How to Set Up 2nd Space on Xiaomi: The Complete Guide

Today's Xiaomi and Redmi smartphones offer users incredible flexibility in managing personal data, and one of the most useful features is the ability to create a second space. It's not just a replica of the desktop, but a complete, isolated environment running parallel to the main system. Imagine that you have two different phones in your pocket: one for working with corporate email and banking applications, and the other for entertainment and chatting with friends, and you can switch between them with a single touch.

Many owners of devices based on MIUI or HyperOS do not even suspect that they can divide the digital chaos into logical segments without buying an additional gadget. The second space is ideal for those who want to hide certain applications from prying eyes or just like order in the file system. In this article, we will discuss in detail the activation process, the finerities of customization and the hidden features of this feature.

Before we get started, it's worth noting that creating a new environment will require additional storage space, as some system resources will be duplicated, but the benefits you'll get from increased security and organization will more than offset the minimal cost of free space. Let's dive into the settings and turn your smartphone into a powerful tool for managing your digital life.

What is the second space and why is it necessary?

At its core, this feature is an advanced version of guest mode, but with much more features. While a guest profile typically restricts access to contacts and installed programs, the second space creates a virtually independent operating system inside your phone, where you can install any apps from Google Play or GetApps, create new accounts, and customize notifications regardless of your main profile.

One of the main reasons for using this tool is to separate work and personal time: you can install a corporate messenger in a second space, and it won't bother you with notifications on weekends while you're in the main profile. It helps maintain a digital balance and reduces the stress associated with the constant flow of work information.

It's also a great way to keep your data secure, and if you give a phone to a child to play with or a colleague to watch a presentation, you can switch to a second space where you don't have access to your personal photos, WhatsApp messages, or banking apps.

⚠️ Note: The applications installed in the second space take up a separate space in memory. If you install heavy play on both profiles, it will take up double the storage capacity.

It’s important to understand that while spaces are isolated, they still run on the same hardware, which means that the battery is consumed the same way no matter what profile you’re in, and background processes can affect the overall performance of the device.

Preparing a smartphone for creating a new profile

Before you start cloning the environment, you need to make sure that your device is ready for this procedure. First of all, check the availability of free space: for comfortable operation of the second space, it is recommended to have at least 3-5 GB of free memory, this will ensure the installation of the necessary applications and save the cache without errors.

It’s also worth making sure your operating system is updated to the current version.The second space feature is constantly being improved by Xiaomi engineers, and older versions of MIUI may have bugs or no important security options. Check the updates in the Settings menu → About the phone.

Another important point is that you have a password or graphical key for the main lock screen, and the system will require you to confirm your administrator rights before creating a new isolated environment, and if you do not have a lock screen installed, the system will suggest you create it during the setup process, which is a mandatory requirement for data security.

Step-by-step: how to turn on the second space

The activation process is simple enough to take only a few minutes, but the interface may vary slightly depending on the firmware version. First, open the standard Settings app and scroll down to Second Space. In some versions of HyperOS, this item may be inside the Advanced Settings section.

Once you enter the menu, you will see a welcome window describing the features of the function. Click on the "Enable Second Space" button. The system will warn you that a new space will be created, and will suggest configuring how to switch between profiles. You can choose to add a shortcut to the desktop or use a special keyboard shortcut.

You'll then be asked to configure the login method, you can use the same password as the main screen, or you can come up with a new one, you'll need to set a unique password or fingerprint for a quick and secure switch, and if you choose to log in from a fingerprint, you'll have a specific finger on the scanner, and the phone unlocks in the second space.

Once you've set up, the system will reboot the interface, and you'll be in a clean, empty second space, no photos, no contacts, no installed programs, and you'll have to reconfigure it as if you've just bought a new phone.

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Use different wallpapers for the main and second spaces, which will help you visually and psychologically instantly understand what mode you are in, and avoid accidentally sending personal photos to the work chat.

Setting up privacy and hiding applications

One of the key features of the second space is the ability to hide applications installed in the main profile, which is especially true if you want certain programs to be accessible only to you and not appear in the shared list.

In the settings menu, look for the item “Hide apps in second space,” where you will see a list of all installed programs, activate the switches next to those applications that you want to make invisible to the main profile, and then they disappear from the list of installed applications in the first space, but remain available in the second.

Also, you should pay attention to the notification settings. By default, notifications from the second space can appear in the main profile curtain, which may give off the presence of hidden activity. To avoid this, go to Settings → Notifications and status bar inside the second space and turn off the display of content on the locked screen.

Keep in mind that hiding applications does not mean their complete invisibility for system processes. Traffic consumption and battery charge will still be recorded in the overall statistics of the device, so completely hide the fact of using a smartphone from an experienced user will not work, but for a quick check from prying eyes this is quite enough.

Data transfer and application cloning

Often, you need to use the same apps in both spaces, like two Telegram or Viber accounts. Fortunately, the system makes it easy to transfer data or create clones. In the second space settings, you have a "Move Data" feature that allows you to transfer photos, contacts and installed applications from the main profile.

When you transfer photos, this takes up extra space, but it allows for the independence of the profiles, and if you delete the photo in one profile, it will be saved in the second.

For instant messengers and social media, it's even easier, because if you install an app in the second space, it'll work as a separate instance, so you can log in to another account, and both profiles will work simultaneously, and this implements the app cloning functionality at the system level.

⚠️ Note: When transferring large amounts of data (e.g., galleries), the process can take considerable time and drain the battery.

If you decide to remove an app from one space, a copy of it in another profile will not be affected, which ensures reliable data separation and protects against accidental loss of information when cleaning your phone.

Memory management and removal of second space

Sooner or later, you may need to remove the second space, for example, if it has become too space-consuming or no longer needed.

To delete your profile, go to Settings → Second Space and click on the Recycle Bin icon or the Remove Second Space button. The system will ask you to confirm the action and enter the password from the main profile. Once confirmed, the cleanup process will begin, which can take several minutes.

Before deleting, we strongly advise you to back up important data, you can transfer photos and documents back to the main space through the "Move Data" function or copy them to your computer, and ignoring this step will result in the loss of all files stored only in the second profile.

Once successfully removed, the system will return to normal with one primary profile, and the memory space will be available for use, so you can install heavy games again or save large amounts of media files.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

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The second space on Xiaomi is a powerful tool for sharing digital life that works stably and securely if you set your privacy settings correctly and keep track of the free space in your memory.