Download the SwitchMe app to create
multiple user profiles
One thing sorely lacking on Android is
support for user profiles. Their value is a no-brainer: every time you hand
your phone to someone to take a look at something (you'll probably do it quite
often if you own a device like a Galaxy S III or a HTC One), your emails and
text messages are right there, just waiting to be rooted through with just a
single tap And on tablets they'd be even more valuable given the tablet's role
as a social device, as at home sat on the coffee table for all the family to
use as anywhere else.
SwitchMe
Dual Boots Your Android with Multiple Profiles for Better Battery Life, Extra
Privacy, and More
But until Google decide to implement user
profiles you'll have to create them yourself. The SwitchMe app, which is
available in both free and paid form from Google Play, runs on rooted devices
and enables you to create multiple profiles. The first creates a snapshot of
your device as it is, with apps and data in place. Subsequent profiles are
entirely blank, even to the point that they'll need to be set up from scratch.
This can even have benefits to your battery life, as you can switch from your
powerful, all-singing, all-dancing setup with countless apps running
simultaneously, to a stripped back configuration where your phone performs just
the basic functions.
Switching between profiles is not quite
instantaneous, and does require a reboot, but it is an impressive and useful
feature to have on hand for those times when you need it.
1. Grant root privileges
Download and install the SwitchMe app from
the Google Play store. Your smartphone needs to be rooted in order to make use
of it, and when you run the app for the first time you will be prompted to give
SwitchMe root privileges. Simply allow this to happen and continue.
2. lt’s empty!
The Details screen for your second profile
shows that it is completely empty apart from a single application that has been
installed. Be aware that any apps you install while using this profile will be
available only within this profile in the future, unless you install them to
your main profile as well.
3. Accept warning
Next you’ll encounter a scary warning about
how you should use SwitchMe. As always you should ensure you have fully backed
up your data before you begin to use the app properly, and to ensure you follow
the instructions. This will protect you against problems, however unlikely they
are.
4. Create your first user profile
Now you need to create your first profile.
This is simply based on your Android smartphone as it stands right now, with
all your apps and data in place. Tap the Add button to create it and then give
it a name that will clearly identify what is stored within it.
5. Customising your profile
You can now see some information about what
is in the recently created profile and you can also customise it to a minor
degree. You need to make the profile easily identifiable to make switching
easier, so pick an icon that will be unique to this profile.
6. Create multiple profiles
Hit the back button to return to the main
screen, and press the Add button like you did in step 3 once again. You will
now be creating a second user profile in exactly the same way, so give it a
name that will tell you what’s inside then tap OK to continue.
7. Switch profiles
Tap the Switch button to log out of the
main account and into this newly created one. The warning message states it may
take up to five minutes to switch to a new profile, but in our tests a new
blank profile takes just a few seconds to initialise. Tap the Yes option to
switch between profiles.
8. A blank phone
Your phone will reboot and send you
straight into the standard setup screen, with all the default settings in
place. You’ll need to add your Google account and Wi-Fi password once again if
you want to use them with this profile. They will be remembered next time you
use this profile.
9. SwitchMe is still running
That single app we noteafhat was installed
in the blank profile from step 6 is, of course, SwitchMe and it is still
running. This enables you to manage your profiles without needing to reinstall
the app (or setting up your Google account, if you don’t want to use it).
10. Pick an account
Press the power button on your phone to put
it into standby then turn it on. You can now see the icons you assigned to your
different profiles. Pick the one you want to boot into - it will reboot if
you’re switching, or just open if not. It’s a good idea to use different
wallpapers to show which you’re in.
Press
the power button on your phone to put it into standby then turn it on. You can
now see the icons you assigned to your different profiles
