OTT Navigator profiles: separate viewing history from shared providers

Choose what should be personal to the profile

OTT Navigator profiles can separate viewing-related state for people sharing one device. Begin by deciding which person should receive the new profile and what should remain shared. A profile is not automatically a separate media subscription or an extra source connection.

Keep a small test in mind: one harmless favorite and one watched item are enough to compare two profiles. Avoid changing a large family library while learning which data belongs to each profile. Record the active profile name before making a change so the later comparison is attached to the correct user.

Create and activate through the documented route

The developer documents User profiles within Settings and Extended settings, with Normal mode needed if Simplified mode hides it. Add the profile, choose an understandable name and activate it. Check the active name on the main screen before opening content.

Profiles require the applicable Premium feature. Inspect the installed version and entitlement rather than treating a missing menu as a source-account failure. Use descriptive names that help the household identify the intended profile without exposing unnecessary personal information on a shared television.

Review shared providers and the PIN boundary

The profile guide says providers are shared by default and describes a provider’s Allow access property for limiting it to a profile. Review that choice separately from favorites and history. A viewer’s empty favorites list does not prove that an underlying provider is inaccessible.

The same guide distinguishes a profile PIN from broader settings and content controls. Use the control that matches the actual purpose and test it on the receiving device. A profile-switching PIN should not be presented as proof that every settings or content route is restricted. Keep any PIN private and recoverable by the authorized administrator.

Verify one change in each profile

Add the harmless favorite under the new profile, switch away and inspect the other profile. Then return and verify the intended provider visibility and watch state. If copying settings from another profile, treat that as a deliberate configuration operation and compare the result rather than assuming every field is independent.

Retain the final profile roles and shared-source decisions in household notes. The expected outcome is understandable personal viewing state with deliberately checked provider access. It does not certify all content restrictions or increase simultaneous streaming rights. Use the actual source and application policies for those separate questions.

Related reading

• OTT Navigator handover: configure the service panel with a recoverable code
• OTT Navigator: select the matching provider template

Questions answered

Sources & further reading

Official references for the subjects discussed. Service terms and device software can change.

• https://ottnav.github.io/faq/restrictions/profiles.html