Hey there! Setting up separate profiles on HBO Max is one of the best things you can do to get the most out of your streaming account. Profiles create fully personalized watch experiences for each person sharing the subscription. But they can be tricky to configure across devices if you don‘t know the ins and outs.
In this guide, I‘ll walk you through how to expertly create, customize, switch between, and troubleshoot profiles on HBO Max. With the right setup, you can skip the profile confusion and spend more time enjoying content.
Why Profiles Matter
First, let‘s look at why HBO Max profiles are so useful compared to a shared single profile:
Avoid Watch History Mix-Ups
Without profiles, HBO Max jumbles everyone‘s viewing activity together. Using profiles keeps your watch history separate from other household members so your homepage stays organized with your recently watched and suggested content only.
Custom Recommendations
Profiles learn your personal watching preferences and tailor all recommendations on the home screen specifically to your engagement with each profile. Great for avoiding suggestions based on someone else‘s taste.
Unique Favorites Lists
Every profile gets its own dedicated favorites list to bookmark shows and movies you love. No more fighting over a single crowded watchlist!
Kid-Friendly Safety
Child profiles limit content ratings and require a PIN to provide a safe viewing environment for little ones. Critical for family accounts.
Download Organization
Profiles all get separate device download quotas for offline viewing. No more having your downloads deleted when others max out shared space.
Travel Convenience
Your profiles sync across smartphones, laptops, and other mobile devices, so your watch history and favorites go wherever you go.
Account Sharing Flexibility
HBO Max allows up to 5 profiles, so you can comfortably share an account with housemates or family without limiting personalization.
According to a 2021 study, 53% of streaming account holders share passwords with at least one other person. Profiles help avoid the headaches of shared accounts.
Creating New Profiles
Let‘s get you set up! Here are the steps to create a fresh profile:
On the HBO Max Website
| 1 | Click your profile icon in the top right |
| 2 | Select "Manage Profiles" |
| 3 | Click the "+" icon |
| 4 | Choose "Kid" or "Adult" |
| 5 | Enter a display name |
| 6 | For Kid profiles, enter the child‘s birthday |
| 7 | Click "Save" to create the profile |
On the Mobile App
| 1 | Tap the profile icon in the bottom right |
| 2 | Tap "Manage Profiles" |
| 3 | Tap the "+" icon |
| 4 | Select "Kid" or "Adult" |
| 5 | Enter the profile name |
| 6 | For Kid profiles, enter the birthday |
| 7 | Tap "Save" to create |
On Connected TVs/Consoles
| 1 | Open HBO Max and highlight your profile |
| 2 | Select "Manage Profiles" |
| 3 | Choose "Add Profile" |
| 4 | Pick "Kid" or "Adult" |
| 5 | Enter the profile name |
| 6 | For Kid profiles, enter the birthday |
| 7 | Confirm by selecting "Save" |
When creating Kid profiles, always enter the child‘s birthday. This enables key parental control options like content filtering.
Now your new profile will appear alongside the others for easy account switching.
Switching Between Profiles
Once you‘ve made profiles, swapping between them is simple:
On the Website
| 1 | Click your profile icon |
| 2 | Select "Switch Profiles" |
| 3 | Choose the profile to switch to |
On the Mobile App
| 1 | Tap your profile icon |
| 2 | Tap "Switch Profiles" |
| 3 | Select the profile to switch to |
On Connected TVs/Consoles
| 1 | Highlight your profile icon |
| 2 | Choose "Switch Profiles" |
| 3 | Pick the profile to switch to |
Once selected, HBO Max will reload right into your chosen profile. Super easy!
Managing Existing Profiles
Over time, you may need to edit profiles as kids grow up or new household members join. Here‘s how to update profile settings and preferences:
On the Website
| 1 | Click your profile then "Manage Profiles" |
| 2 | Hover over the profile to edit |
| 3 | Click the "Edit" icon |
| 4 | Change the name or image |
| 5 | For Kid profiles, update content ratings and PIN |
| 6 | Click "Save" to apply changes |
On the Mobile App
| 1 | Tap your profile then "Manage Profiles" |
| 2 | Tap the profile to edit |
| 3 | Tap "Edit Profile" |
| 4 | Change the name or image |
| 5 | For Kid profiles, update content ratings and PIN under "Parental Controls" |
| 6 | Tap "Save" to apply changes |
On Connected TVs/Consoles
| 1 | Highlight your profile then "Manage Profiles" |
| 2 | Select the profile to edit |
| 3 | Choose "Edit Profile" to change name or avatar |
| 4 | For Kid profiles, update content ratings and PIN under "Parental Controls" |
| 5 | Confirm changes by selecting "Save" |
These settings allow you to always keep profiles tailored to each viewer.
Deleting Profiles
Need to remove a profile completely from your account? Just:
On the Website
| 1 | Click your profile then "Manage Profiles" |
| 2 | Hover over the profile to delete |
| 3 | Click the "Delete" icon |
| 4 | Confirm deletion when prompted |
On the Mobile App
| 1 | Tap your profile then "Manage Profiles" |
| 2 | Tap the profile to remove |
| 3 | Tap "Delete Profile" |
| 4 | Confirm profile deletion |
On Connected TVs/Consoles
| 1 | Highlight your profile then "Manage Profiles" |
| 2 | Select the profile to delete |
| 3 | Choose "Delete Profile" |
| 4 | Confirm profile deletion when prompted |
And just like that, the profile will be permanently removed from your account!
Maximizing Your 5 Profiles
Since HBO Max allows up to 5 profiles per account, take advantage by creating profiles for:
- Yourself
- Your partner or spouse
- Children or dependents
- Temporary guests like visiting relatives or friends
- Specific users like housemates or an au pair
Avoid profile overcrowding by deleting inactive profiles belonging to those no longer using your subscription. HBO Max unfortunately doesn‘t allow merging profiles.
Safe Setup for Kid Profiles
Child profiles require some special configuration for safety:
Enable Parental Controls
Restrict content ratings under "Parental Controls" settings on Kid profiles to limit inappropriate shows and movies.
Set a Profile PIN
Create a 4-digit PIN to control access to the Kid profile and prevent switching to adult profiles without entering the code.
Disable Social Sharing
Keep watch history private by toggling social profile sharing to the "Off" position under account settings.
Check Watch History
Periodically view the Kid profile watch history to ensure only age-appropriate content is being viewed.
Following industry child safety best practices ensures kids stay in a protected viewing environment.
Profile Perks for Travelers
Jetsetters will love how HBO Max profiles make watching on the go easy:
- Download favorites for offline airplane/hotel viewing before trips
- Profile preferences and watch history sync across mobile devices automatically
- Pick up where you left off on any laptop by logging into your profile
- Create a temporary "Travel" profile to easily clear your continued watching queue
Profiles let you take your personalized streaming experience anywhere without limitations.
Profile Sharing Dos and Don‘ts
When sharing an HBO Max account with profiles, keep these tips in mind:
DO:
- Log out of profiles not in active use to free up available streams
- Create an easily recognizable profile for each household member
- Use profile PINs to restrict access as needed
- Communicate profile "ownership" to avoid confusion
- Delete leftover profiles when someone stops sharing your subscription
DON‘T
- Share your master account login info with profile users
- Publicly share or post profile login details online
- Use the same profile across regions due to content licensing
Following profile etiquette ensures harmony while sharing your account.
Troubleshooting Profile Issues
In rare cases, you may encounter profile glitches like not saving correctly or refusing to switch. Try these troubleshooting steps:
- Force close and relaunch the HBO Max app to refresh your profile status
- Log out then log back into your account to reset any stuck profile settings
- Check your internet connection and restart your modem/router if profiles won‘t update
- Update HBO Max to the latest version in case it‘s an app bug
- Attempt profile changes on another device in case the issue is device-specific
- Contact HBO Max customer support if problems persist for a deeper investigation
- Sign out everywhere and sign back in as a last resort to recreate profiles
Sticking to best practices for creating, updating, and deleting profiles will help avoid technical hiccups. But you‘ve got options to get profiles working smoothly again if any showstopping problems arise.
Wrapping Up
Well, there you have it – everything you need to know to take full command of your HBO Max profiles like a pro!
As you can see, HBO Max makes it simple to create personalized watch experiences for the whole family with dedicated profiles. Following the steps outlined above will transform how you share an account and stream your favorite shows.
I hope this guide gave you lots of helpful profile pointers. Now you‘re ready to setup profiles that everyone in your home will love. Time to put your new skills to the test and start streaming better.
Let me know if you have any other HBO Max profile questions! I‘m always happy to help fellow streamers. Enjoy unlimited profile possibilities.
