The multi-user functionality on tablets with Android 4.2 is one of the best features of the latest version of Android, allowing many people to share the same tablet, each with their own settings, apps, Google account, etc. However, when it comes to apps, each user must install an app on their account if they want to use it, as the apps installed on one user account aren’t available for the other users on the device.
That is a limitation that a new app, Multi-User App Share, looks to do away with, as it allows a user to share the apps installed on his/her account with other users on the tablet, with each user having their own saves and other app data, removing the need to install the same app on each user’s account, while also saving some storage space. The app does need root access to work, as it involves editing an app’s APK file, but rooting is a small price to pay for the facility of sharing apps between multiple users.
However, right now the app is in the beta stages, and only apps installed on the primary user account can be enabled and disable for secondary users. There are a few other limitations as well – the apps installed on a secondary account first are not showing up in the list of apps that can be shared by the primary user, it doesn’t exactly work well with paid apps, and system apps are also currently a no-go, though as development goes on, we should hopefully see it all get fixed.
Multi-User App Share is no doubt a great app for those who have a rooted tablet with multiple user accounts, and you can try it out by downloading it from the Play Store (follow the link below). Since it is in beta, make sure to report any bugs or issues to the developer. So go ahead, install the app and make life easier on that shared Android tablet in your home.