Android’s latest version, the Android 12, has reportedly added a new profile type called “Clone” that will allow users to run a second instance of a single app. The feature was first spotted by Android tipster Mishaal Rahman and shared through a Twitter post. According to him, Android 12 has quietly added “Clone,” a new profile type that natively adds app cloning support to the Android OS.
Earlier, if users had to run a second instance of an otherwise single ‘user’ app, like messengers, they had to do it with the Work profile hack. But with the introduction of “Clone,” users will be able to launch two instances of a single user App without using the weird work profile hack. It’s worth noting that some custom skins, such as Xiaomi’s MIUI, offer dual app support already. But seeing Google officially include it in stock Android is commendable.
What is the New Clone Profile in Android 12
Clone profile is a user profile type used to run a second instance of an otherwise single user App, eg. messengers, and social media apps. According to Rahman, only the primary user is allowed to have a clone profile. For users familiar with the dual app support offered by MIUI, the clone profile will offer a similar feature that will allow you to clone an app from a single installation. For example, if you have WhatsApp installed on your Android device, you would be able to clone it and run two accounts.
With this, users will now actually be able to create three instances of a single app in the same profile — ie. the main app, the clone, and the work profile. Apart from this, there are already a few third-party apps like Parallel Space that allow users to run multiple instances of installed apps.
