---
url: "https://questionstar.com/help/publishing/kiosk-mode-ipad/"
title: "Kiosk mode for iPad — on-site tablet surveys"
description: "Set up an iPad as a survey kiosk — guided mode, auto-reset after every response. For trade fairs, exhibitions and retail stores."
lastmod: "2026-07-08"
type: "help"
---

# Kiosk mode for iPad

## About kiosk mode

Kiosk mode is often used to run surveys in controlled environments where respondents can only fill out the survey, with no access to other apps or websites.

**Typical use cases:**

- **Trade fairs & events** – collecting visitor feedback at info stands.
- **Customer satisfaction in retail** – feedback terminals in shops or restaurants.
- **Patient surveys** – surveys in waiting areas of doctors' offices or clinics.
- **Employee feedback** – anonymous surveys on publicly accessible iPads within a company.

In this article, we describe how to best set up your iPad to run online surveys with QUESTIONSTAR in kiosk mode.

## Step 1: Create a shortcut on the Home Screen

For the survey to open in kiosk mode and for the browser's address bar not to be visible, the shortcut must be created on the Home Screen.

**Here's how:**

1. Open the survey in the Safari browser.*(Please note that this is the link to the questionnaire, which you'll find on the "Distribute Survey" view.)*
2. Tap the icon to the right of the address bar.
3. Select "Add to Home Screen".
4. Enter the name you'd like for the shortcut.
5. Tap "Add".

![Kiosk mode iPad - creating a shortcut on the Home Screen](/api/media/file/Kiosk-Modus-iPad-1.png)

![Kiosk mode iPad - creating a shortcut on the Home Screen 2](/api/media/file/Kiosk-Modus-iPad-2.png)

![Kiosk mode iPad - creating a shortcut on the Home Screen](/api/media/file/Kiosk-Modus-iPad-3.png)

## Step 2: Enable Guided Access

So that users can't close the browser window or launch another app, Guided Access must be enabled.

To do this, open the **Settings** of the iPad and there:

1. Select "Accessibility".
2. Select "Guided Access".
3. Turn on the "Guided Access" switch.
4. Go to "Passcode Settings" and set a passcode for Guided Access.
5. Enter the passcode.*(You'll need this passcode later to end Guided Access. It's a good idea to write it down.)*

![Kiosk mode iPad - enabling Guided Access](/api/media/file/Kiosk-Modus-iPad-4.png)

![Kiosk mode iPad - enabling Guided Access 2](/api/media/file/Kiosk-Modus-iPad-5.png)

![Kiosk mode iPad - enabling Guided Access 3](/api/media/file/Kiosk-Modus-iPad-6.png)

![Kiosk mode iPad - enabling Guided Access 4](/api/media/file/Kiosk-Modus-iPad-7.png)

## Step 3: Opening the survey in kiosk mode

To open the survey in kiosk mode:

1. Open the survey via the shortcut on the Home Screen.*(see [Step 1: Create a shortcut on the Home Screen](#schritt-1-verknupfung-auf-dem-home-bildschirm-erstellen))*
2. Activate Guided Access:**Newer iPad models**: press the top button three times.**Older iPad models**: press the Home button three times.**Alternatively**: tell Siri the command "Turn on Guided Access".
3. If you like, set additional restrictions.
4. Tap "Start".

## Ending a Guided Access session

To end kiosk mode:

1. Press the Home button three times (or the top button on newer models).
2. Enter the passcode you set in [Step 2](#schritt-2-gefuhrten-zugriff-aktivieren).

## Required survey settings for kiosk mode

So that the survey automatically restarts after a respondent completes it or abandons filling it out:

> 💡
> 
> 💡 These settings prevent a new respondent from finding the survey in the incomplete state left by the previous respondent.

1. Open the survey settings and switch to the "End of Survey" tab.
2. Enable the "Restart Survey" option.
3. If needed, adjust the message shown before the survey restarts.
4. Enable the "restart survey automatically..." setting and specify a time interval after which the survey should restart once a respondent has completed it.
5. Enable the "restart survey after XX seconds of inactivity" setting and specify a suitable time interval.
6. If needed, you can mark incomplete responses as completed so that they're included in the data analysis.

![Kiosk mode - survey settings](/api/media/file/Kiosk-Modus-iPad-8.png)