How-to

Restricted Profiles is a New Security Feature in Android 4.3

Android 4.3 is an update which doesn’t come with lots of new things, but the new things that it does bring to the table are quite useful. Features like TRIM support, which should breathe new life into the old Nexus 7. Another groovy new feature is the one allowing you to create restricted profiles on your Android device. Here’s how the restricted profiles feature works.

Android 4.3 restricted profiles

Restricted Profiles Android 4.3

You may remember that Windows Phone 8 has a similar feature, allowing you to restrict what your child, for example, can do on your mobile device. This is a variation on the idea (remember that it only works on Android 4.3). It basically lets you create a restricted profile, the user of which can only use certain apps, that you select.

This can be quite useful if, for example, you let your child use the device, or if you use a tablet to showcase a certain app or feature, but don’t want that user to be able to do other things.

Setting it up really couldn’t be easier. First, go to Settings on your tablet, then to Users. Then tap “Add User or Restricted profile.”

Android 4.3 restricted profile users add user

Next you’ll be able to set up the profile in question, and also decide whether apps can use location information with it.

Android 4.3 restricted profile location

You can also decide which apps the person you’re making the profile for can use. You can restrict things to those apps if you disallow the Google Play Store, too.

If you don’t want the user to be able to get onto various websites and see information which could harm them, you can disallow access to browsers.

Android 4.3 restricted profile set apps to use

This is an essential feature to set up, especially if your child has access to your tablet, and you’re also using it for work-related purposes. This way, there is a chance that your information might actually be safe. Unless they throws the tablet in the fish tank, in which case…

Have you updated your Android to version 4.3 yet and used the Restricted Profiles feature? Let us know your story in the comments.

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