Two people, one computer, two accounts
Set up a second account so two people share a machine without sharing a mess.
If two people share one login, they share everything: the desktop, the browser tabs, the saved passwords, the mail. Separate accounts end that quietly.
Each account gets its own desktop, its own files, its own browser history and its own settings. Programs are installed once and both accounts can use them. Nothing is duplicated except the parts that should be personal.
There is one real decision: administrator or standard. An administrator can install software and change settings for the whole machine. A standard account can do everything else. Most people, most of the time, are better served by a standard account.
Key points
- A second account gives separate desktop, files, mail and passwords.
- Programs are installed once and shared by everybody.
- Keep one administrator. Make everyone else standard.
- A password prompt in a standard account is normal, not a fault.
- Switching accounts does not close the other person work.
What to remember
- Adding an account takes two minutes and separates two lives.
- Separate space is generous. Separate power is not necessary.
- That password prompt is the protection you asked for, showing up on schedule.
Try this
Add a standard account this afternoon for the person who borrows your computer most, name it after them, and sign in to it once to see the empty desktop.
Practice: Two people, one computer, two accounts. Your first lesson is free, with no account or card; the rest are part of a Lantern plan. Interactive lessons require JavaScript.