Lock an iPad to signageOS Without MDM

Without a lock, anyone can leave the signageOS app with a swipe, and iPadOS pauses the app while it isn't on the screen. Without an MDM, you have two ways to lock an iPad to signageOS:

	Guided Access	Single App Mode with Apple Configurator
What you need	nothing extra	a Mac with Apple Configurator and a USB cable. The iPad is erased once to supervise it.
Who starts it	a person at the iPad	the Mac
After a restart or power loss	it is off; someone has to open signageOS and start it again	iPadOS opens signageOS again by itself
How to end it	triple-click and passcode on the iPad	from the same Mac

Both survive remote app restarts and applet changes from Box, because the app doesn't quit.

For many iPads, or iPads nobody can reach easily, use an MDM: Apple iPad Provisioning with MDM.

Guided Access

1. 1

   Turn on Guided Access

   Go to Settings → Accessibility → Guided Access and turn on Guided Access.

2. 2

   Set a passcode

   In Passcode Settings, tap Set Guided Access Passcode and enter a passcode. You need it to end Guided Access, so keep it safe.

3. 3

   Keep the screen on

   In the same settings, set Display Auto-Lock to Never.

4. 4

   Start Guided Access in signageOS

   Open the signageOS app and triple-click the top button. On an iPad with a Home button, triple-click the Home button. If a menu appears, choose Guided Access.

5. 5

   Choose the options

   Tap Options. Turn off Sleep/Wake Button and Volume Buttons. Keep Touch on if your content is interactive or if you want to use the on-site menu. Then tap Start.

To end Guided Access, triple-click the same button, enter the passcode and tap End.

warning

Guided Access ends when the iPad restarts, for example after a power loss or an iPadOS update. The iPad then stays on the Lock Screen and the device shows as offline in Box until someone opens signageOS and starts Guided Access again.

Single App Mode with Apple Configurator

Single App Mode started from Apple Configurator for Mac survives restarts, but only a supervised iPad accepts it, and supervising erases the iPad. Apple's guide: Set Single App Mode.

1. 1

   Supervise the iPad

   Install Apple Configurator on a Mac and connect the iPad with a USB cable. Select the iPad, click Prepare, choose Manual Configuration, turn on Supervise devices and don't enroll in an MDM. The iPad is erased.

2. 2

   Install and verify signageOS

   Set up the iPad, install signageOS from the App Store and verify it, as described in Apple iPad Provisioning.

3. 3

   Start Single App Mode

   With the iPad connected to the Mac, select it in Apple Configurator and choose Actions → Advanced → Start Single App Mode. Select signageOS, click Options to choose which buttons and features stay available, click Apply, then click Select App.

To end it, connect the iPad to the same Mac and choose Actions → Advanced → Stop Single App Mode. Keep that Mac: a supervised iPad accepts these commands only from a Mac with its supervision identity.