Configure single-application mode

Single-application mode is a modified GNOME Shell which configures the Shell as an interactive kiosk. The administrator locks down some behavior to make the standard desktop more restrictive for users, letting them focus on selected features.

Set up single-application mode for a wide range of functions in a number of fields (from communication to entertainment or education), and use it as a self-serve machine, event manager, registration point, and so on.

Your distribution might provide the GNOME Kiosk session, which is usually available in the gnome-kiosk package. You can use it to configure single-application mode more easily. Otherwise, use the following procedure.

Set up single-application mode

  1. Lock down settings to prevent printing, terminal access, and so on.

  2. Configure automatic login in the /etc/gdm/custom.conf file for the user.

    See Configure automatic login for more information.

  3. Create the following files with the listed content:

    /usr/share/applications/org.gnome.Kiosk.Script.desktop 
    [Desktop Entry]
Name=Kiosk
Type=Application
Exec=gnome-kiosk
    /usr/share/applications/org.gnome.Kiosk.WindowManager.desktop 
    [Desktop Entry]
Type=Application
Name=Mutter
Comment=Window manager
Exec=/usr/bin/mutter
Categories=GNOME;GTK;Core;
OnlyShowIn=GNOME;
NoDisplay=true
X-GNOME-Autostart-Phase=DisplayServer
X-GNOME-Provides=windowmanager;
X-GNOME-Autostart-Notify=true
X-GNOME-AutoRestart=false
X-GNOME-HiddenUnderSystemd=true
    /usr/share/gnome-session/sessions/gnome-kiosk.session 
    [GNOME Session]
Name=Kiosk
RequiredComponents=org.gnome.Kiosk.WindowManager;org.gnome.Kiosk.Script;
    /usr/share/X11/xorg.conf.d/20-gnome-kiosk.conf 
    Section "ServerFlags"
    Option "DontVTSwitch" "on"
EndSection
    /usr/share/xsessions/org.gnome.Kiosk.desktop 
    [Desktop Entry]
Name=Kiosk
Comment=Kiosk mode
Exec=/usr/bin/gnome-session --session=gnome-kiosk
DesktopNames=GNOME-Kiosk;GNOME;

  4. As the user that will open the single-application session, create the /home/user/.local/bin/gnome-kiosk file:

    [user]$ mkdir -p ~/.local/bin

[user]$ touch ~/.local/bin/gnome-kiosk

  5. Edit the /home/user/.local/bin/gnome-kiosk file and enter the executable name of the application that you want to launch in single-application mode.

    For example, to launch the Firefox browser in single-application mode, enter the following content:

    #!/bin/sh

while true; do
    firefox --kiosk https://example.org
done

    The while true loop ensures that the application restarts if it terminates for any reason.

  6. Make the file executable:

    [user]$ chmod +x ~/.local/bin/gnome-kiosk

  7. If you created the file or its containing directories as a different user than the single-application user, such as root, ensure that the file has the correct permissions:

    # chown -R user:group ~user/.local

  8. At the GNOME login screen, select the Kiosk session from the gear button menu and log in as the single-application user.