More than one user account on Android phone

GDB2222

Reading the thread about third party access to the NHS app made me wonder whether it is possible to have more than one user account on an Android phone. The answer according to google, who ought to know, is that it can be done quite easily.

Android is based on UNIX which is multi user, so maybe it’s not too surprising that this can be done. I’ve never heard of anyone doing it, so maybe it is of limited interest.

flaneurs_lobster

If by more than one user you mean the sort of arrangement that is more usually seen on Android tablets then yes it is possible, but often the functionality is disabled by the phone manufacturers - so Samsung Galaxy phones for example disable this functionality.

To check if your phone has the ability then try Settings, System, Multiple Users…..

or Settings then search for 'add user'.

Neil_Jones

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6679206/more-than-one-user-account-on-android-phone

Android has had multiple user account support since 2012 and Android 4.2 for tablets, and Android 5 for smartphones. its also more based on Linux than Unix, but Linux has roots in Unix but isn't actually Unix in new packaging.

Re: user accounts, as alluded to above some manufacturers disable it altogether, and I would probably argue for most people its relatively pointless on a smartphone, though may be more beneficial on a tablet.

poseidon1

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82096543#Comment_82096543

Samsung certainly blocks this function on its phones, but it is a feature on their tablets.

I agree with you, what possible purpose is served by having the feature freely accessible in a 'personal' smartphone? How would then even work with the sim account registered to a specific person for multi factor security purposes.

PHK

It's actually quite common in countries where phones are expensive but SIMs/accounts are relatively cheap through subsidised schemes. This was why in the old days you could get triple or quad SIM phones.

SIMS are active for one (or more accounts).

RedFraggle

I Access for both me and my Mum on the same app. I use fingerprint for me and email and password for her

flaneurs_lobster

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82096944#Comment_82096944

Which app? Certainly unusual.

QrizB

I was running separate user accounts on my Android phone, mostly so I could use WhatsApp without giving Meta access to my "real" account details.

Since then I've moved my "real" account to a new phone, leaving the WhatsApp dummy account on the old one.

flaneurs_lobster

Which handset allowed multi-user setup?

Don't think WhatsApp cares about mobile devices and their user logons, all individual accounts are linked to a single mobile number. You can spawn copies of this access across other phones/tablets or onto a laptop (browser or Apple/Windows app).

Were you using the "Business" version, that has support for multi-user on a single device?

QrizB

Which handset allowed multi-user setup?

Mine was a Moto G6, so nothing exotic. I seem to recall that setting up a second account was simple, as was switching between them when using the handset.

Edit to add: on my current G53, it works exactly as this article describes.

https://www.howtogeek.com/806247/how-to-set-up-androids-guest-mode/

While the article is about guest accounts, the "multiple users" option is right there.

Don't think WhatsApp cares about mobile devices and their user logons

WhatsApp demands access to your address book. I didn't want to share mine with Meta, so I set up a separate Google account with an address book that only contains the people who I want to contact via WhatsApp.

Were you using the "Business" version, that has support for multi-user on a single device?

I wasn't.

flaneurs_lobster

Don't think WhatsApp cares about mobile devices and their user logons

WhatsApp demands access to your address book. I didn't want to share mine with Meta, so I set up a separate Google account with an address book that only contains the people who I want to contact via WhatsApp.

Ah, that makes sense - you can refuse this access but it makes trying to use the thing very awkward.