Identify the profile that should start
A shared Kodi installation can open the master profile, a selected profile or a previously used profile depending on its settings. Begin by deciding what the household should see at startup. An unexpected skin or library view can be a different active profile rather than a lost installation.
Keep one harmless preference as a marker for the comparison, such as a recognizable view choice. Record the active profile before changing it. Do not modify a large media source list while trying to determine which profile loaded, because that can create a second problem behind the original confusion.
Inspect the documented startup controls
Kodi’s Profiles settings page separates showing the login screen from automatic-login selection when that screen is disabled. Open the actual profile settings and record both choices. Select the intended arrangement deliberately and restart Kodi normally for the test.
After startup, inspect the profile name and the harmless marker. A familiar-looking home screen is not enough when two profiles use the same skin. Keep the observed profile and interface state together so a later support report does not confuse a cosmetic display difference with a missing account.
Understand the profile’s scope
Kodi’s profile documentation supports separate settings and library arrangements but explicitly says profiles are not a security feature. If the task requires access isolation, assess the actual device, filesystem and control routes separately. Do not present a profile password as proof that every route to another library is blocked.
For the ordinary shared-viewing task, inspect which sources and settings are intentionally shared. Use the application’s supported profile controls rather than editing its XML files as a shortcut. Keep a recoverable configuration backup before advanced changes, especially when several people depend on the device.
Check switching as well as startup
Switch to the other intended profile and return, then repeat a normal restart. Compare the expected marker and library each time. If the skin looks wrong after a switch, preserve the Kodi and skin versions and inspect the current documented issue rather than deleting the profile immediately.
Retain the final startup choice in household setup notes. The expected outcome is a predictable active profile and understood shared state. It does not create separate operating-system users, certify content restrictions or guarantee that every skin responds identically across Kodi versions.
Questions answered
Why can the library look different after startup without being deleted?
Check which profile loaded and whether that profile uses a different library or settings arrangement.
Does a Kodi profile provide complete security isolation?
Kodi explicitly cautions that profiles are not a security feature. Assess any actual isolation requirement through the relevant device and access controls.
Sources & further reading
Official references for the subjects discussed. Service terms and device software can change.