Enable or Disable New User Profiles in Chrome
The “New User Profiles” policy in Google Chrome controls whether people can add new browser profiles on your computer. Turning off this policy hides the “Add profile” button in Chrome and stops anyone from making extra profiles, which helps keep shared PCs neat and organized.
You can manage this setting through the Windows Registry using the BrowserAddPersonEnabled policy. Blocking new profiles takes just a few steps and gives you full control over who uses Chrome on your PC.
You can control new user profiles in Chrome using the Group Policy Editor or Registry Editor. In Group Policy, navigate to Computer Configuration Administrative Templates Google Google Chrome and find “Enable adding and removing profiles”. In the Registry Editor, create a DWORD value named BrowserAddPersonEnabled at 🗝️HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\
Introduction
Chrome user profiles separate browsing data, acting like individual accounts for different people or tasks on the same machine.
Disallow adding a new person profile in Chrome
Controlling this feature occurs via the Windows Registry or the Group Policy Editor. Disclaimer: Domain policies or cloud-based management tools overwrite these registry edits on company- or school-managed computers.
Using Group Policy (Recommended for 2026)
Group Policy blocks everyone on a Windows computer from using Chrome user profiles. Windows Pro or Enterprise editions support this method, which centralizes Chrome management.
- Download the Google Chrome ADMX templates from the official Google website.
- Copy the files into your 📁C:\
Windows\ folder.PolicyDefinitions - Open the Group Policy Editor (gpedit.msc).
- Go to Computer Configuration Administrative Templates Google Google Chrome.
- Find the setting Enable adding and removing profiles.
- Set it to Disabled to stop new profiles, or Enabled to allow them.
Using the Registry Editor
Changes in the Windows Registry prevent people from creating or deleting Chrome user profiles. This approach allows profile control for all users or a single user on the machine.
Open the Registry Editor and navigate to one of the following paths, depending on the scope of the change:
- For all users: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Google\Chrome
- For one user: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Policies\Google\Chrome
Right-click the parent folder if Chrome's user profile folders are missing. Select "New," then "Key," and name it "Default." This action builds the necessary structure for Chrome to handle new user profiles.
- Right-click inside the Chrome folder.
- Select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value.
- Name it BrowserAddPersonEnabled.
- Double-click it. Set the value to 1 to allow new profiles or 0 to block them.
Reverting the change requires deleting the BrowserAddPersonEnabled entry. Restarting the computer might prove necessary to apply the modifications.
System administrators can consult the Chrome Enterprise Policy documentation for further configuration options.
Reference: Chrome Enterprise Policy
Conclusion
Controlling Chrome profiles is manageable with the Registry Editor or Group Policy. System backups remain recommended before making modifications. The Chrome Enterprise Policy details further advanced settings.
Where are Chrome user profiles?
Information for each user's roaming profile resides in a file named profile.pb. By default, this file exists in %APPDATA%/Google/Chrome. Changing the roaming profile location to OneDrive stores the file in %ONEDRIVE%/Google/Chrome instead.
What are different Chrome profiles?
Profiles isolate Chrome data like bookmarks, history, passwords, and settings. Multiple people sharing a computer benefit from profiles, alongside anyone separating work and personal accounts.
Was this guide helpful?
About the Author
Richard
Tech Writer, IT Professional
Richard, a writer for Geek Rewind, is a tech enthusiast who loves breaking down complex IT topics into simple, easy-to-understand ideas. With years of hands-on experience in system administration and enterprise IT operations, he’s developed a knack for offering practical tips and solutions. Richard aims to make technology more accessible and actionable. He's deeply committed to the Geek Rewind community, always ready to answer questions and engage in discussions.
No comments yet — be the first to share your thoughts!