To stop Chrome from showing the profile picker screen on startup, click your profile icon in the top-right corner, click the gear icon, and uncheck Show on startup. Chrome will then open straight to your last-used profile.
Applies to: Google Chrome on desktop (Windows, Mac, Linux, ChromeOS). You need at least two Chrome profiles set up; the picker only appears when there is more than one profile.
Why does Chrome show a profile picker?
Chrome shows the picker automatically once a browser has two or more profiles. It exists for shared computers where different people each keep separate bookmarks, history, and saved passwords. If you added a second profile once and rarely switch, the screen is just an extra click.
How do you turn off the profile picker?
- Open Chrome and click your profile icon in the top-right corner of the browser.
- Click the gear icon at the bottom of the profile menu, next to “Other profiles.”
- On the profile picker screen, uncheck Show on startup.
Chrome now opens straight to your last-used profile without stopping at the selector screen.
How do you turn the profile picker back on?
Click your profile icon, click the gear icon, and check Show on startup again.
What if the option to disable it is missing?
If there is no gear icon or “Show on startup” checkbox, Chrome likely only has one profile. The picker, and the setting to disable it, only appear once a second profile exists. Click your profile icon and check the list under “Other profiles” to confirm how many you have.
How do you delete a Chrome profile you no longer need?
Deleting an unused profile removes the picker entirely, since Chrome has no reason to show it with only one profile left.
- Click your profile icon in the top-right corner.
- Click the gear icon.
- On the profile you want to remove, click the three-dot menu.
- Select Delete.
- Confirm by clicking Delete profile.
This removes all local data for that profile, including bookmarks, history, and saved passwords. If the profile was signed in to a Google account, the synced copy of that data stays safe in the account; only the local copy on this computer is removed.
Can you still switch profiles without the startup screen?
Yes. Turning off the startup screen does not stop you from switching profiles whenever you need to. Click the profile icon at any time to switch to another profile or open a new profile window; Chrome opens a separate window per profile, so your tabs stay separate.
FAQ
Does disabling the picker delete my other profiles?
No. It only skips the startup screen. All your profiles stay installed and you can still switch between them from the profile icon.
Will this setting sync to my other computers?
No. “Show on startup” is a local, per-device setting. You need to turn it off separately on each computer where you use Chrome.
Does a Chromebook show the same profile picker?
A Chromebook’s ChromeOS login already separates users at the system level. Chrome profiles inside ChromeOS are a separate layer on top of that, and the same picker screen and steps apply within a single ChromeOS user account.
Good to know
- Each Chrome profile has its own bookmarks, history, saved passwords, extensions, and settings.
- You can open multiple profiles at the same time; each runs in its own window.
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