Why kiosks fail on day one
Most iPad kiosk failures at events are not hardware failures. They are configuration failures. An attendee finds the home button. An admin password is the default. An app crashes and there is no kiosk-mode auto-restart. The fixes are simple — but they have to happen before delivery, not at the registration desk on day one.
The pre-delivery checklist
Single App Mode enabled via Apple Configurator or MDM. Guided Access as backup if the deployment uses unmanaged devices. Auto-lock disabled or set to "Never". Notifications disabled — including from the kiosk app itself. Screen Time and Restrictions configured so the home button, control centre, and side switches do nothing.
Network: pre-configured WiFi profile with the event SSID and password, plus a fallback SSID. Cellular if the device supports it, with a SIM that has data — not just emergency calling.
MDM enrolment
For more than five devices, MDM is mandatory. Jamf, Microsoft Intune, Mosyle and Kandji all do the job. The MDM should enforce the configuration, push the kiosk app, and provide remote wipe and lock. Without MDM you are configuring each device by hand — and missing one means it ships with the wrong build.
Power and physical setup
Battery life matters more than people think. An iPad in always-on kiosk mode lasts four to six hours. For a ten-hour event, you need either always-plugged kiosks or a swap protocol with a charging station. Decide before the order ships.
Cases: locked stands prevent walking. Tethered cables prevent the iPad from leaving. Both pay for themselves the first time a guest "borrows" a device for a photo.
The day-of failure mode you cannot test
One iPad locks up. The kiosk app crashes. The screen is white. The attendant cannot fix it. Your protocol should be: swap the device, take the broken one offline, debug later. Have spare devices on site. Always. We bring 10% spares as standard for events under 50 units, 5% above that.
