Face recognition check-in lets students check in at your front desk kiosk just by looking at the camera. This guide covers turning it on for your school, getting each family's consent, and what students see at the kiosk.
Before you start
Face recognition check-in is included in the Pro plan and the Ultimate Bundle. It isn't part of the Core plan.
You need a front desk kiosk on a tablet or computer with a camera. See How do I set up the front desk kiosk?
To turn it on, you need edit access to Settings → System & Security.
Each student needs a photo of themselves on their profile (Step 3).
How it works
Two kinds of consent are needed before anyone can check in by face:
Your school agrees to the NextKick Facial Recognition Feature Addendum (Step 1). This turns the feature on.
Each student, or their parent or guardian, consents in the NextKick student app (Step 2).
Only students who have consented can check in by face. Other students can still check in another way, such as by name or QR code.
Step 1: Agree to the Facial Recognition Feature Addendum
Go to Settings → System & Security and open the Check-in tab.
Under Front desk kiosk, find Face Recognition Consent and click I Agree.
Read the Biometric Consent Required for Face Recognition message and click Proceed.
Read the addendum. Check I have read and agree to the NextKick Facial Recognition Feature Addendum and acknowledge my responsibility for compliance obligations, then click I Agree.
Confirm. This can't be undone.
Face Recognition Consent now shows Agreed.
Tip: The addendum makes your school responsible for following the biometric privacy laws where you operate. Read it carefully before you agree.
Step 2: Get consent from each family
When a student or parent logs in to the NextKick student app, a consent screen appears. It asks "Do you consent to the use of facial recognition for attendance check-in?" and they check I have read and agree to the Facial Recognition Consent.
To see whether a student has consented:
Go to Accounts → Profiles and open the student.
On the Member Info tab, find Face Recognition Consent under Basic Information. On means the family has consented.
Step 3: Add a photo to each student's profile
NextKick recognizes students by their profile photo. A student without a photo of themselves on their profile can't check in by face.
Go to Accounts → Profiles and open the student.
Click the photo circle at the top of the profile. A pencil icon appears when you point to it.
Choose a photo of the student (JPG, PNG or WebP).
In Image Crop, adjust the photo so the student's face fills the circle, then click Confirm.
You can also add the photo when you create a new member. See How to Add a New Member.
Tip: Use a recent, front-facing photo of the student with good lighting.
Step 4: Check in by face at the kiosk
Click Self Check-in at the top of the admin to open the kiosk.
Open the Face Recognition tab.
The student stands in front of the camera and positions their face in the guide.
Recognition is automatic. If Link Schedule to Check-in is on, the student then picks their class.
The kiosk shows Check-in Complete!, then Next person, please step forward.
Tip: Only one person should be in front of the camera at a time.
If check-in doesn't work, the kiosk shows one of these messages:
Message | What to do |
Please allow camera access | Allow the camera for NextKick in the browser or device settings. |
Only one person at a time | Make sure only the student checking in is in front of the camera. |
Move closer to the camera / Center your face in the guide | Move so the face fills the guide on screen. |
Capture failed. Please try again. | The kiosk retries automatically. If it keeps failing, check the lighting. |
Face not recognized. Please register first. | Make sure the student's profile has a clear photo of them (Step 3), or check them in another way. |
Face Recognition Consent Required | The family hasn't consented yet (Step 2). |
Face Recognition consent has not been completed. | Your school hasn't agreed to the addendum yet (Step 1). |
Common questions
Which plans include face recognition check-in?
The Pro plan and the Ultimate Bundle. It isn't part of the Core plan.
Does every student have to use face recognition?
No. Students who don't consent can check in by name, QR code or the student app.
Can we undo our school's agreement to the addendum?
No. Once your school agrees, the agreement can't be undone in NextKick.
Can students check in by face from the student app?
No. Face recognition check-in works only at the front desk kiosk.
How do we get a copy of our signed addendum?
Contact NextKick support.