Setting Up Multiple User Accounts on Android Devices

1. Introduction to Multiple User Accounts on Android

Currently, only tablets with the latest versions of Android (version 4.2.2 and above) come with the multiple user accounts feature. As of this writing, the feature is not available on smartphones. It may be introduced on them in future versions of the Android operating system. If you possess an Android tablet, it's likely to be a more personal "dedicated" device compared to your smartphone. Here's a guide to set up and manage multiple user accounts on your Android tablet.

Owners of personal computers are likely to share them with family members, but smart mobile devices today are so personal to individuals that it's rare to share such a device with anyone else. Over time, a family or an individual may possess multiple smart devices, leading to considerable wasted expenditure. Android's multiple user accounts capability offers an interesting solution to increase usage of these shared Android devices in a family.

2. Creating Additional User Accounts

- Select the profile icons (beside the backup icon). - Select the profile you want to share. - Select Apps. - Select the apps that you want to share with the user and select SHARE.

The primary user will always be the administrator. Users will not have access to the primary user's content unless it was shared. To share content, complete the following steps:

Sharing content between users

- View email - Remove profiles

Users added from the notification panel or Lock screen can:

Install apps Remove profiles

- Accounts - Installs - Apps - SharedPreferences

All primary users can:

Users added from the notification panel cannot share: Payment methods from Google Pay and Biometric unlock unless you ensure that users have the SHARE option. Accept or deny user permissions while installing new apps unless you ensure that users can accept or deny these permissions. Users added from the notification panel cannot share or accept payment methods from other people unless you ensure that you include upper age verification.

- Install apps - Remove profiles

Users added from the notification panel, the Lock screen, and Settings app can:

Users added from the notification panel or Lock screen can only use these features: Emergency calls, Person profile in quick settings, Multi-user, Restricted exchanges, Tap & pay.

Adding a new user - On your Android device, swipe down from the top of the screen once using two fingers. You will then see a list of categories. Look for and select Settings. Select Users. Select Add user or profile. You may be asked to enter your PIN at this point. Select OK to move forward. Select whether you want to finish setting up the new account or perform the process later. The same steps apply to adding a new account from the Lock screen. Swipe down from the top of the screen once using two fingers and select Add user.

So now that you know that creating multiple user accounts on your device is possible, here is how you do it:

3. Switching Between User Accounts

a) Remove user - Delete the user's account, which also removes its settings and loses any data that's being stored on the device.

As we discussed earlier, the following options are available in the Users section for all the users who are on the tablet:

All of the user's settings will be available when the tablet switches from one user to another. Users will also have their own background images. The wallpaper and background are changed from the Users screen. After tapping the More button, tap the "Change wallpaper" button.

After switching user accounts, you or the new user will have to unlock the tablet (enter your password) unless you have checked the "Skip lock screen" option for that account.

You can also "pin lock" one or more of the accounts. That will allow users to switch between other user accounts without knowing the PIN number.

To switch from one user to another, just drag down from the top of your screen to open the notification bar and tap your username at the top-right of the screen. You will see an Accounts screen that contains icons of all the users you have set up on your tablet. The current user is in a frame at the top-left of the screen. Tap another user icon to switch to that person's user account.

4. Managing User Accounts

When you create a new user, that user gets a space on your device where they can place their files and settings without affecting you. Before adding another user, keep in mind the goals you have in doing so. For instance, if you want to add a guest user temporarily, you can do so without adding a new permanent user to your device. Based on your objective, you will want to choose the kind of user account that best suits your workflow.

Not all applications are designed to work with multiple users. A user is a space on your device with unique files, settings, and, in the case of mobile phones, apps. Each user has its own system and cache files on your device, and applications designed to work with multiple users can share data between users. Some applications let you create content and store it in a shared location accessible to all users, while others don't.

Each user on your device has their own unique files, settings, and even applications. Generally, apps you download from the Play Store install independent copies for each user. If one user creates a new document in Google Docs, only that user can access and edit it from their account. If that user takes a photo with a camera and adds it to their user profile, no one else can access or see that photo from another user account without explicit permission.