Can I use Google Chrome without being signed in?
Yes you can. But starting with version 70, if you logged into any google service (e.g. gmail) via the Chrome browser, it will automatically sign you into the google accounts for chrome browser also. But there is a way around this:
- Navigate to
chrome://settings/privacy(Privacy and Security sub menu under Advanced settings)
- and turn off
Allow Chrome sign-in
By turning this off, you can sign in to Google sites like Gmail without signing in to Chrome
- You will be prompted to relaunch the browser for the settings to take place.
This screenshot of Version 77.0.3865.75 (Official Build) (64-bit) will help.
Yes and no. There's a local user profile which stores your bookmarks, cookies and other preferences, and you need this to be able to access them. The Google login lets you sync these things between systems and is optional, but google tends to nag you about it. Logging out has no effect outside disabling sync.
You can create new users without linking them to a Google account, I believe, or just not sign in at all if you mean the Google login.
If you totally do not want to use a profile, I guess Incognito mode is the closest thing to that. You'd probably need to use this all the time though.
Updated answer since Chrome v69 (when they automatically logged you into Chrome if you logged into gmail):
Set chrome://flags/#account-consistency to Disabled.
Then you will be able to login to gmail without being logged into Chrome.
https://www.theverge.com/2018/9/26/17904762/google-chrome-sign-in-changes-feedback
@Jon 's answer is correct, but on newer Chrome versions, the option is chrome://settings/people under Sync and Google services
Here are some Screenshots with freehand circles:
