Is it possible to run three versions of Google Chrome?

How might I run 3+ versions of google chrome so I can log into to 3 different google accounts.

More specifically I am looking to have separate icons in the dock for the 3 separate running applications.

How might I run duplicate and or copy versions of the same application. The following linked question on SuperUser by Mark works for a lot of applications but not for Google Chrome.

It appears the following might work link.


Solution 1:

I used to do that some years ago. Just tested it and it still works. Add two different accounts

System Preferences->Users&Groups
+
Full : Chrome1, Account : chrome1, Pass : password, Ver : password
+
Full : Chrome2, Account : chrome2, Pass : password, Ver : password

Open a Terminal (Applications->Utilities->Terminal) and launch Chrome under these accounts (Plus, launch one under the account you are logged in to get at total of 3)

sudo -u chrome1 /Applications/Google\ Chrome.app/Contents/MacOS/Google\ Chrome

Open a new tab in Terminal cmdT and enter:

sudo -u chrome2 /Applications/Google\ Chrome.app/Contents/MacOS/Google\ Chrome

You will have 3 separate "Chrome" icons in the Dock now. Now sign in separately into each Chrome.

I recommend that you login once to these accounts using the GUI, otherwise you will get Keychain errors when you quit Chrome.

To put direct "links" to open these browsers into the Dock

Applications->Automator File->New In the search field, enter "script", add a "Run shell script"

echo yourpassword | sudo -S -u chrome1 /Applications/Google\ Chrome.app/Contents/MacOS/Google\ Chrome

(Change yourpassword of course)

File->Save->Applications->Chrome1.app

Close Automator

Open /Applications in Finder

Drag "Chrome1" to the Dock

Click Chrome1 in the Dock

Hope this works for you as for me.

Solution 2:

Google Chrome Canary is a bleeding-edge version of Chrome which uses its own profile, so it can be run in parallel to a regular copy of Chrome. The Canary browser is the least tested version of Chrome in their development pipeline (Canary → dev → beta → stable), but contains the newest features. For this reason it may not always work as expected, or sometimes not at all. It receives updates every single day. This SO post describes it in more detail.

Solution 3:

Perhaps a relatively new feature in Chrome might do the trick, except you won't have two icons in the Dock, and only one instance of Chrome running:

enter image description here

You can have multiple user's accounts at the press of a button:

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