Step-by-Step Guide to Setting up Kiosk Mode with Chrome on a Windows 11 PC for Your EscapeBot
Escape rooms are an exciting and immersive experience for players. However, it can be challenging for escape room owners to ensure that players don’t accidentally or intentionally access anything that could compromise the game’s integrity.
That’s where kiosk mode comes in. Kiosk mode is a feature that allows you to lock a PC into a specific application, preventing users from accessing any other functions or applications. In this tutorial, we’ll show you how to set up a kiosk mode with Google Chrome on a Windows 11 PC, so that your players can only interact with the chatbot, EscapeBot.net.
Step 1: Set up a Windows 11 PC
To set up a kiosk mode with Google Chrome, you’ll need a Windows 10 ir Windows 11 PC. Once you have a PC ready, you can move on to the next step.
Step 2: Install Google Chrome
Install Google Chrome on the PC if it’s not already installed. You can download the latest version of Google Chrome from the official website (https://www.google.com/chrome/)
Step 3: Create a Registry File
Next, you need to create a Registry File that will enable kiosk mode in Google Chrome. To do this, open Notepad or any other text editor and copy the following code:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREPoliciesGoogleChrome]
"RunInKioskMode"=dword:00000001
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREPoliciesMicrosoftWindowsSystem]
"Shell"="chrome.exe"
Save the file with a “.reg” extension, for example “kiosk.reg”.
Step 4: Import the Registry File
Double-click on the Registry File you created to import it into the Windows Registry. This will enable kiosk mode in Google Chrome.
Step 5: Configure Chrome to launch in Kiosk Mode
Open Google Chrome and press the “Alt” and “F” keys simultaneously to open the Chrome menu. Click on “Settings” and then scroll down to the “On startup” section. Click on “Open a specific page or set of pages” and then click on “Add a new page”. In the “Add a new page” field, enter the URL of your Escape Room Bot. Click on “Add” to save the URL.
Step 6: Enable Assigned Access
To prevent players from exiting kiosk mode, you need to enable Assigned Access in Windows 11. This will lock the PC into kiosk mode and prevent users from accessing any other apps or settings. Open the Settings app and navigate to Accounts > Family & other people. Click on “Set up assigned access” and select the account you want to use in kiosk mode. Click on “Choose an app” and select Chrome from the list of available apps. Click on “Set up” and then sign out of your current account.
Step 7: Launch EscapeBot.net
When you sign in to the assigned access account, Chrome will automatically launch in kiosk mode and display EscapeBot.net. Your players will only be able to interact with the chatbot and won’t be able to exit kiosk mode or access any other apps or settings.
Optional Step: Auto-Login the User into Windows 10/11
If you want to skip the login screen and automatically log in to the assigned access account when the PC starts or restarts, follow these additional steps:
- Press the Windows key + R to open the Run dialog box.
- Type “netplwiz” (without the quotes) and press Enter.
- In the User Accounts dialog box, select the user account you want to auto-login.
- Uncheck the box next to “Users must enter a user name and password to use this computer.”
- Click on “Apply” and enter the password for the selected user account twice when prompted.
- Click on “OK” to save the changes.
With this option enabled, the PC will automatically log in to the assigned access account when it starts or restarts, without requiring any manual login. This can be useful if you want to save time and simplify the setup process for your escape room. However, be aware that auto-login can be a security risk, as it provides easy access to the assigned access account without any authentication. Use this option at your own risk and only if you fully understand the implications.