How to start different profiles with Google Chrome when startup?

Question

How do I start different profiles with Google Chrome with different favorites, and so on?

Answer 1

You have to create a new profile folder and use a different Chrome shortcut with --user-data-dir command-line argument to specify the profile's location

Details:

1) Create a new profile folder (Google Chrome Help):

Go to the Start menu > Run. Enter one of the following directories in the text field, then press OK.

* Windows XP: %USERPROFILE%\Local Settings\Application Data\Google\Chrome\User Data
* Windows Vista/Windows 7: %USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data

Locate the folder called "Default" in the directory window that opens and rename it as "Test"

If you now run Chrome, it will create new "Default" profile so you'll have "Default" and "Test"

2) Create a new shortcut to Chrome: Name the new shortcut as you see fit (for example, "Chrome 2nd profile")

Right-click the new shortcut, choose Properties, paste --user-data-dir="..\User Data\Test" at the end of the Target field. The result on Windows 7 should be:

C:\Users\YOUR-USER-NAME-HERE\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe --user-data-dir="..\User Data\Test"

3) That's it - you can now use the regular Chrome or "Chrome 2nd profile" and any changes made in one won't correspond in the other.