9.5. Multi-User Support

Android includes support for multiple users and provides support for full user isolation.

  • Device implementations MAY but SHOULD NOT enable multi-user if they use removable media for primary external storage.

If device implementations include multiple users, they:

  • [C-1-1] MUST meet the following requirements related to multi-user support.
  • [C-1-2] MUST, for each user, implement a security model consistent with the Android platform security model as defined in Security and Permissions reference document in the APIs.
  • [C-1-3] MUST have separate and isolated shared application storage (a.k.a. /sdcard) directories for each user instance.
  • [C-1-4] MUST ensure that applications owned by and running on behalf a given user cannot list, read, or write to the files owned by any other user, even if the data of both users are stored on the same volume or filesystem.
  • [C-1-5] MUST encrypt the contents of the SD card when multiuser is enabled using a key stored only on non-removable media accessible only to the system if device implementations use removable media for the external storage APIs. As this will make the media unreadable by a host PC, device implementations will be required to switch to MTP or a similar system to provide host PCs with access to the current user’s data.

If device implementations include multiple users and do not declare the android.hardware.telephony feature flag, they:

  • [C-2-1] MUST support restricted profiles, a feature that allows device owners to manage additional users and their capabilities on the device. With restricted profiles, device owners can quickly set up separate environments for additional users to work in, with the ability to manage finer-grained restrictions in the apps that are available in those environments.

If device implementations include multiple users and declare the android.hardware.telephony feature flag, they:

  • [C-3-1] MUST NOT support restricted profiles but MUST align with the AOSP implementation of controls to enable /disable other users from accessing the voice calls and SMS.