Multiple Users in Google Chrome

Many people have more than one Gmail account.  Perhaps you have struggled with trying to use multiple accounts in your Chrome Browser.  I myself have simplified the process by having two browsers open at any one given time...I use Chrome for my work email (ScottUsher@hartlandschools.us) and I use Firefox for my personal email (susher@gmail.com).  

The problem is that Firefox doesn't seem to work quite as well as does Chrome when it comes to Google accounts, which makes sense since the Chrome Browser is a Google product.  

The good news is there is a basic feature of Chrome that will make your Google life much easier.  

We will:

1. Learn how to verify you are actually logged into the Chrome Browser.
2. Learn how to verify your version of the Chrome Browser is up to date.
3. Learn how to add a user to the Chrome Browser.
4. Learn how to easily switch users.  

Verify you are actually logged into the Chrome Browser

Open Chrome and be sure you are logged into the browser.  Follow the steps below to be sure:

1. Click on the "settings" icon in the upper right hand corner of the screen.
2. Click on "Settings" in the dropdown menu.
   
3. At the top of the page you will either see your account information or a button that says "Sign in to Chrome".  If you are not signed in, please do so now.  

   

   **Need to Sign In**

   

   **Already Signed In**

   
   

Verify your version of Chrome is up to date.

1. Click on the "settings" icon in the upper right hand corner of the screen.
2. Click on "Settings" in the dropdown menu.
   
3. Click "About" to see information concerning the version of your Chrome browser.
   
   
4. You if your browser is not up to date but is version 40 or higher, it should automatically begin to update itself.  For older versions, you will need to press the "Update" button.  Once the update process has completed you will need to press "Relaunch" to finish updating.  
   
   
   
   
   
5. If your browser is up to date, you will see an indication as such.
   

   

   
   

Add a User to your Chrome Browser

1. Click on the "settings" icon in the upper right hand corner of the screen.
   
2. Click on "Settings" in the dropdown menu.
   
3. Now click on "Settings" on the left hand side of the page.  
   
   
   
   
   
4. In the settings window, scroll down until you find the "People" section of the page, which is near the bottom.
   
   
   
   
   
5. As you can see from the image above, I have one user created, my hartlandschools.us account.  To add a new one, I simply click the button "Add person...".
   
   
   
6. Select an icon for your new user and give it a name that is meaningful to you.  Finally click the "Add" button.  After clicking the "Add" button, you will see the "Set up Chrome" page.
   
   
   
   
   
7. Enter the email address and password of the second account you want to set up with your Chrome browser.  Then click the "Sign in" button.
   
   
   
   
   
8. You will see a confirmation window that you are now signed into Chrome.  
   
   
   
   
   
9. If you go back to settings, you should now see the new account in the list.  
   
   
   

Switching Between Users

Once you have completed the previous steps, you will find you now have two instances of your Chrome Browser open.  

1. You can tell which account is loaded in which instance of your Chrome browser window by looking in the upper right hand corner of your browser.  You will see your Google User ID's for the two accounts.  In my example below SUsher is my personal GMail and ScottUsher is my hartlandschools.us GMail.
   
   
   
   
2. You can now function in either of the two accounts by working in the window where the specific account appears.  You will always know which account you are working with by looking in the upper right hand corner.
3. If you close one of the windows and wish to re-open that account to work with (Send an email, create a Google Doc, etc.) simply click on your account name in the upper right hand corner of the browser window then click on "Switch person".
   
   
   
   
4. Click on the account you wish to switch to.
   
   
   
   
5. A new instance of the Chrome browser window will pop up logged into the account you selected.  Just always be sure to check the upper right to ensure you are using the account you want to be using for the task at hand.
   
   
   
   

If you have any questions or need additional assistance with this task, please do not hesitate to contact myself or, Jen or Michele...we will be happy to assist you.