I have five Samsung A11+ devices that need to be shared by different users. They should only be able to use a web browser, the camera, and browse photos when uploading files. Most activity will happen through a web portal requiring users to sign in.
Ideally, closing the browser should clear or prevent saved passwords, sessions, and other personal data. I also need to prevent users from opening unrelated apps or installing new ones. I would prefer to keep the owner account for administrative changes and give regular users a restricted profile.
I'm trying to do this without buying an MDM solution or spending money. Samsung's instructions for restricted users don't seem to match what's available on these devices, and Guest mode doesn't seem useful because it creates a completely fresh session each time. A free solution tied to Google accounts could be acceptable, but it would need to work without a business account.
4 Answers
Some device-management services offer free tiers for a limited number of devices, so it may be worth comparing those with the effort of maintaining manual restrictions. Just verify what features remain available in the free plan before depending on it.
Google Family Link could work as a low-cost option if you’re willing to create Google accounts for the users. It can restrict applications, installations, and some device settings, although it isn’t a replacement for proper business device management.
Without an MDM platform, you’ll probably have to compromise. App pinning may help keep users inside a particular app, but it won’t provide full device management or reliably prevent a determined user from changing settings. Built-in parental controls or a restricted profile are about the only free options worth checking.
I’m still checking whether app pinning is available after the devices finish updating. A second profile without a Google account may be the simplest approach, with the understanding that users could still sign in elsewhere and that the risk would have to be handled administratively.
The main limitation is that, without device management, you probably can’t stop someone from factory-resetting a tablet, changing the device PIN, or bypassing restrictions. App pinning and separate user accounts can reduce casual misuse, but they won’t provide strong security.
I’ll investigate the free management options when I have time. If nothing simple works, I may have to leave the owner account protected with a PIN and use a non-owner account, while treating any further changes as an administrative issue.