Kiosk & Clock-In

Kiosk Lock Mode

Lock mode prevents workers from navigating away from the kiosk screen, keeping your clock-in station secure and focused.

4 min read

What Lock Mode Does

Why you should lock down your kiosk device.

The kiosk runs in a web browser, which means that without lock mode, anyone could tap the address bar, press the back button, or navigate to a different website. Lock mode prevents all of that, turning the device into a dedicated clock-in station.

When lock mode is active, the kiosk takes over the full screen and removes all browser controls. Workers see only the clock-in interface — nothing else. To make changes or exit, a manager must enter the admin PIN.

Purpose

Prevents navigation away from the kiosk clock-in screen

Who uses it

Any site with a shared kiosk device (tablet, laptop, or touchscreen)

Security

Protected by an admin PIN (default: 9999)

Recommended

Yes — always enable lock mode on unattended kiosk devices

Important

Lock mode is strongly recommended for any kiosk device that is left unattended. Without it, workers (or visitors) could accidentally close the kiosk or browse the internet.

How to Enable Lock Mode

Two ways to activate lock mode on your kiosk.

There are two ways to turn on lock mode:

1

Add ?lock=true to the URL

When you open your kiosk URL, simply add ?lock=true to the end of the address. For example:

https://app.tempclock.co.uk/kiosk/abc123?lock=true

The kiosk will immediately enter lock mode and go fullscreen when the page loads.

2

Use the lock button on the kiosk screen

If the kiosk is already open, look for the small lock icon in the bottom-right corner of the screen. Tapping it will activate lock mode immediately.

Kiosk — Lock Mode Active

Camera active

TempClock Kiosk — Acme Construction Site

Locked
Tip

For the best results, bookmark the kiosk URL with ?lock=true included so it always opens in lock mode.

The Admin PIN

How to unlock the kiosk when you need to make changes.

When lock mode is active, the only way to exit is by entering the admin PIN. This prevents workers from accidentally (or intentionally) leaving the kiosk screen.

Default PIN

9999 — change this immediately after setup

Where to change

Manage portal > Settings > Kiosk Setup > Admin PIN

PIN length

4 to 8 digits

Who should know

Only site managers and admins — not workers

Important

The default admin PIN is 9999. Please change this as soon as possible from Settings > Kiosk Setup in the manage portal. Using the default PIN is a security risk.

To unlock the kiosk, tap the screen 5 times quickly in the top-left corner. This reveals a hidden PIN entry field. Enter the admin PIN and the kiosk will exit lock mode, returning you to the normal browser view.

What's Blocked in Lock Mode

A summary of browser features that are disabled.

When lock mode is active, the following browser features are suppressed or hidden:

Address bar — Hidden. Workers cannot type in a URL or see the current address.
Back / forward buttons — Disabled. The browser's navigation buttons are removed.
Fullscreen mode — The kiosk automatically enters fullscreen, filling the entire screen.
Tab bar — Hidden. Workers cannot open new tabs or switch between tabs.
Browser menu — Suppressed. The settings, bookmarks, and history menus are inaccessible.
Pull-to-refresh — Disabled on mobile devices to prevent accidental page reloads.
Keyboard shortcuts — Common shortcuts (Ctrl+L, Ctrl+T, Alt+F4) are intercepted where possible.
Note

Lock mode works best when combined with your device's built-in kiosk features (Guided Access on iPad, Kiosk Mode on Android). See the tablet setup section below.

Setting Up on a Tablet

Device-specific instructions for iPad and Android tablets.

For the most secure kiosk experience, we recommend combining TempClock's lock mode with your tablet's built-in kiosk features. This creates a double layer of protection.

iPad (Guided Access)

Apple's Guided Access locks the iPad to a single app. Here is how to set it up:

Open Settings > Accessibility > Guided Access and turn it on
Set a Guided Access passcode (separate from the device passcode)
Open Safari and navigate to your kiosk URL (with ?lock=true)
Triple-click the Home button (or Side button on newer iPads) to start Guided Access
Tap Start in the top-right corner — the iPad is now locked to Safari
To exit, triple-click the Home/Side button again and enter your Guided Access passcode

Android (Screen Pinning / Kiosk Mode)

Android offers Screen Pinning (available on most devices) to lock to a single app:

Open Settings > Security > Screen Pinning (or Advanced > Screen Pinning) and enable it
Open Chrome and navigate to your kiosk URL (with ?lock=true)
Open the Overview/Recent apps view (square button)
Tap the pin icon on the Chrome app card
The device is now locked to Chrome — the navigation bar is disabled
To exit, long-press the Back and Overview buttons together, then enter your device PIN
Tip

We recommend using a dedicated tablet for the kiosk rather than a shared device. A basic iPad or Android tablet (around £100–£200) works perfectly. Mount it on a wall or stand near the entrance.

How to Exit Lock Mode

Steps for managers to unlock the kiosk.

When you need to update settings, troubleshoot, or simply access the browser again, follow these steps to exit lock mode:

Reveal the unlock prompt

Tap the screen 5 times quickly in the top-left corner of the kiosk screen. A small PIN entry field will slide into view.

Enter the admin PIN

Type in the admin PIN using the on-screen number pad. If you have not changed it, the default is 9999.

Kiosk unlocks

The kiosk exits fullscreen and the normal browser controls reappear. You can now navigate freely, access the manage portal, or close the browser.

Note

If you have forgotten the admin PIN, you can change it from the manage portal under Settings > Kiosk Setup. You will need to log in to the portal from a separate device.

Important

After making changes, remember to re-enable lock mode by refreshing the page or adding ?lock=true back to the URL.

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