Hiding Navigation Bar & Achieving Full Kiosk Mode on Non-Standard OEM Devices: Supervisor Plugin Required

Android

If you're trying to achieve full kiosk mode on your Android device but standard settings aren't hiding system UI elements like the navigation bar, gesture overlays, or privacy indicators, you may need to use Esper's Supervisor Plugin. This article explains when you need it and how to set it up.

Before you begin

Full kiosk lockdown on some Android devices—particularly tablets from non-standard manufacturers—requires system-level permissions that go beyond standard device policy. If you're seeing navigation gesture arrows, bottom-swipe-to-minimize gestures, camera privacy indicator dots, or system UI popups that standard Blueprint kiosk settings don't suppress, you likely need a signed Supervisor Plugin.

The Supervisor Plugin is a privileged app that must be signed with your device's OEM platform keys to control low-level system UI behavior.

How to check if a Supervisor Plugin is available for your device

Contact Esper Support and provide your device model number.
Ask whether a pre-signed Supervisor Plugin is available in Esper's repository for your device.
If one exists, Esper Support will provide it. Skip to "How to deploy the Supervisor Plugin."
If one doesn't exist, continue to "How to request and deploy a custom Supervisor Plugin."

How to request and deploy a custom Supervisor Plugin

Contact Esper Support with your device model and request an unsigned Supervisor Plugin APK.
Once you receive the unsigned APK, forward it to your device manufacturer (OEM) and request that they sign it using their platform keys. This signing step is essential—the plugin will not work without the OEM's signature.
After the OEM returns the signed APK, provide it to Esper Support.
Esper Support will upload the signed plugin to your account backend.
You'll receive confirmation when the upload is complete.

How to deploy the Supervisor Plugin

Go to Devices & Groups → Device Details for your target device.
Navigate to Device Policy.
Enable kiosk mode and configure your app lock settings as needed.
In the policy settings, enable the Supervisor Plugin to suppress system UI elements.
Apply the policy. The device will download and install the signed plugin on next sync.

How to verify full kiosk mode is working

After the Supervisor Plugin is deployed and active, confirm that:

Navigation gesture arrows are no longer visible
Bottom-swipe-to-minimize gestures are suppressed
Camera privacy indicator dots are no longer displayed
No system UI popups appear during device operation
Your app remains in full kiosk with no visible system interaction

Troubleshooting

The OEM cannot or will not sign the plugin

If your device manufacturer is unwilling or unable to sign the plugin, system UI suppression cannot be achieved on that device. Contact Esper Support to discuss alternative device models or partnership options with your OEM.

The signed plugin is deployed but kiosk settings still don't work

Verify that the APK was signed with the correct platform keystore for your specific device model and firmware version. A mismatch in signing keys will cause silent failure. Contact Esper Support to confirm the signing details.

The camera privacy indicator dot is still visible

On Android 12 and later devices with Google Mobile Services (GMS) certification, privacy indicator dots are a Google requirement and may not be suppressible depending on your device's GMS certification status. This is a platform-level restriction, not an Esper limitation.

A system setup popup appears during device operation

Verify that device owner provisioning completed successfully and that no secondary setup wizard is triggering after provisioning. Contact Esper Support if the issue persists.

Still need help?

If you've followed these steps and your device still isn't in full kiosk mode, submit a support ticket with your device model, the status of your Supervisor Plugin deployment, and which UI elements are still visible.