The cleanest way to keep work and personal browsing apart in Chrome is two profiles: one signed in to your personal Google Account, one signed in to your work account (or to no account, if your job does not use Google). Each profile keeps its own bookmarks, history, passwords and settings, and Google lists keeping work and personal accounts separate as one of the main reasons profiles exist.
This page is the step-by-step setup. For the basics of adding, switching and deleting profiles, see Chrome profiles explained.
Step 1: Turn your current profile into “Personal”
Most people already browse in a profile with their personal stuff in it. Keep that one and label it, so you never have to wonder which window you are in.
- In your usual Chrome window, click the Profile picture at the top right, then Customize profile.
- Name it Personal and pick a color, for example green.
Step 2: Add a “Work” profile
- Click the Profile picture, then Add Chrome profile.
- If your work uses Google accounts (Gmail or Google Workspace at work), sign in with your work account. If it does not, choose Continue without an account.
- Name the profile Work and pick a color that is clearly different from Personal, for example blue.
A new window opens for the Work profile. From now on, open work sites, work email and work tools only there.
Step 3: Know what your employer can see
Signing in with a work account can put that profile under your organization’s control. Google’s help on managed browsers says an administrator can set up or restrict features, install extensions, monitor activity and control how you use Chrome.
- To check, open the menu (three dots) in the Work window. If the bottom says Managed by your organization, it is managed.
- Paste
chrome://managementinto the address bar to see what your organization manages.
That is the strongest reason to keep personal browsing in the Personal profile: your shopping, banking and personal email stay out of the window your employer may manage.
Step 4: Decide what each account saves
When a profile is signed in, Chrome can save its bookmarks, passwords, extensions and settings to that Google Account, so they follow you to your other devices. Work things go to the work account, personal things to the personal one. To choose what each saves, do this once in each profile:
- Open the menu (three dots), then Settings, then You and Google.
- Click your account name.
- Choose what to save in your Google Account. History and open tabs have their own switch, History and tabs.
Source: Google’s help on getting your bookmarks, passwords and more on all your devices. More on this in syncing Chrome between devices.
Step 5: Make switching fast
- Switch: click the Profile picture and pick the other profile. Each profile gets its own windows, so you can keep both open side by side.
- Keyboard: Ctrl + Shift + M on Windows and Linux, ⌘ + Shift + M on a Mac.
- Separate icons: give each profile its own desktop shortcut, so “Work” and “Personal” each open with one click. See desktop shortcuts for Chrome profiles.
- Choose at startup: in Profile picture, then Manage Chrome profiles, tick Show on startup to pick a profile every time Chrome opens.
On your phone
- iPhone and iPad: add both Google Accounts and switch between them from your account picture at the top right of a new tab. When you sign in with a work account, Chrome asks to set up a separate space for work and keeps that account’s tabs, history and passwords apart from personal browsing.
- Android: Google’s Android help says you can only have one Chrome profile on an Android device, so the two-profile setup is for computers.
Leaving a job
When you no longer need the Work profile, delete it: Profile picture, Manage Chrome profiles, More (three dots) on the Work card, then Delete. This erases that profile’s bookmarks, history and passwords from the computer and leaves your Personal profile untouched. For more ways to use several profiles day to day, see tips for running several profiles.