With the new assigned access feature of Windows 10 and Windows 8.1 you can start your computer in guest mode, so that it is locked on a single application . In practice you can configure a PC for use in shops, bars or public places in a really simple way, starting the computer only with the web browser to surf the internet, hiding everything else.
This is really convenient, both for having fast access to the computer that is only linked to the internet, and for allowing guests at home to use the computer without risking that they can see private things or do damage, or to leave a computer for public use in a bar or shop.
READ ALSO: How to make friends and guests use the PC separately and safely
The creation of a user account for the assigned access is done from the settings menu of the computer, with an administrator account.
Then go to the Start screen, press on Settings, open the Account tab and then Family and other users .
Click on Add another user to this PC to create a new Windows user account.
First select " I have no login information for this person " and then the " Add a user without a Microsoft account " option at the bottom and create a local computer account.
You could also choose to use a Microsoft account (which is useful if you want to use applications from the Microsoft Store) but if you go to block access to programs and files on your computer, it would not make sense.
For the new account that we can call " Guest ", you can leave an empty password so as to make it easier for anyone to access and use the computer which, I remember, remains locked on the chosen app.
The account is created as a standard user account with limited permissions.
Once you have created an account, you must log in with it the first time.
To do this without exiting, press the Windows-L keys, unlock the screen, press the arrow to the left and then log in with the new Guest account. Windows is configured for use and installs basic applications.
In Windows 10, user creation for assigned access can also be done later.
Once finished, log out and go back to where you were before, with the administrator account, to return to the configuration screen of the other users . Here now click under Configure multimedia kiosk the link to configure an account for assigned access .
Select an existing user account or create a new user and then choose the application that will lock your computer preventing you from doing anything else .
You can choose the Email app, Skype, the News app and also Edge if you want to allocate this new account to web browsing .
If Edge does not appear or if you want to use Google Chrome, before creating the assigned access, enter the Guest account again, press the browser choice tile and install Chrome (the administrator password will be requested).
Open Chrome, press the button of the three lines at the top right and set Chrome in App mode .
Now Chrome will appear among the apps that can be selected for the assigned access. Any app can be used in this mode so companies can also lock the computer using their corporate app.
Restart the PC and log in with the Guest user account that has assigned access and Windows will automatically open the chosen application (in our case Google Chrome) in full screen and without the possibility of closing it or moving on to something else . Even the standard menus of Windows 10 will not appear, there will be no taskbar, the Start and pressing the Windows key nothing will happen. To exit the assigned access mode, press the Windows key five times quickly or press Windows-L to log out from the Guest user. From the login screen you can then turn off the computer from the button at the bottom right.
If you wish, you can have the computer start automatically with the user account with assigned access and then open the internet browser directly . To do this, right-click on the Start menu, press Run, write netplwiz and press Enter. In the configuration screen, uncheck the password entry option and configure an empty password for the Guest user.
If you use this feature to activate a Windows 10 or Windows 8.1 system in a store by leaving it open to the public, remember that anyone can press the Windows key five times and try to log in to the standard administrator user account.
It therefore becomes important and essential to set a password for the administrator account.
READ ALSO: User account management in Windows 10 to change password, reset or set it.
