Kioskly AI

Guide

How to turn an iPad into a self-service kiosk

You don't need special kiosk hardware. A spare iPad or iPhone, a stand, a charger and five minutes in Settings will do.

5 min readBy the Kioskly AI team

Quick answer

Put the iPad on a stand where customers already stop, keep it plugged in and on Wi-Fi, then lock it to one app with Guided Access: turn it on in Settings › Accessibility › Guided Access, set a passcode, open your kiosk app and triple-click the top button (side button on iPhone, Home button on older models), then tap Start.

A self-service kiosk used to mean a big metal cabinet, a touchscreen and an installer. For most small businesses, an iPad or iPhone does the same job better: it's smaller, it's quieter, and you probably already own one.

Here's how to set one up so it looks good, stays on and can't be turned into someone's personal browser.

What you need

  • An iPad or iPhone. An iPad is easier to see from a few steps away; an iPhone fits a narrow counter. If you'll run Kioskly AI, it needs iOS 26 or later.
  • A stand. A counter stand, a floor stand or a wall mount. Pick one with a lock if the kiosk stands near the door.
  • A charger and a long cable, routed along the stand so nobody trips on it.
  • Wi-Fi that reaches the spot. An AI kiosk needs a steady connection to answer reliably.
  • The app the kiosk will run. A kiosk browser for a menu or a form, or an AI receptionist like Kioskly AI to answer questions out loud.

Step 1: Choose the spot

Put the kiosk where people already stop and look around: just inside the entrance, at the end of the counter, or next to the hotel front desk. A few rules of thumb:

  • Standing eye level. Customers shouldn't have to bend down to read it or speak to it.
  • Out of the queue. People using the kiosk shouldn't block people waiting for staff.
  • Away from loud machines. Grinders, blenders and speakers make it harder for a voice assistant to hear.
  • In good light, facing the door. A camera-based feature like autodetect needs to see people coming.

Step 2: Mount it and keep it powered

Fix the stand first, then the device. Run the cable down the back of the stand and plug it in for good: a kiosk that runs on battery will be dead by lunch. If the stand has a lock, use it, and keep the key away from the counter.

Clean the screen at the start of each day. Fingerprints are the first thing customers notice.

Step 3: Lock it to one app with Guided Access

Guided Access is built into iPhone and iPad. It keeps the device in one app and stops anyone from swiping home, opening Settings or reading your messages.

  1. Turn it onOpen Settings › Accessibility › Guided Access and switch on Guided Access.
  2. Set a passcodeTap Passcode Settings and choose a Guided Access passcode only staff know. You can also let Face ID or Touch ID end a session.
  3. Open your kiosk appFor Kioskly AI, start Employee Mode first.
  4. Triple-click the buttonThe top button on iPad, the side button on iPhone, or the Home button on older models. If a menu appears, tap Guided Access.
  5. Choose what to block, then tap StartUnder Options you can turn off the volume buttons, the keyboard or touch for parts of the screen.

To leave Guided Access, triple-click the same button and enter the passcode.

Several kiosks?

If you manage many devices, Apple's supervised Single App Mode, set up with Apple Configurator or a device management service, locks them to one app without anyone triple-clicking each morning.

Step 4: Keep the screen on and quiet

  • Screen: Kioskly AI keeps the screen awake while Employee Mode runs. For other apps, set Display Auto-Lock in the Guided Access settings.
  • Notifications: turn on Do Not Disturb so messages don't pop up over the kiosk.
  • Volume: test it from where customers stand. A voice assistant should be clear at arm's length without carrying across the room.
  • Battery: leave Low Power Mode off; it can slow the device down.

Step 5: Tell customers what it's for

A screen on a stand doesn't explain itself. Add a small sign with one line, like "Ask me about opening hours, prices and directions", and make the kiosk's greeting say the same. The clearer the job, the more people use it.

Step 6: Test it like a customer

Walk in through the door and use it the way a stranger would. Ask your ten most common questions, one question it shouldn't answer and one in another language. Check the volume, the screen glare at different times of day and whether you can still leave the app without the passcode. If you can, Guided Access isn't on.

Run Kioskly AI as your kiosk

  1. Set up Kioskly AIPick your business type, answer the setup questions and add your website and files.
  2. Tap Start Employee ModeThe screen switches to the kiosk view and stays on while it runs.
  3. Start Guided AccessTriple-click the top or side button so customers can't leave the app.
  4. Turn on autodetect (Premium)The front camera notices people walking up, and Kioskly AI says hello first. The video stays on the device.

Customer

Is there a restroom?

Kioskly

Yes, the restroom is at the back, next to the fitting rooms.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use an old iPad?

For a kiosk browser, usually yes. Kioskly AI needs iOS 26 or later, so check Settings › General › Software Update: if the iPad can install iOS 26, it can run Kioskly AI.

Does Guided Access work on iPhone too?

Yes. It works the same way on iPhone and iPad; on iPhone you triple-click the side button. An iPhone on a small stand is a good kiosk for a narrow counter.

How do I get out of Guided Access?

Triple-click the same button and enter your Guided Access passcode, or use Face ID or Touch ID if you turned that on, then tap End.

Will the screen turn off by itself?

Kioskly AI keeps the screen on while Employee Mode runs. For other apps, set Display Auto-Lock in the Guided Access settings.

Sources & further reading

  1. Use Guided Access on iPhone or iPad — Apple Support