App pinning, also known as screen pinning, is a security feature on Android devices that allows users to limit mobile device usage to a single app. Utilizing app pinning allows IT professionals to create controlled environments that restrict access to a single functionality until it is disabled.
How to do app pinning on an Android device
1. Enable app pinning
First, you need to enable app pinning on your Android device by going to Settings. Click on Security and Privacy> Other security settings. You can also set up a PIN, pattern, or password to turn off the app pinning.
2. Pin your chosen app
Next, open the app that you want to pin. Afterward, access the Recent Apps view and tap on the pin icon to pin the app.
What is the purpose of app pinning?
1. Enhanced security:
App pinning locks the device to a single app, preventing unauthorized access to other applications and sensitive information. It ensures that users cannot exit the pinned app without permission, limiting the risk of data breaches.
2. Improved user experience
By pinning an app on an Android device, users can prevent accidental app closures and reduce interruptions to app usage. This streamlines device usage, especially for customer-facing devices, by restricting device usage to a specific app. For example, customers who need to access an Android tablet for checkout in a retail store will not misclick or exit the point-of-sale (POS) application.
3. Controlled environment
App pinning in Android is highly beneficial for situations where users will only execute a single task, such as in a classroom setting where limited functionality prevents students from getting distracted by non-educational applications.
What is app pinning used for?
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Retail
Retailers can utilize app pinning to streamline their sales workflow when using a tablet or another mobile device. With app pinning, retailers can ensure customers and staff only interact with POS applications to prevent fraud and ensure secure transactions.
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Education
Mobile devices in classroom settings can be distracting for students. App pinning can only lock devices to educational or whitelisted applications to prevent distractions.
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Healthcare
App pinning can be used to ensure compliance with industry regulatory standards such as HIPAA. By limiting users to an approved application, healthcare organizations can maintain patient confidentiality and protect sensitive data.
Is pinning apps safe?
Yes, app pinning in Android is safe and can improve security when multiple users access a single device. If the user can remember the PIN, pattern, or password they set up when pinning the app, there should be no issues returning access to other applications.
Conclusion
App pinning on Android allows organizations to simplify device usage and management by restricting all device activity to a single application. If organizations and their IT teams require more granular control over app pinning, utilizing Android mobile device management (MDM) software for kiosk management provides a wide array of tools to monitor better and manage their mobile fleet. Investing in MDM solutions allows IT professionals to get complete control over their devices with pinned apps through application management tools and more.
