jasscott
Level 1 (0 points)

Q: Why can I break out of Single App mode?

I'm setting up some iPads in Single App mode (iOS 7) through Apple Configurator. I've locked it down to Safari, and this works fine. However we've found that holding Sleep + Home for 15 seconds, restarts the iPad and breaks out of single app mode - when it's booted back up you can access everything.

 

Surely this is a bug or flaw?

iPad

Posted on Sep 25, 2013 6:25 AM

by cdenesha,Solvedanswer
cdenesha cdenesha
Level 1 (10 points)
A:

Single app mode, either through MDM or Configurator, can only be set for Supervised devices.

 

I experienced your issue today. I was testing with an iPad that had a passcode. When I reset the iPad, it came to the lock screen, and when the passcode was typed in I was broken out of the app. The policy was still in place but it was not being enforced. Can you verify if this is your issue as well? Is it still broken for you if there is no passcode?

 

I'll be calling Apple Support tomorrow.

 

chris

Posted on Mar 5, 2014 7:25 PM

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jasscott

Q: Why can I break out of Single App mode?

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  • by rccharles,

    rccharles rccharles Sep 25, 2013 8:59 AM in response to jasscott
    Level 6 (8,496 points)
    Classic Mac OS
    Sep 25, 2013 8:59 AM in response to jasscott

    This isn't the place to contact apple.  It's user to user.  Here is the place:

     

    *Feedback*

    "Use the form below to send us your comments. We read all feedback carefully, but please note that we cannot respond to the comments you submit."

    http://www.apple.com/feedback/ipad.html

  • by jasscott,

    jasscott jasscott Sep 26, 2013 12:19 AM in response to rccharles
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 26, 2013 12:19 AM in response to rccharles

    There was a question mark both in my topic title and my post, suggesting I'm asking fellow users if it's a bug/flaw or working as intended.

     

    I'm sure in the time it took you to write your unhelpful post, you could've answered my question.

  • by Simon Slavin,

    Simon Slavin Simon Slavin Sep 26, 2013 2:15 AM in response to jasscott
    Level 4 (1,400 points)
    Sep 26, 2013 2:15 AM in response to jasscott

    (To everyone: the proper name for 'single app mode' is 'Guided Access session'.)

     

    Did you set a password for the Guided Access session as mentioned in

     

    http://support.apple.com/kb/HT5509

     

    ?

  • by jasscott,

    jasscott jasscott Sep 26, 2013 2:26 AM in response to Simon Slavin
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 26, 2013 2:26 AM in response to Simon Slavin

    I might be wrong, but I think Guided Access and Single App mode, whilst using the same frameworks, are subtly different. Apple themselves refer to single app mode (http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1682) and most MDM sites talk about single app mode policies.

     

    I've experimented setting Single App mode in both Apple Configurator (where it's called Single App mode) and via Airwatch and when done in such a manner there isn't a password, nor does the triple tap of the home button allow you to exit it.

     

    I've done some more research on this and from what I gather, the act of hard resetting it will just bring you back to the home or lock screen and not straight back to the single app mode, and this is by design. I accept admins need a way to regain access to the device, so I will just have to accept that any users doing this are doing so maliciously to try and circumvent single app mode.

  • by cdenesha,

    cdenesha cdenesha Feb 21, 2014 8:21 AM in response to jasscott
    Level 1 (10 points)
    Feb 21, 2014 8:21 AM in response to jasscott

    @jasscott

     

    That sounds like a bug. I'm testing it now with iOS 7.0.4 and holding both power and home for 10 - 15 seconds just restarts the iPad, and it is still in Single App Mode.

     

    I am using Configurator 1.4.3 to 'Lock to App'.

     

    Have you found that the latest iOS is still doing this?

     

    thank you,

     

    chris

  • by jasscott,

    jasscott jasscott Feb 27, 2014 7:16 AM in response to cdenesha
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Feb 27, 2014 7:16 AM in response to cdenesha

    I've just tried from a 7.0.6 iPad and the problem still exists. However I'm only re-tested Single App mode via Airwatch MDM and need to test via Apple Configurator.

     

    Thanks,

  • by cdenesha,

    cdenesha cdenesha Feb 27, 2014 12:46 PM in response to jasscott
    Level 1 (10 points)
    Feb 27, 2014 12:46 PM in response to jasscott

    Are your iPads being Supervised in Configurator? Ours are Supervised, with the option to connect to other computers on.

     

    I'll test again tomorrow.

     

    chris

  • by jasscott,

    jasscott jasscott Feb 27, 2014 11:54 PM in response to cdenesha
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Feb 27, 2014 11:54 PM in response to cdenesha

    Aye, the one I'm testing. I'm locking it to Safari. Could it be an issue with that particular app I wonder...

  • by rccharles,

    rccharles rccharles Feb 28, 2014 11:43 AM in response to jasscott
    Level 6 (8,496 points)
    Classic Mac OS
    Feb 28, 2014 11:43 AM in response to jasscott

    I do not know, but could it have something to do with what passwords you have set?

     

    Robert

  • by cdenesha,Solvedanswer

    cdenesha cdenesha Mar 5, 2014 7:25 PM in response to jasscott
    Level 1 (10 points)
    Mar 5, 2014 7:25 PM in response to jasscott

    Single app mode, either through MDM or Configurator, can only be set for Supervised devices.

     

    I experienced your issue today. I was testing with an iPad that had a passcode. When I reset the iPad, it came to the lock screen, and when the passcode was typed in I was broken out of the app. The policy was still in place but it was not being enforced. Can you verify if this is your issue as well? Is it still broken for you if there is no passcode?

     

    I'll be calling Apple Support tomorrow.

     

    chris

  • by jasscott,

    jasscott jasscott Mar 6, 2014 12:57 AM in response to cdenesha
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Mar 6, 2014 12:57 AM in response to cdenesha

    I can confirm that removing the passcode does work - the device, on reboot, re-enters single app mode.

     

    That's a step forward, although it would be nice to be able to combine both.

     

    Thanks Chris.

  • by Simon Slavin,

    Simon Slavin Simon Slavin Mar 6, 2014 1:49 AM in response to cdenesha
    Level 4 (1,400 points)
    Mar 6, 2014 1:49 AM in response to cdenesha

    You typed the passcode.  The device knows that anyone who knows the passcode is the owner, and therefore is allowed to break out of the lock.

  • by jasscott,

    jasscott jasscott Mar 6, 2014 1:57 AM in response to Simon Slavin
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Mar 6, 2014 1:57 AM in response to Simon Slavin

    I can see why, in Apple's logic, that makes sense. But in a healthcare environment you might have shared / generic iPads locked to a single app which you'd still want to protect via a passcode.

     

    As far as I'm aware, just leaving the device at the passcode screen doesn't drop it into single app mode.

     

    No passcode + single app mode is fine for any apps which have their own authentication mechanisms - and anything with clinical data should have these.

  • by Simon Slavin,

    Simon Slavin Simon Slavin Mar 6, 2014 2:13 AM in response to jasscott
    Level 4 (1,400 points)
    Mar 6, 2014 2:13 AM in response to jasscott

    I understand what you're saying, I was just explaining why it works the way it does.

     

    It would appear that to do this properly Apple needs two passcodes: one for an admin user and one for any random user.  Unfortunately iOS 7 doesn't have a user model.  It's designed on the assumption that one iDevice has one user.  Which is fine for many users but not the sort of people who post to a forum called 'iPad in Business and Education'.

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