Using PWA application in Kiosk mode (Assigned Access)

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Using PWA application in Kiosk mode (Assigned Access)

Ali Hamid 20

Hi

I’m setting up a Windows 11 machine with a kiosk account to run a PWA, but I keep getting black screens when logging in. I’ve also tried running it with the Outlook PWA, but that doesn’t seem to work either. Is there a workaround? The application shows up in the options since it’s downloaded from Edge.

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Answer 1

HLBui 5,700 Independent Advisor

Hi Ali Hamid

I think kiosk mode with PWAs on Windows 11 can be a bit finicky right now. The black screen issue usually happens because the kiosk account is trying to launch the PWA in a way that doesn’t fully initialize the Edge runtime. Even though the app shows up in the options, Outlook PWA and some other PWAs don’t always play nicely in assigned access mode.

A common workaround is to set the kiosk account to run Microsoft Edge directly in kiosk mode with a URL parameter pointing to your PWA (for example, msedge.exe --kiosk https://outlook.office.com --edge-kiosk-type=fullscreen). That way, you’re not relying on the packaged PWA shortcut, but instead forcing Edge to open the site in kiosk mode. Another option is to configure the kiosk account to run a Win32 app that wraps the PWA, which tends to be more stable.

Also, make sure the kiosk profile is set up with single‑app assigned access rather than multi‑app, since PWAs often fail to initialize in multi‑app mode. If you’re testing Outlook PWA specifically, keep in mind that it’s still being updated for kiosk compatibility, so using the web version through Edge kiosk mode is the safer bet until Microsoft ships a fix.

So in short: don’t rely on the PWA shortcut itself, launch Edge in kiosk mode with the PWA URL instead. That usually clears up the black screen problem.

If this guidance proves helpful, feel free to click “Accept Answer” so we know we’re heading in the right direction and let me know if you need any assistance. Thank you!

Ali Hamid 20 Reputation points

2026-04-17T10:02:02.64+00:00

Hi Thanks for the response.

I tried to run Outlook just to confirm that it’s not app-specific but a general issue. More over i am using the built in windows kiosk mode for this. We are currently using edge pointing at the spesific url but the provider of the service have strongly encurged us to run the PWA. So i am trying to get it to work. Any insight?
HLBui 5,700 Reputation points Independent Advisor

2026-04-17T10:18:11.71+00:00

Hi Ali Hamid

I got it, thanks for clarifying. What you’re running into is actually a limitation of how Windows kiosk mode interacts with PWAs. Even though the PWA shows up in the kiosk app list (since Edge registers it), the kiosk framework doesn’t fully support launching PWAs as standalone apps yet. That’s why you’re seeing black screens the shell is trying to start the PWA but the runtime isn’t initialized properly.

Right now, the most reliable approach is still to point kiosk mode directly at Edge with the URL of the service. I know your provider is encouraging PWA use, but in kiosk scenarios the PWA shortcut is essentially just a wrapper around Edge, and the kiosk subsystem doesn’t handle that wrapper correctly. Microsoft is aware of this gap, and there are ongoing discussions about improving kiosk support for PWAs, but as of today it’s not stable.

If you really want to push the PWA route, one workaround is to package the PWA as a Win32 app (using tools like MSIX Packaging or WebView2) and then assign that app in kiosk mode. That way, the kiosk framework sees it as a “real” app rather than a PWA shortcut. It’s a bit more work, but it avoids the black screen issue.

So in short: kiosk + PWA isn’t fully supported yet, Edge with URL is the safe option, and wrapping the PWA as a packaged app is the only way to make it behave consistently.

Answer 2

Progressive Web Apps installed from Edge are packaged apps (APPX/MSIX). On kiosks where Microsoft Edge is an allowed app, there is a known issue where packaged apps don’t start correctly, which can result in symptoms like a black screen at sign-in.

The documented workaround is:

Identify the underlying .exe that the PWA/package runs.
- Open the app’s installation folder.
- Locate and open its AppxManifest.xml.
- In the Application element, find the Executable attribute – this is the .exe name.
In the Assigned Access configuration file, add this .exe to the allowed apps list and specify it as a desktop app using the DesktopAppPath attribute.

By allowing the executable directly as a desktop app in the Assigned Access configuration, the packaged PWA can start correctly instead of giving a black screen.

If using Intune single-app kiosk instead of a local Assigned Access XML, configure the kiosk to run Microsoft Edge in kiosk mode (for example, Digital/Interactive Signage) and point it at the PWA’s URL rather than relying on the installed PWA package.

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Using PWA application in Kiosk mode (Assigned Access)

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