How to set up multiple user accounts

The Google Pixel Tablet is an Android tablet that doubles as a nifty smart home hub for the best smart home devices. You’ll get the most use out of it by sharing it with multiple household members, who then have a personal space to install their apps and customize their settings to their liking.

We show you how to set up multiple users, including children and guests, on your Pixel Tablet. Before adding more users, change these essential settings after setting up your Pixel Tablet.

What permissions do users have?

Before you start adding multiple users to your Pixel tablet, learn about the different types of users and the permissions they have.

All users can customize their home screen, add accounts, install apps, download files, and change settings. All this is set to one user. Switching a user does not carry over any data.

Primary user

The Primary user is the first user you add to your Pixel Tablet during setup. The Primary user can add and delete other users.

Other users

Users who are not the Primary user cannot add or delete other users but can manage, update, and delete their own accounts.

Guest users

Guest users have the same permissions as other users. As this space is intended for multiple users, you can delete all activity on the guest user without deleting the guest user account.

Child users

Parents can manage a child user’s screen time, apps, and settings. Setting up a child account is more in-depth than setting up a regular user account. You must customize your parental control settings. If you don’t add parental control restrictions, a child user has the same permissions as other users.

How to add a user to your Pixel Tablet

You can set up a user for every household member and a guest account that visitors can share. Every non-guest user must have a Google account linked to their user profile.

Only the Primary user can add users.

Enable adding users from the lock screen

You can add users from your Pixel Tablet’s lock screen. This is a handy way to quickly create a user without navigating the Settings app.

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Scroll down and tap System.

   

3. Tap Multiple users.
4. Turn on the Add users from lock screen switch.

   

Tapping
Manage users
from the lock screen shortcut takes you to the
Multiple users
Settings page.

Add a user

You can skip most of these steps by tapping the lock screen shortcut from the previous stage. Otherwise, dive into the Settings app to add a new user.

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Tap System
3. Tap Multiple users.
4. Tap Add user.

   

5. Tap Add child to set up parental controls for a user or tap Add guest to set up an account that anyone can use.
6. Tap Next.
7. Enter a name for the new user.

   

After you enter a user’s name, they need to connect it with their Google account. If they aren’t around to perform this step, tap Skip to save the user for later. A user doesn’t need a Google account, but they can’t access any Google services like Google Play without one.

Child users do not need their own Google accounts. The Primary user’s account must be linked to all child users.

How to delete a user from a Pixel Tablet

The Primary user can delete any account from the Pixel Tablet, but any user can delete their account.

Delete a user as the Primary user

You don’t need permission from another user to delete their account. However, deleting a user’s account removes all their settings and files saved to the Pixel Tablet. We recommend checking if they turned on Google backups before deleting their account.

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Tap System.
3. Tap Multiple users.

   

4. Tap the user’s name.
5. Tap Delete user.

   

6. Tap Delete to confirm the deletion.

Delete your own user

You don’t need to be the Primary user to delete your account.

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Tap System
3. Tap Multiple users.

   

4. Tap your username.
5. Tap Delete [username] from this device.

   

6. Tap Delete to confirm the deletion.

After deleting your account, the Pixel Tablet automatically switches to the Primary user.

How to switch users on a Pixel tablet

You can access the account switcher from any app when the Pixel tablet is unlocked. You can also switch users using the lock screen shortcut you set up at the beginning of this guide.

Users can register their fingerprints to make switching users quick.

1. Tap your username in the upper-right corner of your screen.

   

2. Tap the user you want to switch to.

   

Delete guest user activity

Before your guest leaves, they can wipe their data. If they don’t, any user accessing the guest account can view all personal information, settings, files, and apps added to the guest account during their use.

The Primary user can also delete a guest’s activity.

Delete guest activity as a guest

1. Tap Guest in the upper-right corner of your screen.
2. Select an account to switch to.
3. Tap Exit.

   

Delete guest activity as the Primary user

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Tap System.
3. Tap Multiple users.
4. Tap Guest.
5. Tap Remove guest.

Help everyone enjoy apps and games on your Pixel Tablet

The Pixel Tablet has access to all the apps and games on the Play Store, but there’s a nifty way to share purchases with your family. Creating a Google Family Group lets you share your Google Play Store purchases and YouTube Premium subscription with up to five others.