How do I set up a tablet in Return Station mode?

USEFULL supports access to return station mode via both lock code and username/password. Follow the method your campus uses to set up your return station.

In addition, this guide describes how to set up Guided Access, which USEFULL recommends to lock down access to the tablet being used as a return station.

Lock Code Access (recommended)

USEFULL recommends accessing return station mode via lock code, which is supported as of January 2025. Follow the below steps:

1. Open the USEFULL app on a tablet
2. Click the 'return station' icon on the login screen
   1. Lock Code access is only supported on tablets. USEFULL does not recommend using a phone as a return station.
3. Select your community when prompted
4. Enter the 4-digit lock code provided by your USEFULL campus administrator
   1. If you see an error message saying "Not available for your community", this means your USEFULL administrator has not enabled lock code access yet. Contact your administrator or your manager for guidance on setting up the return station. 
5. On the Return Station home screen, select the location where you're setting up your return station, and then click "Launch Return Station". 
6. You're now in Return Station mode and can return containers by scanning their QR codes.

Set up Guided Access

USEFULL recommends that colleges enable Guided Access on their iPads in addition to enabling a lock code for the return station. This native iOS feature can disable the iPad's buttons so users cannot manually exit from or power off the iPad. Follow the steps below to set up Guided Access.

Turn on Guided Access

1. Open the Settings app on your iPad.
2. Scroll down and tap on Accessibility.
3. Under the "General" section, tap on Guided Access.
4. Toggle the Guided Access switch to on (green).
5. Tap on Passcode Settings (or Set Passcode if you haven't set one yet), and create a passcode to control and end the Guided Access session. This is important to prevent others from disabling it.

Start a Guided Access Session

1. Open the app or screen you want to restrict access to.
2. Triple-press the Home button (or the Side button if you have an iPhone X or newer) to activate Guided Access.
3. Adjust the settings if needed (e.g., disable certain areas of the screen, disable hardware buttons, etc.).
4. Tap Start in the top-right corner to begin the session.

End a Guided Access Session

1. Triple-press the Home/Side button again.
2. Enter your Guided Access passcode.
3. Tap End in the top-left corner to exit the session.

Access Return Station Mode via Username & Password

1. Open the USEFULL app on a tablet
2. Click Sign In Via Email on the login screen
3. Sign into the USEFULL account under the email address & password provided to you by the USEFULL team
4. On the Return Station home screen, select the location where you're setting up your return station, and then click "Launch Return Station". 
5. You're now in Return Station mode and can return containers by scanning their QR codes.
6. You can click here to see a visual of what this process looks like 😉