Android single app kiosk: disabling the bottom navigation bar Back iconSolved

Hi @joseph_jay ,

In Android single app kiosk, the behavior depends on the type of app used in the kiosk and the device capabilities.

For a Store Application in kiosk mode:

• The on-screen Back icon may still appear even if the system bars are disabled in Hexnode.
• On standard Android Enterprise devices, Hexnode cannot directly hide the navigation bar Back icon for Store Applications.
• Disabling the system bar removes the status and navigation bars only on rooted devices.
• On Samsung Knox devices, navigation bar restrictions can be applied using Knox-supported policies.

For a Web Application or website kiosk: You can disable the Back button’s navigation function from: Policies > Android Kiosk Lockdown > Advanced Website Kiosk Settings > Hardware and Software Keys > Disable Back button.

This does not necessarily hide the Back icon from the screen, but it prevents the Back button from navigating away from the web app.

Regards,
Isabel Lora
Hexnode UEM

So if it’s a normal Play Store/private app in single app kiosk, the Back icon can still show up depending on the Android device? I was expecting the navigation bar setting to remove it completely.

Yes. For Store Applications, the navigation bar setting has limitations on non-rooted Android Enterprise devices. The visibility of the navigation bar is controlled by the OS/device firmware in many cases, so Hexnode cannot always suppress the Back icon completely.

If the requirement is to prevent users from leaving the app, confirm that the device is correctly locked into single app kiosk and that no allowed exit action is configured. However, hiding the Back icon itself is not supported for Store Applications on standard Android Enterprise devices unless the device provides additional OEM-level controls, such as Samsung Knox navigation restrictions.

If the kiosk is web-based, use the Website Kiosk back button restriction mentioned above. The icon may remain visible, but the back navigation action will be blocked.

Regards,
Isabel Lora
Hexnode UEM

That clears it up. In our case it’s a store app on a non-Samsung Android tablet, so it sounds like we can’t fully remove the Back icon through Hexnode unless the device vendor provides a firmware/OEM option.

Correct @liam_vance . For a Store Application on a standard non-rooted, non-Knox Android device, completely hiding the bottom Back icon is not guaranteed through Hexnode policy. The practical options are:

1. Use website kiosk if the app workflow can be delivered as a web app, then disable the Back button function.
2. Use Samsung Knox devices if full navigation bar restriction is required.
3. Check with the device manufacturer for any OEM-specific setting that suppresses the navigation bar.
4. Ensure single app kiosk is configured correctly so users cannot freely access other apps even if the Back icon is visible.

So the final answer is: Hexnode can disable the Back button action for website kiosk, but cannot directly hide the Back icon for Store Applications on standard Android Enterprise devices.