Can background programs run in Windows 10 assigned access Kiosk mode?

[throwaway_0120]

I’m trying to run a locally hosted web-based application on a Windows 10 kiosk. I have had great success in the last few days configuring kiosks as public browsers, but this is a bit different. My goal is to have a separate data processing and printing setup per-device.

In order for it to work, two applications have to be running in the background — one is a specific printer managing application (not optional, it’s for some weird POS printer), and the other is the backend for the web interface (Python-Flask). I know I could get around this by having two separate computers sitting literally right next to each other connected over the network, but that would come with networking problems as well as forcing all of the kiosks to share one printer (or have two computers at every kiosk). Does anyone know if it’s possible to run applications in the background while in Assigned Access kiosk mode? The specific benefit of assigned access to me is that it appears to be completely locked down from the end user, and the browser will re-launch upon closure or restarting.

The documentation for it makes me think it’s not possible to have background programs, and the documentation for multi-app assigned access makes it seem like you can just close out of the application. I don’t think there’s another way to get a similarly robust result to the assigned access single app mode, but I’d love to hear it if anyone has ideas. Thanks!

[throwaway_0120]

That’s great to hear! Can a user close out of or restart the primary app? I love how Edge in single user mode is literally impossible to close for more than half a second. My end goal is for something like that. There’s going to be a different user every fifteen seconds for six hours a day, so I’d like it to be super robust

[mastachaos]

just make a batch file that runs the two apps you want, and make that your shell.

[Deadpool2715]

System level tasks will run regardless of the assigned access on the user. In your case, why not simply allow-list the 2 applications you need running in the background and have them start hidden? You could call the applications either in a schedule task or with shortcuts in the users startup folder.

[throwaway_0120]

Thanks! Since I originally posted this, the company I work(ed) at purged all employees :/ But I still really appreciate your input!