[Tip] How to Use Secret “Kiosk Mode” in Mozilla Firefox and Microsoft Edge Web Browsers

UPDATE: The method given in this tutorial to access “Kiosk Mode” works in both Mozilla Firefox and Microsoft Edge web browsers.

This article will help you in learning how to launch Mozilla Firefox and Microsoft Edge web browsers in a hidden secret “Kiosk Mode” and how to exit from Kiosk Mode?

What is Kiosk Mode?

Kiosk Mode is a hidden secret feature introduced in newer versions of Mozilla Firefox web browser. It allows users to launch Firefox in a very restricted and limited mode best suitable for public areas or customer-facing displays such as libraries, vending machines, etc or for presentations, demonstrations, etc.

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When Firefox is launched in Kiosk Mode, following restrictions or limitations are applied:

  • Firefox runs in Full Screen mode and you can’t exit from full screen mode
  • All toolbars, navigation bar, titlebar, menubar, tab bar, bookmarks bar (favorites bar) are removed/disabled, so you can’t access any menus or options
  • Close, minimize and maximize buttons are also removed, so you can’t close Firefox window
  • F11 key doesn’t work to exit from full screen mode
  • If you right-click on a web page, nothing happens, no context menu is shown
  • Status bar is also hidden, so you can’t show website URLs by hovering over hyperlinks

Following screenshot shows Mozilla Firefox running in Kiosk Mode without any toolbar, titlebar, Taskbar, etc:

Mozilla_Firefox_Running_Kiosk_Mode.png

Basically Kiosk Mode is a highly restricted mode of Mozilla Firefox browser which only lets users to open a web page, nothing else. You can’t open multiple tabs (Ctrl+T hotkey works to open multiple tabs). You can’t change or customize Firefox options and settings (you can use about:preferences and other similar about URLs to open Firefox Options and other default built-in pages). Kiosk Mode only shows the web page content occupying whole screen area without any browser chrome.

You can consider Kiosk Mode as a single web app mode or digital signage where you can’t interact with Firefox.

How to Open Firefox in Kiosk Mode?

You just need to launch Firefox with –kiosk or -kiosk switch via RUN dialog box or Command Prompt and it’ll open in Kiosk Mode. Make sure no other Firefox windows are running before starting Firefox in Kiosk Mode.

If you want to create a direct shortcut to always launch Firefox web browser in Kiosk Mode, following steps will help you:

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1. Create a new shortcut of Firefox, right-click on the new shortcut and select Properties.

2. Now add following text at the end of the string present in Target text box:

--kiosk

Remember there must be a blank space between existing text string and the appended string.

PS: You can also use -kiosk instead of –kiosk parameter.

Launch_Start_Mozilla_Firefox_Kiosk_Mode.png

3. Click on Apply button and now try to launch Firefox and it’ll open in Kiosk Mode without any UI elements such as toolbars, titlebar, etc.

How to Exit or Close Firefox from Kiosk Mode?

Once you open Firefox in Kiosk Mode, you’ll notice that there is no option provided to exit from Kiosk Mode.

You can press ALT+F4 or CTRL+T keys together to close Firefox running in Kiosk Mode.

You can also press ALT+Spacebar keys together to show titlebar menu at top and then select Close option.

BONUS TIPS:

1. You can also mention a website URL with –kiosk parameter. For example:

--kiosk https://www.microsoft.com/

If you add above mentioned string at the end of Target text box in Firefox’s shortcut properties, it’ll open Microsoft.com website in Firefox using Kiosk Mode.

2. You can also use following string to launch Firefox in kiosk mode along with private browsing mode:

-kiosk -private-window https://www.microsoft.com/

3. All hotkeys such as Ctrl+T, etc work in Kiosk mode. Also you can access Firefox pages such as Options, Add-ons Manager, etc using their URLs such as about:preferences, about:addons, etc.

4. Although Kiosk Mode displays Firefox in full screen, you can still use ALT+Tab hotkey to switch between other running software programs. You can also press WIN key to show Start Menu and select other programs.

Also Check:

[Tip] Enable “Site Specific Browser” (SSB) Mode in Mozilla Firefox

[Tip] Enable Full Restricted Mode in Internet Explorer Web Browser

Published in: Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox

About the author: Vishal Gupta (also known as VG) has been awarded with Microsoft MVP (Most Valuable Professional) award. He holds Masters degree in Computer Applications (MCA). He has written several tech articles for popular newspapers and magazines and has also appeared in tech shows on various TV channels.

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