Google Chrome allows us to create profiles to save and synchronize everything related to our activity in the Internet giant’s browser. Thanks to them, we will synchronize our browsing history, bookmarks, extensions with the browser … In short, it integrates our configuration and customization to use them on any device.
The option of creating a personalized profile allows us to use Google Chrome with the same options that we have been adding and configuring regardless of the computer that we are using, very useful when we share a computer with family, roommates or work … We can access with our Google account or create a separate profile, and synchronize it with the browser so that all the customization options are displayed each time we use the device of any kind.
What are they
Google Chrome users gather all of our web browser settings . Our history search and navigation, the markers that have saved and organized with all of our links, our passwords stored, personal data for use with the tool AutoComplete, the extensions that have previously installed, etc.
In the same way that we create accounts in operating systems, streaming platforms or any other type of programs or applications, in the browser we can also save our configuration in this way .
Applications
The main advantage of having our own user configured is that if we use the browser on another device we will directly access our bookmarks and we will have the usual navigation functions at our disposal, such as passwords or the autocomplete function. This may be the first advantage that comes to mind.
However, the browsing experience is more positive because this way the browsing and search history is stored and we will see better options in the browser suggestions when we perform searches. In addition, with the autocomplete options or stored passwords we will not have to worry about being able to access any page and connect with our users quickly. If we click on the menu button in the upper right and go to Settings / Google and you / Manage what you synchronize we can activate and deactivate all the options: applications, bookmarks, extensions, history, configuration, theme, reading list, open tabs, passwords, addresses and payment methods.
With the Chrome profile, in addition, we can also automatically log in to the services associated with each account, such as YouTube, Gmail, Drive, Docs, etc. The profiles of the Internet giant’s browser are ideal for separating the work of different projects, or simply to be able to separate the professional from the personal.
Create and add profiles
Although they have the same function, the way to manage the users of the web browser varies depending on the platform or device that we use.
In the computer
To add a new profile we have to click on the photo in the upper right. If we are already connected we will see the photo of that user, otherwise a silhouette will appear. Then click on + Add .
A pop-up window will open to configure it, we can log in with a Google account to extract our photo and other data or we can create it without an associated account .
On the next screen we will add the photo , our name and choose a color combination from those offered to us. We press the Done button . A new window will open with the browser and our logged in user.
In this case we would be browsing without a backup account so our changes could not be synchronized. To activate the synchronization we have to click on the photo in the upper right part and then on the Activate synchronization button … Now we will have to identify ourselves with a Google account , or create a new one. This will serve as a backup to store all the information of our navigation and to be able to apply it on other devices.
On Android
In the mobile versions of Chrome it is only possible to have a single user . In this case, we can add that new user to the Android device and select it by opening the browser.
For this we will have to follow these steps:
- We will go to the Settings section of the Android smartphone or tablet.
- We will go to System, then to Advanced settings and finally to Various users . If this route does not exist on your device, try searching for “users” in the Settings application.
- Click on Add user and then OK.
- You can configure the account if the user is with you, otherwise we will click on Not now and we will configure the account when we change to this user the next time.
On iPhone and iPad
In the case of devices with an iOS operating system, the same thing happens, we can only use one user in Chrome, only in this case, as it is an independent operating system, we will have to add and modify users directly from the mobile web browser.
To do this, we will click on the menu button “…” and access Settings. We will click on the first option Activate synchronization , there we will choose our account from the drop-down or add a new profile.
Manage profiles
To access the profile management menu, click on the photo that appears in the upper right corner of the browser to the left of the “…” menu button. By clicking on the pen icon we will access the edit menu . We can also access through the Google and you section of the general Settings menu .
Modify
These are the options that we can customize in the Chrome profile:
- Name: especially to be able to identify the different users, we can indicate the name that we want.
- Theme color: it is the combination of colors, including day mode and dark mode, that we want to apply.
- Avatar: if we have logged in with our account, the photo of our account will appear as the default image, but we can also choose from the 29 avatars that are offered to us. As we click on the different avatars we will see how our photo changes in the browser window at the top right.
- Direct access to the desktop: if you use the desktop version for Windows, you will see that in the user settings page you have a check box Create desktop shortcut, that way you will open the web browser with that user with a single double click.
Remove
To remove a user from the Google browser we only have to access the list of profiles . To do this, we will click on the photo and then on the gear icon to the right of Other profiles .
A new window will open with all the users who are using the application, we will only have to click on the icon with the three dots in the upper right corner of each one to delete them by clicking the Delete link .
Guest mode
As we can imagine, the guest mode allows us to use the application to browse the Internet with the initial settings . It would be the same as starting browsing with a new profile, except that all the use we make, all the browsing activity, will be deleted when you close the program.
It is the way to use the application anonymously, so it is the recommended way in case of using public computers in establishments such as libraries, cafeterias or airports. Its activation is very simple, we just have to click on the photo in the upper right part and click on Guest, as we see in the image above.
A new, clean window will open for surfing the net. All you have to do is close it or click on the Guest button at the top right and then on Close Guest Window.
