Android has been offering a native ‘Guest Mode’ for a very long time, but not many people are aware of its existence. Even those who do may not know how to access it. In this article, we will tell you how to use the ‘Guest Mode’ feature on your Android device to protect your data from prying eyes. We will also talk about what Guest Mode is and tell you about its benefits and when you should use it. Finally, we will show you how to turn off, disable or delete guest mode or multiple user accounts on your Android device.
Use Guest Mode on Android Devices
Guest Mode is really useful when your kid wants to play games on your phone but you don’t want them to access your documents or spam your coworkers with calls and messages. It also helps you hand over your phone to others without worrying about them accessing your photos, contact lists and other data that needs to be best kept private. With that in mind, here’s how you can use Guest Mode or multithreading mode on Android devices and turn it off, delete or disable it when you’re done.
What is Guest Mode on Android?
Guest Mode creates a secondary user account on Android devices, but with less privileges than the original account. Guest user accounts are separate from your main Google account; this means that your contact list, call logs, messages, files and photos cannot be accessed by these profiles. Note that many Android manufacturers replace Guest Mode with multiple user modes on their devices. The latter is largely similar to guest mode, but with one major difference, which we’ll discuss later in this article.
Benefits of Guest Mode on Android
Guest mode allows the original user to hand over the device to others without sacrificing critical data. It also does not provide access to calls and texts; this means that your child cannot spam your co-workers with calls and messages from your device. Most importantly, it prevents prying eyes from getting into your private data, including contacts, messages, pictures and more.
Difference Between Guest Mode and Multi-User Mode on Android
Many manufacturers provide Guest Mode on their devices. multiple user modes. For the most part, they are almost identical in how they work. However, unlike guest accounts, which are temporary and are automatically deleted each time you return to your original user profile, secondary user accounts remain on your device unless manually deleted. Also, the native Guest Mode does not allow access to calls and messages, something that could be (optionally) allowed by the original user in Multi-User Mode.
Add New Users on Android
Note: As with everything Android, the exact menu options may differ from one device to the next, depending on the Android version and manufacturer..
- To add a guest account or secondary user account, go to Settings > Users.
- On the next screen, tap ‘Add user’. Confirm by pressing ‘OK’ in the lower pop-up window.
- You have now successfully added a new account named ‘New User’. Tap on the username and press ‘Install Now’ to start using it. You can also tap ‘Guest’ to use Guest Mode.
- To remove the guest account (or any secondary user account), tap the lever icon on the right and select ‘Remove User’. Confirm when prompted.
This much. Now you know not only how to activate, enable and use Guest Mode on your Android device, but also how to disable, turn off and delete additional user account.
On various Android devices, you can find the Guest Mode or Multi-User Mode option under other headings. Settings > system > Further > Multiple users or Settings > Users & Accounts. On pure Android devices, you can access this feature by tapping your avatar in the notification shade and pressing ‘Add Guest’ or ‘Add User’ as the case may be. However, the multi-user mode is more powerful and gives you more granular control.
Share Your Phone Without Compromising Privacy
If you often lend your phone to a friend, child, or family member, but you’re worried about them messing up your personal settings or looking at your photos and videos, you can enable, enable, and use Guest Mode (or secondary user mode) on Android. . You can also easily turn off, disable or delete Android guest mode on your device.
Meanwhile, Google also announced the Guest mode for Assistant-powered smart speakers and smart displays. Now check how you can enable it. Finally, if you often give your phone to others, you should also check out the best App Lockers on Android for more privacy.
