Enables a more restricted UI with kiosk mode, or kids mode. Those restricted modes will prevent users from accessing the RetroArch menu through hotkey + B, or any other modification on the system that could go wrong: editing/removing collections, changing UI parameters and so on.

Kiosk is basically a restricted mode that still let users access all the games, while Kids will only let users access games that have been pre-selected as safe for kids.

To enable these UI modes, go to SYSTEM SETTINGS → UI MODE.

Once kiosk or kids mode is enabled, the “cheat code” to return to the full UI will be displayed. The code is: . For NES-style controllers, this is A,A,A,B,A which is how the code will be displayed in the UI, regardless of your controller type. Note that even if the A and B buttons are swapped in EmulationStation (SYSTEM SETTINGS → FRONTEND DEVELOPER SETTINGS menu), the spatial positions of the unlock code remain the same.

For Batocera 29 and later versions, the unlock code is entered from the MAIN MENU that is accessed through the [START] button, on the system list:

For Batocera 5.27 and earlier versions, the code is entered starting from the manufacturers bar at the main system selection menu. When the code is entered successfully, the Batocera logo will flash, indicating that EmulationStation is restarting. Also, beware if the A and B buttons have been swapped in EmulationStation (SYSTEM SETTINGS → DEVELOPER menu). The cheat code needs to be entered quickly for it to be accepted.

If you are locked out, edit the configuration file /userdata/system/configs/emulationstation/es_settings.cfg and find a line like

 <string name="UIMode" value="Kiosk" />

or

 <string name="UIMode" value="Kid" />

Just remove this line, to get back to full mode next time EmulationStation is restarted.

In a similar vein, the UIMode_passkey line right below that (usually) in es_settings.cfg can be used to alter the unlock code:

<string name="UIMode" value="Kiosk" />
<string name="UIMode_passkey" value="aaaba" />

Here, the string aaaba refers to the SNES layout of face buttons. b = , a = , x = and y =

This can be changed to any combination of face buttons. For example, to change it to :

<string name="UIMode_passkey" value="baxyb" />