How to make two WhatsApps on Xiaomi: The Complete Guide

Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco smartphone owners often face the need to use two SIM cards to separate work and personal calls. However, the standard WhatsApp messenger is only bound to one number by default, which creates inconvenience for those who want to keep both contacts in the same device. Fortunately, the MIUI shell (and the new HyperOS) offers a native solution to this problem, without requiring the installation of dubious software.

In this article, we will discuss in detail how to activate the built-in clone of the application, what alternative methods exist and what technical nuances you can encounter in the process, you will learn how to adjust notifications correctly so as not to confuse messages from different numbers, and understand why this method is considered the most secure and stable.

Using a second account on one phone is not just a convenience, but often a necessity for those who do business or just want to separate personal life from work. Android system in conjunction with proprietary utilities from the Chinese manufacturer allows you to implement this as efficiently as possible.

Benefits of Built-in Dual Apps

The main advantage of the MIUI shell is the presence of the system function Dual Apps. Unlike third-party cloners, which can consume excess battery power and collect user data, the native tool works at the core level of the system, which means that the second WhatsApp will work stably, receive push notifications on time and will not discharge the battery faster than usual.

Also, you don’t have to worry about version compatibility. When you update the main messenger via Google Play or the App Store, the cloned version also stays relevant because it’s based on the same installation package, which eliminates the situation when a third-party clone stops working after another update to WhatsApp Inc’s security protocols.

⚠️ Cloning may not be available on some global firmware without Google services preinstalled or on heavily stripped-down versions of the shell for budget models.

Another important aspect is data security: Because the clone is created inside the secure perimeter of Xiaomi, your correspondence is not transmitted through third-party servers, as is the case with parallelizer applications, you get a completely isolated environment for the second number with its own privacy settings.

Step-by-step activating the second WhatsApp via settings

The process of creating a copy of the application takes only a few seconds and does not require root rights or deep knowledge in programming, all actions are performed through the standard settings menu, which is familiar to every user of smartphones of this brand.

First, you need to unlock the device screen and find the Settings icon, and then you need to scroll down to the App section in the menu that opens, and that's where all the tools for managing the installed software, including cloning management, are concentrated.

Once you log into the Dual Apps menu, you'll see a list of supported programs. Search WhatsApp and switch the switchboard opposite it to the active position. The system will request confirmation of the action, warning you to create a copy. We agree, and in a moment a new messenger icon with a characteristic icon in the corner will appear on the desktop.

Now, launch the clone that appears. You'll be asked to enter the number of the second SIM card to sign up for, which could be the second physical SIM card on the phone or the SIM card on another device, if you can read the confirmation code.

Set up notifications and differences in icons

After successfully registering the second number, the user is faced with the question of usability: how to distinguish whether the message came to the personal account or to the work? The MIUI system solves this problem with visual marking, but the settings of the soundtrack require special attention.

By default, the cloned app is marked with a small orange icon in the corner of the main icon. However, if you have a dark theme or a specific theme on, this marker may be invisible. For a more explicit separation, it is recommended to change the notifications for each of the accounts.

• 🔔 Sounds: Go to the settings of each WhatsApp separately (within the app itself) and select different tonals for incoming messages to determine the source by ear.
• 🎨 In some versions of the shell, you can apply different system themes, which will change the appearance of the interface of both messengers.
• 📢 Importance: In the system settings of Android notifications, you can set the priority “High” for one number and “Medium” for another.

Also worth paying attention to the battery settings. Sometimes the system can aggressively save energy and "kill" the process of the second WhatsApp, which will cause messages to arrive with a delay. To avoid this, go to Settings → Applications → Dual apps → WhatsApp (clone) and select "No restrictions" mode in the Battery section.

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To quickly change icons for a clone, use the built-in “Classic” theme in the Themes app, where the icon of the second WhatsApp often looks more contrasting.

Alternative methods of cloning

If for some reason the built-in Dual Apps feature doesn't work or isn't in your firmware version, there are other ways to launch a second WhatsApp. They're less preferred from an optimization perspective, but they're quite viable.

The first option is to use the official version of WhatsApp Business, which is a separate app from the developers of the messenger, designed for entrepreneurs, but it works great for personal purposes, too. You can install it in parallel with the regular WhatsApp, and there will be no conflicts, because these are different packages.

The second option is to install third-party parallelizer apps from Google Play, such as Parallel Space or 2Accounts, which create a virtual environment within which a copy of the messenger runs.

Using third-party parallelizers often causes the second WhatsApp to run slower, and notifications may not arrive until you open the shell app, so this method should only be considered as a temporary solution.

Addressing common problems

Despite the fact that the process is smooth, users may encounter some difficulties, and one of the common problems is the inability to activate a second account due to an error in receiving the account. SMS-This may be due to the locking of short numbers by the operator or the overflowing memory of the phone.

Another common scenario is version conflict: If you have previously installed modified versions of WhatsApp (such as GBWhatsApp or WhatsApp Plus), the system clone may not start or work correctly, in which case you need to completely remove all third-party mods and clear the cache.

⚠️ Note: Using unofficial modified versions of WhatsApp can lead to permanent locking of your number from the messenger servers.

If the second WhatsApp crashes all the time, try clearing the cloned app through the Apps → Dual Apps menu, and rebooting the device helps, which resets temporary system errors accumulated over time.

Impact on productivity and battery

Running two instances of a heavy app like WhatsApp inevitably affects smartphone resources. The messenger constantly keeps an Internet connection, synchronizes media files and checks new messages. Two such processes create a double load on RAM and the processor.

On current Xiaomi models with 6 gigabytes or more of RAM, this effect is almost imperceptible, but on budget devices with 3-4 GB of RAM, applications can be more frequently unloaded from memory, which means that when switching between programs, they can restart.

As for autonomy, having two active connections to messenger servers increases battery consumption by about 5-10% per day, depending on the intensity of correspondence. If you are critical to your time, consider disabling the synchronization of media files in the second account.

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Using built-in cloning affects the battery less than running two separate phones, but requires monitoring the background activity of applications.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)