Google revamps Chrome user profiles to make PC sharing easier — here is what's new

Google user profile
(Image credit: Google)

Google announced a new update that makes the Chrome user-profile experience more distinguishable for PCs with multiple accounts. If you share a computer, you'll appreciate Google's latest efforts to offer more tools for personalization and demarcation.

Google's new revamp is aimed at making sure each user can spice up their browser experience with new customization features that will help to compartmentalize multiple accounts on a shared PC.

Google Chrome revamps the user-profile experience

Google acknowledged that Chrome users who share PCs can sometimes have a "frustrating and messy" experience. That's why the search-engine giant is rolling out a new update that makes it easier to create and customize a personal space within Chrome. Swapping to one's own account will be more seamless, too.

Google Chrome profiles

Chrome profile customization (Image credit: Google)

Thanks to Google's new update, when you create a new profile, you'll be prompted to choose a color scheme and background that aligns with your tastes. Google even has a new theme series created by Black artists to get you started. These themes will serve as visual cues to help users quickly figure out whether they're in the right account. "If you have multiple profiles set up," Google told Engadget, "you'll see a profile picker each time you restart Chrome."

Chrome profile picker

Chrome profile picker (Image credit: Google)

After creating and customizing the profiles, Google theorizes that it will be easier for users to identify one's "space" during a Chrome browsing session. The search-engine giant is crossing its fingers that this revamped user-profile experience will reduce instances of account misidentification. 

"We hope Chrome's new profiles experience brings you more structure and ease, and helps you better separate work from personal activities for each member of the household," Sabine Borsay said in a recent blog.

Chrome users can also access their profile on other devices by ensuring sync is turned on. This way, favorite bookmarks, saved passwords and more will be accessible across all devices. 

Oh, and there's one more thing — Google has added a new reading list feature to this upcoming update, allowing users to save articles that they intend to read at a later time.

Google's new update will roll out to desktops in the coming weeks.

Kimberly Gedeon

Kimberly Gedeon, holding a Master's degree in International Journalism, launched her career as a journalist for MadameNoire's business beat in 2013. She loved translating stuffy stories about the economy, personal finance and investing into digestible, easy-to-understand, entertaining stories for young women of color. During her time on the business beat, she discovered her passion for tech as she dove into articles about tech entrepreneurship, the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) and the latest tablets. After eight years of freelancing, dabbling in a myriad of beats, she's finally found a home at Laptop Mag that accepts her as the crypto-addicted, virtual reality-loving, investing-focused, tech-fascinated nerd she is. Woot!