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In this article we will show you how to enable Android Guided Access. One of the many features that Android devices provide in order to improve the user experience is referred to as Guided Access. Guided Access on Android is a powerful tool that allows users to restrict the use of their Android devices to a single application, providing a focused and controlled environment for the user. Guided Access can be found in Settings > Applications > Guided Access.
Guided Access is a feature available on iOS devices that enables users to restrict touch input in certain areas of the screen, limit the amount of time that can be spent on a particular activity, limit the number of applications that can be used on the device, control the functionality of hardware buttons, and set time limits. This feature encourages users to make more targeted and controlled use of the device. Despite the fact that Guided Access for Android was developed as an accessibility feature, it can also be used to provision single-purpose devices with the necessary app.
Utilizing Guided Access is a common method that can be used to lock down devices that are to be used as self check-in kiosks, point-of-sale (POS) terminals at self-service restaurants, digital signage, dedicated displays that are used for advertising, and other similar uses. Specific device settings, such as the volume buttons, sleep/wake button, touch, and so on, can be managed on Android devices by enabling the Guided Access mode and then activating it. This tutorial will take you through the straightforward steps necessary how to enable Android Guided Access.
What is Android Guided Access?
To begin, let’s have a conversation about Guided Access and the functions it serves. Guided Access is a helpful feature that is available on iOS devices. This feature allows you to limit access to specific parts of your device, making it ideal for educational settings and other situations in which you want users to remain focused on a particular app. Screen Pinning is the name of the equivalent feature available to Android users. You are able to restrict access to just one app on your mobile device by utilising this feature, which has been available on Android devices running Android 5.0 Lollipop and later.
When an app is pinned, the user cannot access any other apps on the device until the pinned app is first unpinned. This functionality may already be familiar to you if you already use Apple’s iOS operating system. It does this by preventing the device from using any other applications besides the one or ones that you specify for the duration of time that you choose. Not only can you turn off app functionality, but you can also disable the volume buttons, keyboard, orientation (whether it be landscape or portrait), and even the touch function entirely. Even though the latter feature is probably not something you will ever use, it is still useful in that it illustrates some of the many different ways in which Guided Access can be put to use.
How to enable Android Guided Access
- Go to Settings > Security > Advanced > App pinning.
- Turn on App pinning.
- Open the app that you want to pin.
- Tap the Overview button (the square button in the navigation bar) or swipe up from the bottom of the screen and hold.
- Tap the app icon and then tap Pin.
- To unpin the app, press and hold the Back and Overview buttons together.
Why Use Guided Access on Android?
- Child Safety: Parents can use Guided Access to lock their iOS device into a single app, ensuring that children can’t exit the app or access other parts of the device. This can be useful to prevent kids from accidentally making calls, sending messages, or accessing inappropriate content.
- Focus and Productivity: Guided Access can help users stay focused on a specific task or app by temporarily preventing access to distractions. This is particularly helpful for people who want to concentrate on work, study, or a specific app.
- Accessibility: It’s a valuable tool for individuals with disabilities, such as autism, who may benefit from using a single app in a controlled manner without the risk of accidentally exiting or disrupting their user experience.
- Testing and Demonstrations: In educational and business settings, Guided Access can be used for testing, demonstrations, or presentations to ensure that only the intended app is accessible.
- Kiosk Mode: Businesses may use Guided Access to turn iOS devices into kiosks or interactive displays, allowing users to interact with a specific app or content without access to the device’s home screen or other applications.
What are the benefits of using Android Guided Access?
- Security: By limiting access to certain apps or content, it can help make your device safer. When you give your phone to someone else, this is very helpful because you don’t want them to be able to see other apps or personal data.
- Focus: Android Guided Access and other similar features can help users stay on task by blocking notifications and other apps that might be distracting them.
- Parental Control: This is a useful feature for parents who want to make sure their kids only use their Android device in ways that are appropriate for their age.
- Businesses and groups: You can use this feature to turn Android devices into kiosk mode, which means they only run certain apps for certain tasks, like information kiosks or point-of-sale terminals.
- People with disabilities may find it helpful to make the interface simpler and make it easier to use some apps or features on their Android device.
- Accidental Actions: It helps stop unintended actions like switching between apps by accident or tapping the screen while you’re working on something.
Security and Privacy Considerations
- Picking Apps: You have to be very picky about which apps can be used in guided access or kiosk mode. This may make you less vulnerable to the security risks that come with using other apps on the device.
- Lockdown of the Device: Be careful when using kiosk mode, and only do so when the device needs to be limited to a single app. If it is used in the wrong way, it could cause privacy issues.
- Ownership of the Device: Think about who owns the device. There may be privacy issues if the device is owned by the person but is used for work. Employers should be very clear about how this kind of software can be used on personal devices.
- Data Access and Permissions: Make sure that the app being used for guided access has the right controls for data access and permissions. This is very important for keeping private data safe.
- Updates and Security Patches: To protect against security holes, make sure that both the Android device and the app that is being used for guided access are regularly updated.
- Education for Users: Users should be taught how guided access works and what happens when they use it. They should know about the safety and privacy measures that are in place.
Questions and Answers
Apple’s iOS is the only mobile operating system that has the Guided Access feature; Google’s Android does not have this capability. You can, however, manage and control Android devices in a manner that is analogous to that of Guided Access by making use of other tools such as Android screen pinning, or you can even go above and beyond by employing a professional device management solution.
Screen Pinning or App Pinning is the name of the alternative to Guided Access that is available for Android. In the same manner, it locks the screen of the device to the particular app that has been selected. This enables the playback of music or other forms of media to continue uninterrupted, as well as keeps your information private, among other benefits.
To reactivate Guided Access, first turn it off and then back on. Because the triple-click issue might just be a random glitch, the solution is that straightforward. After that, launch the application of your choice, triple-click the Home or Side button as you normally would, and Guided Access should begin operating normally once more.