Set up an Edge display - Stardeck Documentation

An Edge machine can turn an HDMI screen into an unattended kiosk display. Common uses include queue boards, kitchen displays, customer order summaries, menus, and status screens.

Connect the screen

Connect HDMI and power

Connect the screen to an HDMI port on the Edge machine, turn the screen on, and select the correct HDMI input.

Find the display

Open Settings → Edge Devices and expand the machine.Each detected HDMI port appears as a display. A green dot means a screen is currently detected.

Give it a clear name

Use a name based on the screen’s location or job, such as Kitchen Queue or Customer Order Screen.

Choose what it shows

Select a content mode, enter its settings, and select Apply to screen.

Choose a content mode

Pin a fixed URL

Use Pin a fixed URL to keep any web page on the screen. Enter the complete https:// URL. The page must be usable without someone touching the screen. Avoid pages with sign-in prompts, cookie dialogs, or navigation that requires a mouse.

Pin one of your apps

Use Pin one of your apps to select a Stardeck app and a route such as /queue-display. For a private app, enable Sign in automatically. Stardeck creates and renews a session for the display, so no one needs to enter credentials on the physical screen.

Automatic sign-in gives the physical display access to the selected private app. Place the screen where it cannot expose private information to the wrong audience.

Let an app control it live

Use Controlled by an app when the app should change the screen during a workflow—for example, showing an order while a customer pays and returning to an idle page afterward. Grant the Edge machine to the app, then create a screen alias in the app’s pairings. The app can target that alias with the Edge SDK:

await edge.showDisplay({
  alias: "customer-screen",
  url: `${baseUrl}/display/order/${orderId}`,
});

await edge.clearDisplay({ alias: "customer-screen" });

First-time preparation

The first display used on an older Edge machine may show Preparing display while the machine installs its kiosk software. This usually takes 5–15 minutes and requires internet access. After the first preparation, changing content normally takes a few seconds.

Understand display status

Status	Meaning
Preparing display	The kiosk software is being installed
Configured — waiting	The setting is saved but has not reached the machine yet
Showing	The display is showing the requested content
No screen detected	Content is saved, but no screen is connected to that HDMI port
Display stack failed	The on-machine kiosk software needs attention

Display settings persist through reboots. A setting saved while the Edge machine is offline is delivered automatically after it reconnects.

Design an unattended display page

A kiosk page should:

use large text that is readable from the expected viewing distance
refresh its own data without a manual reload
recover from network errors automatically
avoid modals, toasts, navigation bars, and cookie banners
never require a keyboard, mouse, or touch interaction

If a screen stays blank or fails preparation, see Troubleshoot Stardeck Edge.

​Connect the screen

​Choose a content mode

​Pin a fixed URL

​Pin one of your apps

​Let an app control it live

​First-time preparation

​Understand display status

​Design an unattended display page

Connect the screen

Choose a content mode

Pin a fixed URL

Pin one of your apps

Let an app control it live

First-time preparation

Understand display status

Design an unattended display page