technician exit, logged in the console, where the lockdown route allows one
- Factory reset, safe mode and USB file transfer blocked on company-owned devices
Platform: Admin dashboard
Kiosk console
- Kiosk profiles per site or use, such as table ordering or check-in
- Menu and content updates without reinstalling the app
- Update windows for apps and, where the device supports it, system updates
- Remote lock, reboot (Android 7.0 or later) and clear app data (Android 9 or later) when a kiosk misbehaves
Platform: Admin dashboard
Monitoring
- Heartbeat from each kiosk with battery, network and app version
- Alerts when a kiosk goes offline, or when the kiosk app reports that it has left lock task mode
- Daily uptime and usage summary per site
How it works
What a kiosk tablet does from power-on to closing time
Once set up, a kiosk runs this loop every day without anyone touching it.
- Kiosk tablet
Step 1: Power on
The device boots and its management agent starts; the lockdown policy has been in place since enrolment.
- Device policy
Step 2: App opens in lock task mode
Your kiosk app launches by itself, full screen, with home, recent apps and notifications hidden.
- Customer
Step 3: Customer uses it
They order, check in or leave feedback; the idle timer clears the screen for the next person.
- Kiosk app
Step 4: Hand-off to allowed apps
If payment or printing is needed, only the allowlisted payment or printer app opens, then control returns to the kiosk.
- Kiosk console
Step 5: Heartbeat and alerts
Every few minutes the kiosk reports battery, network and app version; silence raises an alert for the site manager.
- Update window
Step 6: Nightly maintenance
After closing, app updates install, content refreshes and the device restarts if scheduled, ready for the morning.
Then it starts again at step 1: Power on
Platforms
Where Android kiosks run
Company-owned Android tablets and phones, POS terminals running Android, and TV displays where the model supports device-owner management, plus the kiosk console.
- Mobile
Android Enterprise devices
Android phones, tablets and rugged handhelds with Google Play services, managed through Android Enterprise: company-owned devices as fully managed, dedicated (kiosk) or work-profile devices, and personal phones through a work profile only.
- Point of sale
POS terminals running Android
Countertop and handheld billing terminals running Android-based software, locked to approved billing and payment apps where the terminal maker or supplier allows device-owner or SDK control.
- TV
Android TV devices
TV screens and set-top boxes running Android TV for menus, lobbies and signage. The Android Management API does not support them at the time of writing, so control relies on a device-owner app or the maker's tools, confirmed model by model.
- Signage
Digital signage displays
Commercial displays and media players showing menus, offers and notices, with scheduled playlists, content updates and remote health checks through the player software.
- Back office
Admin dashboard
Back-office panels for operations, support and finance teams: orders, users, content, reports and permissions.
Technology
Technology behind our kiosks, and why it matters
Kotlin for a fast, dependable kiosk app; Android's lock task APIs or the Android Management API for the lockdown; a small backend that pushes content and collects heartbeats.
Device management
Android Device Owner and DPC APIs
Built-in Android APIs that let one trusted app control a company device: kiosk lock, silent app updates and restrictions, even without Google Play.
Used for
- Custom kiosk launchers
- Devices without Google Play
- POS and signage agents
- Silent app updates
Device management
Android Management API
A Google cloud API for device-management products: your console sets the rules, and a Google app on each Android device applies them.
Used for
- Kiosk products for stores
- EMM and MDM products
- Policy-based device fleets
- QR and zero-touch setup
Cloud & DevOps
Firebase
Ready-made building blocks for mobile apps, such as push notifications, phone OTP login and crash reports, so you launch sooner.
Used for
- Push notifications
- Phone OTP login
- Crash reports
- Real-time updates
Backend
NestJS
A structured way to build back ends on Node.js, so large business systems stay organised, testable and easy to hand over.
Used for
- Business app back ends
- SaaS platforms
- Marketplaces
- Admin panel back ends
Data
PostgreSQL
A reliable database for the records your business runs on: orders, payments, bookings and stock, kept accurate and easy to report on.
Used for
- Orders and customers
- Payments and ledgers
- Stock and inventory
- Bookings
Web
React
Builds interactive screens in the browser, such as dashboards, admin panels and portals, that respond instantly as your team works.
Used for
- Web apps
- Admin panels
- Dashboards
- Customer portals
Plain-English glossary
Kiosk terms, in plain English
- Lock task mode
- Android's built-in kiosk feature. Only apps the device's management app has allowlisted can run, and system buttons and notifications are hidden, so the kiosk cannot be escaped with a swipe.
- Allowlist
- The short list of apps allowed to run on a kiosk, such as your ordering app plus a payment app. Anything not on it cannot open, even if it is installed.
- Kiosk launcher
- A simple home screen for a multi-app kiosk that shows only the approved apps, often with your branding, in place of the normal Android home screen.
- Idle reset
- A timer in the kiosk app that clears the last customer's session after a period with no touches, so the next person never sees someone else's order or details.
- Keyguard
- Android's name for the lock screen. Public kiosks usually disable it so the app is always ready; staff kiosks may keep it with a PIN.
- Heartbeat
- A small status message each kiosk sends every few minutes. When heartbeats stop, the console knows that kiosk needs attention.
Product preview
Kiosk screens and the console behind them
Table-ordering kiosk. The customer-facing screen: one app, large buttons, a language choice and nothing else, with a small badge showing the device is managed and locked. 
Hospital check-in kiosk. A check-in kiosk: patients pick a department and get a token, and the idle reset clears their details before the next person arrives. 
Staff tablet. A multi-app kiosk for staff: the launcher shows only billing, stock, training and attendance apps, while the camera and settings stay blocked. 
Kiosk console. The kiosk profile in the console: which app runs, which system features are visible and when updates may install. 
Kiosk console. Operations see every kiosk's last heartbeat, battery and app version, and which ones have dropped offline.
Illustrative preview
Sample screens: names, prices and figures are examples, not client data.
Work
Related sample project
Device management & kiosk solutions
Illustrative sampleAndroid kiosk and device management platform for retail stores
An illustrative kiosk product for retail chains: locked Android tablets for catalogues and price checks, a staff launcher, and a console to enrol, update and monitor every device.
- Retail
- Device management platform
Runs on
- Android Enterprise
- Admin
- Web app
Built with
- Next.js
- React
- Android (Kotlin)
- NestJS
- PostgreSQL
- +1 more
Industries
Where our Android kiosks fit
Cost drivers
What drives the cost of an Android kiosk
Kiosk app complexity
A feedback screen is a small app; self-ordering with menus, add-ons, payments and kitchen tickets is a full product.
Single-app or multi-app
A multi-app kiosk needs a launcher, allowlist management and testing of every hand-off between apps.
Number of device models
Each tablet or terminal model is tested for lockdown, power behaviour and peripherals; one model is far simpler than five.
Peripherals
Receipt printers, card or UPI payment devices, barcode scanners and token printers each need integration and on-site testing.
Lockdown route
An EMM you already license costs least; the Android Management API suits a kiosk-management product you offer to other businesses; a custom device-owner app adds an Android app to maintain.
Content management and languages
Menus or content editable from the console, and several Indian languages, add design and backend work.
Rollout support
Staging devices, installation guides for each site and a spare-device plan.
Estimates are written from your scope, with the effort and assumptions behind each line item.
How pricing worksProcess
How a kiosk project runs
Kiosk journey and hardware check
We map what a customer does at the kiosk, and test your tablet or terminal model for lock task support, auto-start and power behaviour.
You getJourney map and hardware report
Prototype on the real device
Clickable screens run on the actual hardware in its stand, at standing height, before the full build.
You getKiosk prototype
App and lockdown build
Kiosk app, launcher and lockdown policy are built together and tested against every escape route we know of.
You getKiosk build and lockdown test sheet
Pilot at one location
A kiosk runs with real customers for two to four weeks while we watch heartbeats, idle resets and support calls.
You getPilot findings
Rollout and support
Devices are enrolled in batches with a printed set-up card for each site, and updates follow a nightly window.
You getRollout tracker and support plan
Services
Services involved
The disciplines a project like this draws on.
Android app development
Native Android apps in Kotlin and Jetpack Compose, designed for entry-level phones, patchy networks and the background limits of popular Android brands.
Admin panel development
Back-office dashboards built around your team's daily tasks: order queues, approvals, catalogue management, payouts, reports and audit logs.
Custom software development
Software shaped around how your business runs, from approvals and inventory to billing and reports, replacing spreadsheets and disconnected tools.
UI/UX design
Product design for web and mobile apps: research, user flows, wireframes, prototypes and design systems that engineers can build from.
API development
Secure, documented REST and GraphQL APIs, plus integrations that connect your apps to payment, logistics, GST, messaging and business systems.
More specific pages
Tailored by industry
Android kiosk mode development for
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Can customers get out of an Android kiosk?
Not through normal use when lock task mode is set up properly: home, recent apps and notifications are hidden, other apps cannot open and settings are out of reach. On company-owned devices we also block factory reset from settings and safe mode. Physical access still matters, because someone with tools can damage or force-reset hardware, so enclosures, mounting and factory reset protection are part of the plan.
How do staff do maintenance on a locked kiosk?
Most maintenance needs no one on site: apps, content and settings change from the console. When a technician must use the device, they leave kiosk mode either through a hidden, PIN-protected exit in the app, where the lockdown route allows one, or by switching the device to a maintenance policy from the console. Both are logged, and PINs can be changed per site.
Can we use ordinary consumer tablets?
Often yes, if the model has Google Play, a supported Android version and still receives security updates. Very cheap tablets sometimes lack management features, stop getting updates early, or are not designed to stay on charge all day. We test your chosen model for lock task support, auto-start after power cuts and charging behaviour before you buy in bulk.
What happens if the Wi-Fi drops?
The kiosk keeps working for anything it can do offline: menus, check-in forms and feedback are stored on the device and sent when the connection returns. Actions that need a live server, such as confirming an online payment, show a clear message instead of freezing. The console marks the kiosk offline after missed heartbeats, so staff know before a customer complains.
Can a kiosk show a website instead of an app?
Yes. We can lock the device to a kiosk browser app that opens only your web address, hides the address bar and blocks other sites. It is a quick start if your ordering or check-in system is already web-based. A native app is usually faster, copes better offline and talks to printers and scanners more reliably, so many kiosks move to one later.
Do TV displays running Android support kiosk mode?
Some do. Device-owner management and lock task mode on televisions and set-top boxes vary by model and Android version, and many lack the setup screens used for QR or zero-touch enrolment. For menu boards and signage we test the exact model first; where it cannot be managed properly, a commercial signage player with its own management software is often the more dependable choice.
How are kiosk apps updated without staff?
Through the console. A new version is published to managed Google Play as a private app, or to your own update server for a custom device-owner set-up, and installs in the maintenance window you choose, usually overnight. With the Android Management API, that daily window is how Google Play updates an app pinned on screen. We release to a few kiosks first, for example through a test track, and widen the rollout once they check in healthy.
Related
Keep exploring
Next step
Planning a kiosk?
Tell us what customers or staff should do at the kiosk and which hardware you have in mind. We will test the lockdown on it and send a line-item estimate.