Do you often try to take care of private things on your phone before giving it to someone else? Do your friends constantly ask for your phone and you’re not comfortable with giving them the phone with all your personal information in it?
If you answered yes, then continue reading to find out how you can add guest mode on your Android smartphone. Since getting my first Android phone, I’ve had to take care of several things before giving it to others, especially clearing up some text messages before letting my parents use my phone.
Guest mode is one of my favorite features on the latest LG phones and because I use an LG G Flex, I don’t need any other privacy app. If you’re looking for something similar to the guest mode feature on LG, then there are two perfect alternatives available. In this post, I’ll show you two different methods to add guest mode on Android.
What Is Guest Mode And What Are The Benefits?
Guest mode is basically a special profile that you can enable on your Android device for guests. You can choose the apps that you want to enable in guest mode and the guest will only be able to access those apps. So for example, if you want the guest to use only the Phone app, you can enable it and all other apps won’t be accessible.
Here are the reasons why you should use guest mode on your Android device.
- Hide apps and other features on your phone without setting individual passwords.
- Use guest mode as a special profile for kids, enabling only games.
- Easily switch between regular mode and guest mode using a password lock.
Method 1: Guest Mode
Guest Mode is a popular privacy app available on the Google Play Store and it is quite similar to LG’s built-in guest mode feature. The app is extremely easy to use and when enabled, the guest will only be able to see the apps on the screen that are unlocked.
Step 1 – Download The Guest Mode App
Download and install the Guest Mode app on your Android device. You can get the app from the Google Play button below.
Step 2 – Disable Default Lock Screen
Make sure that your current default lock screen is disabled.
Step 3 – Set Up A PIN
Open the app, set up your new PIN and tap on Ok.
Step 4 – Add Profile
Tap on the Add new profile button.
Step 5 – Select Apps For Guest Mode
Enter the name of your profile and enable the apps according to your preferences by ticking the check box next to each app. These enabled apps will be accessible by the guest. So for example, if you only want the guest to access the Music app, enable only the Music app. Tap on the Save button after selecting the apps.
Step 6 – Enable Guest Mode
Tap on the Play button in order to enable guest mode. That’s it! You have successfully enabled guest mode and you’ll now only see the apps that you enabled.
Step 7 – Return To Normal Mode
In order to go back to normal mode, tap on the Arrow in the top right corner and enter the PIN that you set up earlier. Tap on the Stop button in order to disable guest mode.
Method 2: App Locker with Guest Mode
Another great app for enabling guest mode on Android devices is App Locker with Guest Mode. This app is also quite similar to LG’s guest mode feature and you can unlock your phone by entering your regular password for regular mode or use the guest password to unlock your phone into guest mode.
My favorite thing about this app is that it doesn’t change the interface on the phone and you’ll see all the apps as usual while in guest mode. However, when the guest tries to open an app that is locked, the phone will display a fake “Application has crashed” error message. This way, the guest will think that the app has crashed and is not locked.
Step 1 – Download The App
Download and install the App Locker with Guest Mode app on your Android device. You can download it through the Google Play Store button below.
Step 2 – Configure Settings In The App
Open the app and you’ll see options to configure four things including master password, guest password, password recovery email ID and removing your phone’s default lock screen.
The master password will be used for unlocking your phone into regular mode and the guest password will be used for unlocking your phone into guest mode. Once you’re done setting up these options, tap on the FINISH button.
Step 3 – Select Apps For Guest Mode
In order to lock all apps, tap on the Lock icon in the top right corner. A lock sign should now appear next to each app. Tap on individual apps that you want to unlock. These unlocked apps will be accessible by the guest.
Step 4 – Enable Guest Mode
Tap on the Menu button in the top left corner and make sure that the Lock toggle is On.
Step 5 – Access Guest Mode
When you switch the screen on, you’ll see a lock screen. Enter the guest password that you set up earlier in order to unlock your phone into guest mode.
The apps that you unlocked will be accessible by the guest. If he/she tries to open a locked app, the phone will display an error message.
Step 6 – Return To Regular Mode
In order to switch back to regular mode, simply switch on the screen and enter the master password that you set up earlier.
Conclusion
While there are many security and privacy apps available on the Google Play Store, they are quite similar and you can only set up a password and block certain apps. I think default Android lock screens are better than using such apps.
However, you can set up a special guest mode for others in order to allow only specific apps, such as games or the phone app. This is not only a great way to maintain privacy on your phone, but this is also a great way to give your kids the phone without worrying about them accidentally making calls.
I’m a big fan of LG’s guest mode, but if you don’t own an LG smartphone, then you can easily add guest mode using any of the apps mentioned above. Make sure that you follow all the instructions properly on how to add guest mode on Android and feel free to shoot us any questions in the comments area below.
Angie V. on
I would really really enjoy having the ability to have a guest mode on my galaxy S5 but it is not the type that your listing above LG it is a Samsung
on
Angie
Update your S5 to Kitkat. You can use guest mode.
Manjunath on
Thanks a lot for such a nice explanation.
Do have any other app which gives same feature as LG G2 guest mode ??
Method 2 is close but i need something more better.
on
Manjunath,
I have listed the 2 best apps that I feel are perfect and closest to LG’s guest mode.
mitesh on
Me guest mode ka password bhul gaya hu ab…….
on
Mitesh,
This is unfortunate. Bhai gee kaheen safe jagah likh lia karo ya password manager app use kar lo.
anonymous on
Does guest mode for either app allow the owner to track which apps the guest accessed?
on
I don´t think they do since the only apps they are able to use are the ones you allow.
aryeh on
links are down
on
Thanks for the heads up. We´ll take care of that as soon as possible.
Michael on
Hello,
Thank you for the tutorial.
I’ve a dilemma:
I’m in the process of selecting a pair of phones for my 12 and 14 year olds. I don’t want them accessing the web without permission, but want them to have good cameras, and I’m sure they’d like “cool” flat screen phones rather than slide/flip phones.
I can turn off talk, text, and data to each phone line via my account (fully configurable on my current Verizon acct, and 19/24 hours per day on possible switch to T-Mobile). And I can block the kids’ phones from my router. But that would still leave them able to download who knows what from any other WiFi link.
Your suggestions may allow me to “dumb” down smartphones.
As I understand it, the first option you mention from the Google Play store, “Guest Mode” has only a password for the owner/administrator, and is intended for temporarily loaning a phone to a friend or child while the owner is close by.
The second option from Google Play, “App Locker” with “Guest Mode”, allows the parent to have full access via a regular/parent password, and the child/guest to have restricted access via different child/guest password. This latter option would seem viable for our situation, so that my kids phones would be locked so that third parties could not gain access.
Also, I’m mulling getting budget LG smartphones, the Aristo, K20+, or Stylo 3+, because they have purportedly good cameras. I note that you deem the LG “Guest Mode” useful.
How does LG “Guest Mode” compare with the first and second options?
I’d like to be able to block ALL access to the web via ALL routes, including WiFi and wireless, in browser(s) and social networking apps., etc.
Do and of the three options you mention, (1) Google “Guest Mode”, (2) Google “App Locker” with “Guest Mode”, or (3) LG’s “Guest Mode”, have this ability to de-select all apps that link to the web?
If so, I could get smartphones, “dumb” them down for now, and in time, and as kids’ earn trust, allow prudent access to the web to, say, download games or stream videos, all the while having the ability to take great photos.
Thanks for fielding my multi-part query.
Regards,
Michael
on
Hi, Michael!
LG’s Guest Mode works very similarly to App Locker, in that one password allows access to Guest Mode, while another gives full access to the phone. However, LG’s Guest Mode is only intended for temporary use. While in Guest Mode, users cannot access the notification shade nor can they access contacts through the dial screen. By default they are only able to access the gallery, calculator, music, and camera apps, but you can grant them access to more in the regular mode settings.
You should be able to block web access with any of these methods, but with so many different apps that link to the web in various ways, it will be difficult to catch them all. Rather than relying on Guest Mode, I suggest browsing or posts on parental controls:
How to Use Android Parental Controls to Keep Your Children Safe Online
Best 8 Android Parental Control Apps to Check Up on Those Pesky Kids
Please let me know if I can help you further!