Run it unattended

Put the browser in full screen or kiosk mode, start it automatically, and stop the device sleeping, so a browser-based screen runs without anyone in the room.

A browser is a general-purpose application on a general-purpose computer, so it needs three things settled before it can be left alone: hide the browser’s own interface, bring it back after a restart, and stop the device powering down.

Go full screen

The browser’s toolbars and tabs should not be visible on a screen people are looking at.

Press F11 on Windows or Linux, or Control + Command + F on macOS.

Start automatically in kiosk mode

Full screen by hand is fine for a demonstration. A screen that runs on its own needs the browser to open the page by itself after a power cut.

Set the browser to launch at startup, open anywhere.screenlyapp.com, and run in kiosk mode. Kiosk mode removes the address bar and the controls that let a passer-by browse somewhere else. Chrome, Edge, and other Chromium browsers support it through a command-line flag on the shortcut that starts them. Safari has no kiosk flag, so on a Mac use full screen instead.

Stop the device sleeping

The most common cause of a blank browser screen is the device’s own power settings rather than Screenly.

  1. Turn off sleep in the device’s power settings.

  2. Turn off the screensaver.

  3. Remove any scheduled power-off.

    On a laptop, check the settings that apply when the lid is closed and when it is running on mains power, since those are configured separately.

Note

Test a restart before the device is mounted somewhere awkward. Pull the power, plug it back in, and confirm the screen returns to your content without anyone touching a keyboard.

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