Change guest & user settings

Users and guests can accomplish most of the same tasks as the device's owner, but each profile has its own storage space. Files, messages, and apps aren't shared between users, the guest profile, or the device's owner. Learn the difference between user and guest profiles.

Important: You're using a custom Android version. If these steps don't work for you, check with your device manufacturer.Important: Some of these steps work only on Android 8.0 and up. Learn how to check your Android version.

Control what users & guests can do

Limit what users can do (Nexus tablets only)

To control what a user, like a child, can do on your tablet, learn how to make a restricted profile.

Let users add other users from the lock screen

  1. Open your device's Settings app.
  2. Tap System and then Multiple users.
    • Make sure Allow multiple users is on.
  3. Turn on Add users from lock screen.

Let users make calls and send SMS texts

  1. Open your device's Settings app.
  2. Tap System and then Multiple users.
  3. Tap the user.
  4. Turn on Turn on phone calls or Turn on phone calls & SMS.

Check storage & data usage by guests or users

Check storage usage

  1. Open your device's Settings app.
  2. Tap Storage.
  3. Under "Other users," you can check how much storage each other user or guest uses.

Check data usage

  1. Open your device's Settings app.
  2. Tap Network & Internet and then Internet.
  3. Next to your carrier, tap Settings .
  4. To see data usage by type, tap App data usage.
  5. The graph shows how much data the current user or guest has used in the date range.
  6. To find more information, like a different date range, tap a user. You can't see what other people use the data for, like apps or files.

What is & isn't shared on a device

What's shared with everyone using a device

  • Updates to apps that more than one user of the device has installed
  • Some settings, like Wi-Fi and Bluetooth

What's not shared

  • Files and messages, like texts, email, photos, music, and more
  • Data from apps another user has installed

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