Chrome for iOS makes it easier to switch between work and personal Google accounts

Google announced Monday that it’s introducing a new feature that lets iOS users easily switch between work and personal Google accounts in Chrome. Previously, iOS users had to completely sign out of a Google account and then log in with another, and repeat this process every time they want to access a different account.

“People often use their mobile device for both work and personal tasks, requiring them to sign in and out with different Google accounts,” the company wrote in a blog post. “To simplify this experience while tightening security, Chrome on iOS is now offering seamless account switching with data separation for managed accounts.”

When users sign in or switch to their work Google account in Chrome, browsing related to their organization will be kept separate from their other browsing on the device. Local data and content, including tabs, history, and passwords stay only within the managed account browsing experience. Google says this is ideal for both end users and IT admins.

The update comes as Google says many organizations are moving away from company phones, which means employees often have to access company resources from their personal phones and computers. Google says the improved account switching experience and data separation “better enables businesses to allow employees to use their device of choice.”

The first time users sign in or switch to a managed account, they will see an onboarding screen that explains the separation of managed account browsing and how their organization is handling their data.

Organizations maintain control and can decide how existing browsing data is handled when a user initially signs in or switches to a managed account. Once users switch to their managed account, they are notified that they’re entering a managed experience.

Google also announced that it has incorporated more advanced security features that IT departments can implement.

Chrome Enterprise’s reporting capabilities are now extending to both Android and iOS, which means organizations can now send critical data related to security events to the security investigation tool in the Google Admin console, Chrome logs, or the SIEM of their choice. Google says this allows IT teams to make more informed decisions about overall security.

Google is also bringing URL filtering to iOS, allowing organizations to do things like block employees from visiting prohibited GenAI sites at a category level and redirect them to the approved corporate services.