Authenticator app crashes with ‘Access Denied’ when opening screen lock in kiosk modeSolved

Hmm… that sounds familiar.

Just to be sure, is there any password or security policy still applied to the device or its groups?

Yep, checked that already. No password policies are applied anywhere. The device only has a kiosk policy active.

Hey @diane_!

A possible cause could be that a system package that Android needs for the screen-lock setup is blocked in kiosk mode.

If Android can’t access that system component, the app will show “access denied” and crash when trying to open the screen-lock settings.

Here’s how to fix it:

1. Login to your Hexnode UEM portal and run a Scan device action on the affected device.
2. Navigate to Manage > select the device > Applications.
3. Check the Blocked Packages list for any system package related to screen lock, authentication or settings that might be restricted.
4. Then go to Policies > select your kiosk policy > Modify > Background Apps and add the missing package so Android can open those settings in the background.

If the package does not appear in the Background Apps selection list:

• First, add it to Hexnode app repository using bundle ID .
• Then return to the kiosk policy, it should now appear under Background Apps and can be added.

Once that system package is allowed, please check if the authenticator is able to open the screen-lock setup without crashing.

If you want further assistance, feel free to contact us.

Best Regards,
Isabel Lora
Hexnode UEM