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      Configuring Chromebook Kiosks

      How to lock down Chromebooks for use as a Minga Kiosk

      Using a shared Chromebook kiosk for students to create passes is an excellent way to enhance efficiency and security in your school.

      Kiosks allow students to quickly and easily create passes without needing their own devices, which is especially useful in areas where individual devices aren’t possible. By limiting access to only Minga, sensitive information is locked down and protected so students can only use the kiosk for its intended purpose.

      An added benefit is that it makes it easier for teachers and staff to track and manage student movement through centralized pass creation, providing better overall monitoring.

       

      Whats covered in this article:

      How to Set Up Chromebook Kiosks for Minga

      Follow these steps to successfully configure your Chromebook and create managed sessions.

      If you have questions or need help working through these steps you can contact our support team or message the Minga team in-app.

      Step 1: Set up Google OU Structure

      Log into your Google Admin Console, you will need to ensure that you have your students’ daily use devices in an Organizational Unit (OU) separate from your kiosk devices.

      💡OUs are structures within the Google Admin Console used to organize and manage devices, users, and settings. They help apply specific policies and settings to different groups of users or devices. 

       

      Below is a sample OU structure for a district that has a variety of devices in different grade levels. You can see that under the kiosks OU there is a separate one for Minga. This is critical for devices to be segmented correctly with the settings that follow.

      💡 The settings that follow are recommended settings to modify/configure. Some of these settings are managed as part of best practices for student security & safety and may be pre-set by or different for your district. Some settings below are included for you as potential recommendations based on general safety/security best practices. This list is not comprehensive.

      Step 2: Configure Chrome Settings

      Under Chrome > Settings > Users & Browsers

      • General

        • Custom wallpaper - Design one for your school that also identifies it as being a Minga Kiosk (Will be used in another setting as well)

          • While this isn’t a critical setting it is strongly recommended so all users can quickly visually identify the Kiosk

      • Startup

        • Homepage 

        • New Tab page 

        • New tab page -

          • Do not show content suggestions

          • Do not show Google Lens

        • Pages to load on startup 

        • Profile picker availability - Do not show profile picker

      • Import Settings

        • Disable or do not allow all settings

      • Content

        • URL Blocking (Please note - If you use URL blocking, teachers must login using their assigned dedicated kiosk login, not their primary account.)

          • Blocked URLs

            •  

              • The * blocks every website/URL except those in the exception list

          • Blocked URL Exceptions

            • minga.io.app

            • .minga.app (this sometimes creates errors so remove this line if you get an error)

      • Drive Syncing - don’t allow

      • Printing - disable printing & related settings

      • User experience

        • Managed bookmarks

            • Bookmark editing - disable

            • Browser guest mode - Allow

           

      Under Chrome > Settings > Devices

      • Sign-In Settings

        • Device Wallpaper image - Design one for your school that also identifies it as being a SmartPass kiosk (same as before)

      • Kiosk Settings

        • Auto-launch managed guest session

        • URL Blocking

          • Blocked URLs

            • *locks every website/URL except those in the exception list

                 

          • Blocked Exceptions

            • *minga.app*

              • The * at the end of the URL notes that it applies to all sites within the SmartPass domain

            • minga.app

          • See this link for more information on how to access the blacklist and blacklist exception settings

      Under Chrome > Settings > Managed guest session settings

      • General

        • Allow managed guest sessions

          • Session Name = Minga Kiosk

        • Auto-Launch Delay = 0-1 seconds

        • Maximum user session length = unlimited/empty

        • Custom wallpaper - use the same Minga kiosk one used in other settings

      • Security

        • Duplicate from user & browser settings (these likely come from student settings as well)

      • Startup

        • Homepage =

        • New Tab page =

        • New tab page - Do not show Google Lens

        • Pages to load on startup =

        • Browser launch on startup - Automatically launch

      • Content

        • Duplicate from user & browser settings (these likely come from student settings as well)

      • Printing

        • Disable all printing & related options

      • User experience

        • Bookmarks 

      • Power and Shutdown

        • Wake locks

          • Allow wake locks

          • Allow screen wake locks for power management

        • Idle settings

          • Lid close - sleep

          • Idle actions - sleep

      Step 3: Additional Chrome Settings (Optional)

      Under Chrome > Settings > Users & Browsers

      • Sign-in settings

        • Disable browser sign-in

      • Security

        • Never allow use of password manager

        • Do not allow locking screen

        • Do not allow incognito

        • Always save history

        • Do not allow history clearing

        • Geolocation (follow district teacher device policies)

        • Remainder should duplicate students’ settings

      • Session settings

        • Do not show sign out button

      • Network

        • Duplicate students’ settings

      • User experience

        • Dinosaur game - Do not allow

        • Steam - Do not allow

      • Power & Shutdown

        • Idle settings - Sleep when idle

      Under Chrome > Settings > Devices

      • Enrollment & Access

        • Disabled Device Instructions - Have match your student info but include school/kiosk info

      • Sign-In Settings

        • Sign-in restriction - Do NOT allow any user to sign in

        • Sign-in screen - Never show user names & photos

        • Device off-hours - do not enable

        • Device Wallpaper image - Design one for your school that also identifies it as being a SmartPass kiosk

      • Device Update Settings

        • Kiosk-updates - make sure these match your Student OU policies (recommend allowing updates, not forcing specific versions)

      Step 4: Device Enrollment & Moving OUs

      1. Enroll Chromebook kiosk device according to your normal student device policies

      2. Move all kiosk devices for Minga into the OU you just created and configured

      3. Deploy devices to classrooms.

      Step 5: Add the Minga Progressive Web Apps (PWAs)

      PWAs allow Minga to function like a native app on the Chromebook, providing a seamless user experience. It ensures that students have direct and easy access to Minga without distractions.

      Instructions for PWAs:

      1. Add the Minga PWA:
        • In the Google Admin Console, go to Menu > Devices > Chrome > Apps & extensions > Kiosks.
        • Add the Minga URL as a PWA by entering the URL and saving it.
        • Example: Enter the URL for Minga and ensure it is set to launch automatically when the Chromebook starts.
      2. Apply Managed Guest Session Settings
        • Go to Menu > Devices > Chrome > Settings > Managed guest session settings.
        • Enable managed guest sessions and set the session name to "Minga Kiosk".
        • Configure other settings as needed (e.g., auto-launch delay, session length).

      💡 Important note about WiFi

      By using a guest session on the Chromebook, no user will be able to sign into the device and auto-connect to wifi.

      Because of this, you’ll need to make sure that when you enroll the device it picks up and maintains a connection to a PSK WLAN so teachers do not have to sign into a network using their credentials.

      Alternatively, you can auto-enroll devices to a specific WLAN that does not require unique identifier logins for access.

      Keeping your Chromebook Kiosk awake when not in use

      To have your Chromebook stay awake when you aren’t using it:

      1. At the bottom right, select the time.
      2. Select Settings .
      3. On the left, select System preferences.
      4. Select Power.
      5. Under "When idle," next to "While inactive and plugged in" and "While inactive and on battery," select Keep display on.

       Find more help from Google here.

       

      Using the Kiosk in the classroom


      1. The teacher opens the Kiosk and it auto-logs into the wifi and guest user session then loads their Minga login screen.
      2. Students use Kiosk devices for Minga access only.

      By following these steps, your Chromebook kiosks will be securely configured to only access Minga, providing a safe and efficient way for students to create passes.

      For more detailed guidance, check out Google’s documentation on adding websites and PWAs to Chrome kiosks and learn more about Kisoks here.

      🚨 Be aware of the potential risks of setting up Kiosk Mode on a device so you can take the necessary precautions to protect yourself.
      1. Device Security. Enabling Kiosk Mode through Minga DOES NOT configure or secure the device to prevent users from accessing other systems, settings or applications. Please refer to the documentation for your device to restrict students from opening other browser tabs or accessing system settings or other applications.
      2. Physical Security. Position the kiosk in a secure location that can be monitored and maintained by an authorized staff member.
      3. User Training. Educate staff and students on the proper use of a Minga Kiosk and how to properly report problems or issues.
      4. Data Privacy. Ensure students or staff keep data private such as student ID numbers or other sensitive information and do not share it.
      DISCLAIMER
      By enabling Kiosk Mode you agree to hold Minga Solutions Inc, it's subsidiaries and employees harmless for any and all risks or harm associated.