14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft’s most recent Windows 11 preview build for the Dev channel includes a brand-new multi-app kiosk mode aimed at IT administrators.
As anyone could easily guess, the purpose of this feature is to allow IT admins to configure certain apps to run on the device while restricting the access to all the other features.
“Multi-app kiosk mode is a lockdown feature for Windows 11 that allows an IT administrator to select a set of allowable apps to run on the device, while all other functionalities are blocked. This enables you to create multiple different apps and access configurations for different user types, all on a single device,” Microsoft explains.
For example, with multi-app kiosk mode, IT admins can configure the Start menu to only display a specific set of applications, while also blocking toast notifications and pop-ups that would otherwise be displayed on the screen.
Only exclusive to Dev users for now
Needless to say, given the purpose of this feature is to restrict the access to other Windows features, IT admins can also block users from launching Settings or only specific pages.
“Multi-app kiosk mode is ideal for scenarios in which multiple people need to use the same device. This can include frontline workers and retail scenarios, education and test taking. Currently, multi-app kiosk mode can be enabled using PowerShell and WMI Bridge, with support for Intune/MDM and provisioning package configuration coming soon,” Microsoft explains.
Given this feature is currently available only for insiders in the Dev channel, there is no ETA as to when it could be released for production devices. Microsoft reminds everybody that the new features being tested in the Dev channel don’t have a specific release date, as the software giant is trying to collect feedback before eventually bringing them to devices that aren’t enrolled in the testing program.