Setting up a dedicated kiosk for student check-ins or hall passes makes managing your school day much smoother. This guide will help you configure your Chromebooks so that Minga is the only app that runs, ensuring a secure and reliable experience for everyone. Let’s walk through the steps to get your hardware ready.
Permission Level Required: Owner | District IT | Google Admin
In this article:
Overview of Recommended Setup
To configure a Chromebook as a Minga kiosk:
Create a dedicated Organizational Unit (OU)
Add Minga as a Single App Kiosk app (Add by URL)
Disable sleep/idle timeout
Move devices to the kiosk OU
Restart devices
When configured correctly:
Minga appears at the Chromebook sign-in screen
No daily login is required
No “Managed Guest Session” notification appears
Devices reopen Minga automatically after a restart
Best Practices
Use a dedicated OU for kiosk devices
Avoid mixing kiosk and classroom device policies
Disable sleep to prevent daily logouts
Test 1–2 devices before mass rollout
Step-by-Step Guide to Setting up your Chromebook
Step 1: Create a Dedicated Organizational Unit (OU) (Recommended)
Creating a separate OU prevents kiosk policies from affecting classroom devices.
In Google Admin Console:
Go to Devices
Select Chrome
Select Organizational Units
Create a new OU
Example:
School Name > Chromebooks > Minga Kiosk
Step 2: Add Minga as a Single App Kiosk App
This will make Minga available directly from the Chromebook sign-in screen. Do not manually install Minga using “Install App” from the browser.
In Google Admin Console:
Go to Devices
Select Chrome
Select Apps & Extensions
Select Kiosks
Select your Minga Kiosk OU
Click Add
Choose Add by URL
Enter your Minga kiosk URL
Example:
https://app.minga.io/kioskSave
When added via Admin Console, ChromeOS handles installation automatically.
Step 3: Disable Idle Sleep (Critical)
This step prevents daily re-login issues. If Chromebooks go to sleep overnight, sessions may reset and require login again.
In Google Admin Console:
Go to Devices
Select Chrome
Select Settings
Select your Minga Kiosk OU
Locate Power & Sleep settings
Set:
Idle timeout → Never
Sleep when idle → Disabled
Save changes
Step 4: Move Devices to the Minga Kiosk OU
Go to Devices
Select Chrome Devices
Select the desired Chromebooks
Move them to the Minga Kiosk OU
Step 5: Restart Devices
Devices must be restarted for policies to apply.
After restart:
Select Apps (if needed)
Click Minga
Device will launch into kiosk mode
From this point forward:
No daily login should be required
Minga should reopen automatically after restart
Do Not Use a Managed Guest Session
Managed Guest Session is not recommended for kiosk use.
It may:
Display a “Managed Guest Session” banner
Require extra clicks to enter kiosk mode
Log out daily
Reset sessions after sleep
If you are currently using Managed Guest Session, switch to Single App Kiosk Mode following this guide.
ChromeOS Kiosk Changes (2025-2028)
Google is phasing out support for Chrome Apps, including legacy Chrome App–based kiosk apps.
What’s changing?
Chrome Apps are being deprecated through 2026–2028.
Chrome App–based kiosk apps will eventually stop working.
Web/URL-based kiosk apps remain fully supported.
What this means for Minga
Minga runs as a web-based application, not a legacy Chrome App.
As long as you configure Minga using:
Devices → Chrome → Apps & Extensions → Kiosks → Add by URL
You are using the supported, long-term ChromeOS kiosk method. No action is required beyond following this guide.
Troubleshooting
Troubleshooting
The Kiosk device logs out every morning.
Ensure sleep is disabled
Confirm device is in correct OU
Restart device after policy changes
"Managed Guest Session” notification appears
Confirm device is not in a Managed Guest Session OU
Ensure Minga was added under Apps & Extensions → Kiosks
Minga does not appear on sign-in screen
Confirm the app was added under Kiosks (not regular Apps)
Confirm the device is in the correct OU
Restart device
FAQs
FAQs
Do we need to install Minga as a PWA?
No. When added via Admin Console → Kiosks → Add by URL, ChromeOS automatically handles installation.
Manual PWA installation is not required and not recommended for kiosk deployments.
Is kiosk mode being deprecated?
No. ChromeOS kiosk mode is still supported. However, legacy Chrome App–based kiosks are being phased out.
Minga uses a web-based kiosk configuration, which remains fully supported.
If you need assistance configuring your Google Admin settings, please contact your IT department or reach out to Minga Support.
