Today, organizations are fast shifting from certain Windows operating system versions to more advanced options like Windows 10 devices to locking down Windows PCs for public use, which is highly recommended for the values and benefits they add to businesses and organizations. The modern Microsoft Windows version combines the already existing and useful functionalities with state-of-the-art features while ensuring security.
Windows 10 is popular across businesses that deploy locked devices for public use. Windows kiosk mode is also ideal for marketing and advertising or for training and education purposes. However, businesses sometimes have a tough time securing and managing these Windows 10 devices to facilitate public use without any scope of misuse or data breach.
Enter an intuitive and powerful solution like Scalefusion Windows MDM, and you have all device management bases covered. With its multiple valuable features, Scalefusion can help you lock all your Windows 10 devices for public use with complete control from a single unified dashboard.
IT admins can have exhaustive visibility of all MDM-integrated Windows 10 device inventory and can also monitor, control, secure, and troubleshoot from the same dashboard in real time. It also gives the option to lock the devices into single-app mode or multi-app mode, depending on your requirements.
Here’s How to Lockdown Windows 10 Devices for Employees or Public Use
The basic things that you will require at the start of the procedure, are:
a) To have a Scalefusion user account
b) Access to Windows laptop/desktop/Surface device from the Scalefusion Dashboard
After that, you need to do the following:
Step 1 – Create Initial Windows Device Profile(s)
To get started with enrollment, the very basic thing to be done is to create Device Profiles. Group policy enables you to group all your device policies together which can be applied to one or more devices when enrolled.
Step 2 – Create Enrollment Configuration to lockdown Windows 10 Devices
On creating Enrollment Configuration, you will get a QR Code and a URL. This QR code/URL copied in MS Edge/IE browser will start the enrollment of the enterprise mobile and other Windows devices. Enrollment configuration compiles of basic rules like –
- Device naming convention
- Default device profile
- Default license to be applied
Step 3 – Enroll your Windows 10 Device(s)
With the enrollment URL, you can enroll your Windows devices either using Microsoft Edge or using Connect to Work or School App which comes already loaded on Windows devices. Once the device(s) is enrolled it will start appearing on the Scalefusion Dashboard under the Devices section as a Managed device(s).
Step 4 – Create & Configure Device Profile(s)
The device profile has 2 sections,
1) Select Apps – You can configure your application policy from this section, like Application blacklisting wherein you can block certain Windows applications from running.
2) Select Settings – You can explore additional Windows settings based on categories. Available sub-categories are,
- Branding – Branding allows you to apply home and/or lock screen wallpaper to your enterprise devices.
- Wi-Fi – Choose to allow or restrict access to connect to Wi-Fi.
- Web Browser – Choose cookie policy, specify a start page URL, allow/restrict AutoFill, allow/restrict pop-ups to name a few.
- Email/Exchange settings – You can select the Email/Exchange Configuration(s) that you have created in the Windows utility section so that they will be published to the devices in this Profile.
- General settings – These consist of all the generic settings that enhance the control over devices like whether to allow access to the USB port, or Bluetooth, to name a few.
Step 5 – Apply the Device profile
You can apply the device profile right at the time of enrollment by following the above steps, or alternatively, you can apply it at a later stage as well.
Turn your Microsoft Windows Devices into Digital Signage
Watch the step-by-step video tutorial
Enrolling your devices into Scalefusion MDM is not only easy, but it also opens a whole new world of possibilities for you that promises to enhance employee productivity, admin efficiency, and operational accuracy.
The above-mentioned steps will help you enroll your device(s) and apply the device profile effortlessly for your employees and executives to use, without any hassle or tension of misuse or data threat.
Scalefusion makes it a cakewalk for you to lockdown & manage all your Windows devices from a single dashboard – so you can better focus on your core business while it tackles your Windows device management with simplicity, security, and total efficiency.
FAQ’s
1. How can I lock down Windows 10?
To lock down Windows 10, you can take several steps:
- Configure user accounts and access permissions using the Windows 10 User Account Control.
- Utilize Group Policy templates to enforce security settings.
- Disable or restrict certain features and settings using the Group Policy Editor.
- Specify restrictions on the Start menu, web browser, and other Windows applications.
2. How do I configure user accounts in Windows 10?
In Windows 10, you can configure user accounts by following these steps:
- Open the Settings app.
- Select “Accounts” and then “Family & other users”.
- Click “Add someone else to this PC” to create a new user account.
- Specify the account type (admin or standard) and follow the on-screen instructions to set it up.
3. What is Group Policy and how can it be used to lock down Windows 10?
Group Policy is a feature in Windows that allows administrators to manage and configure operating system settings for multiple users and computers. To lock down Windows 10 using Group Policy:
- Open the Group Policy Editor.
- Navigate to “Computer Configuration” or “User Configuration”.
- Specify the desired settings and restrictions.
4. How can I disable certain features or settings in Windows 10?
You can disable certain features or settings in Windows 10 using the Group Policy Editor:
- Open the Group Policy Editor.
- Navigate to the appropriate configuration section.
- Locate the specific feature or setting you want to disable.
- Adjust the corresponding policy to disable or restrict the feature.
5. Can I use Group Policy templates to lockdown Windows 10?
Yes, you can use Group Policy templates to enforce security settings and lock down Windows 10. These templates provide pre-configured policy settings that you can apply to control various aspects of the operating system.
