Google Chrome: Multiple Users

This video popped up in my YouTube subscription email today and I literally squealed with delight:

So what does this mean? On a personal level, this means that families with shared computers are able to keep their own settings, bookmarks, extensions, etc. separate from each other. For example, if I don't bring my laptop home from work, I could access MY Chrome from my boyfriend's laptop. Seeing as I make use of many more extensions than he does and have a completely different set of bookmarks, this is very exciting.

On a professional level, this means that shared office computers are likely going to become a whole lot more customized and user-friendly.


Currently, multiple users are not password protected. In fact, per Google's support page:

The ability to add multiple users to Chrome is intended to provide a quick and simple way to set up personalized copies of Chrome for people who are already sharing Chrome on the same computer today. It isn’t intended to secure your data against other people using your computer. To truly protect your data from being seen by others, please use the built-in user accounts in your operating system of choice.

Image via Rawich

This means that your saved passwords and personal information are available to anyone else who uses that computer.

Assuming that Google adds the capability to password-protect your Chrome account, this would be a fantastic tool to have available on a shared office computer. Imagine how nice it would be if you could pop into the office on a whim and within seconds access your native browser settings.

For more information on adding multiple users to Google Chrome, visit the Google support page.