User profiles in a browser are similar to user accounts on a computer. They allow multiple people to use the same web browser while maintaining privacy and personal settings.
Popular browsers such as Chrome, Firefox, and Yandex Browser support user profiles. Each of these programs also has a mobile counterpart, but their applications do not allow you to create a new browser profile for different people.
Below is everything you need to know to create a new browser profile, including why you want to create your own and how to set up user profiles in popular browsers.
Council. If you are an Android user, there is a guest profile that you can switch to when others are using your device.
Why should you create a new browser profile
A browser profile can store bookmarks, passwords, search history, extensions, and other settings. The moment the browser switches to another user profile, this user history, favorites, etc. are used instead of someone else’s.
Browser user profiles are ideal for families with multiple people using the same account. Instead of having to switch to a separate account every time someone wants to access their personalized browser, each family member can create a new browser profile that stores whatever they want.
If you use the same computer for personal and business use, keeping a completely separate user profile for both eliminates duplication, can help avoid unnecessary distractions, and make your work easier.
Create a new Chrome Browser Profile
- Click the profile icon in the upper right corner of Chrome.
- Select Manage People.
- Select “Add Person”.
- Enter a name for this user profile and select an image.
- Select Add.
To switch between Chrome user profiles, select the user’s picture at the top of Chrome, and then select another profile from the list.
Create a new Firefox browser profile
- Enter about: profiles in the navigation bar.
- Select Create New Profile.
- Select “Next” on the welcome screen.
- Name the profile and, if necessary, change the folder where its files will be located.
- Click Finish.
When you create a new user profile in Firefox, it is automatically applied as the new default profile when you open Firefox. You can change this using the Set as Default Profile button on your profile page.
To temporarily switch a Firefox user profile, return to the about: profiles page and select Launch profile in a new browser.
Another way is to run firefox.exe -P Run in Windows and then select a profile from there.
Create a new Yandex browser profile.
- Select the three-Aligned menu in the upper right corner of the browser and then select “Preferences.”
- Select “Add User” on the General Settings page.
- Choose a name and picture for this profile.
- Select Add.
You can switch a user’s profile in the Yandex browser by selecting the current user’s image at the top of the browser and then choosing another.
Another way is to open the settings page and select a different user.
Tip: As you can see in the image above, Yandex Browser makes it easy to add additional users using the Add User link. You can skip the first couple of steps by following this path the next time you need to add another user.
Are Browser Profiles Worth It?
Separate browser profiles are great for superficial privacy and organization. If you have multiple bookmarked folders and frequently browse unnecessary pages in your history to find something work-related, user profiles will quickly become your friends. They are easy to set up and have clear legitimate benefits.
The advantage of privacy, however, is that you need to pause. A user profile does not provide the same security as a user account. This is for one obvious reason – browser profiles are not password protected.
If you want to protect your bookmarks from prying eyes and make sure that no one with access to your computer can find your search history and log into your online accounts, a simple profile simply won’t do that. You must keep your browser locked for a user account for this security level.
For the rest of us, however, creating new browser profiles can be of long-term benefit. It’s like running multiple separate instances of Chrome, Firefox or Yandex Browser on the same computer without having to switch to a completely different OS-level user account.
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