Let Someone Borrow Your Android Phone With Guest Mode
Someone wants to borrow your phone? Android’s built-in Guest profile gives them their own temporary space without your photos, messages or accounts. For someone who uses the phone often, you can add a full secondary user instead.
What You Need
- An Android phone that supports Guest / Multiple users (common on Pixel; check Settings for users).
- You should be the device owner to add a long-term user.
- No apps required.
What Isn’t Shared
Each user and the guest get their own Home screens, accounts, apps and settings. Files, messages and app data aren’t shared between profiles. Always remove guest data when they’re done.
Hand the Phone to a Guest
Guest is best for short visits. Available on many phones (such as Pixel); not on every Android phone.
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Step 1: Open Quick Settings
Swipe down from the top of your screen (twice on many phones) to open Quick Settings.
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Step 2: Tap the User icon
Tap the User icon.
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Step 3: Add guest
Tap Add guest.
If a guest was used before:
- Start over — wipe the last guest’s data and start fresh
- Yes, continue — keep the previous guest session
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Step 4: When they’re done, remove guest data
As the guest: open Quick Settings → User → Remove guest → Remove.
As the owner: open Quick Settings → User → Guest → Start over.
That deletes all data from that guest session.
Add a Longer-Term User
Use a full user profile for someone who borrows the phone often (for example a family member). You must be the device owner to add one.
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Step 1: Open Multiple users
Open Settings > System > Multiple users. (Search Settings for users if you don’t see it.)
Some of these steps need Android 14 or newer. If you don’t see Add user, your phone may not support multiple users.
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Step 2: Add a user
Tap Add user → OK. If you see Add user or profile instead, tap that, then User → OK.
Enter a name for the new user.
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Step 3: Switch and set up
Tap Switch to the new name. Choose Set up now if they’re with you, or Not now to finish later.
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Step 4: Switch users any time
Swipe down to open Quick Settings, tap the User icon, then tap the person you want.
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Step 5: Delete a user (owner only)
As the owner: Settings > System > Multiple users → tap the user → Delete user → Delete.
Samsung Galaxy Differences
- Samsung’s official multi-user / Guest instructions focus on Galaxy tablets: Settings > Accounts and backup > Users, then Guest or Add user. Switch from Quick settings (user icon) or the lock screen.
- On many recent Galaxy phones, multiple users / Guest may be missing. If you don’t see Users after searching Settings, your phone model doesn’t include it — use App pinning (Tutorial 04) or Private Space (Tutorial 11) instead where available.