Xiaomi and Redmi smartphones are often used for personal use, but also for work or business. Users face the need to separate the flow of information so as not to mix personal correspondence with work tasks. Owners of devices based on the MIUI shell or the new HyperOS have the unique ability to use built-in system tools to create isolated spaces. This allows you to effectively manage multiple profiles without having to buy a second phone.
There are several ways to do this, each with its own characteristics and limitations: You can use the Second Space feature, which creates a virtually separate interface, or you can use a lighter cloning of applications. The choice of the specific method depends on how deep data isolation you need. In this article, we will discuss all the options available for configuration.
Before making any changes, it’s important to understand that creating additional profiles can consume more RAM and battery power.However, optimizing the new Redmi Note models and Xiaomi’s flagship 13/14 series minimizes these losses.
Preparation of the device and compatibility check
The first step before activating any profile sharing features is to check the software version. Xiaomi regularly updates its shell, and the settings may change depending on the version of MIUI or Android. Make sure your device is updated to the latest available version to avoid errors in the operation of system modules. To check, go to Settings → About phone and click on the system version.
You also need to evaluate the storage space of the device. Creating a full second space requires additional disk space, comparable to installing a new smartphone. If your Redmi has only 64 GB of memory and they are almost full, the system may not work stable or not allow the function to be activated at all.
⚠️ Note: Before any manipulation of system settings is initiated, it is strongly recommended to back up important data.While the process of creating a second profile is safe, an accidental failure may result in loss of information in the main profile.
An important aspect is having a Mi Account, which is optional for some features, but for full synchronization of data between spaces and resetting, it is critical to have one, register or log in to your account through the settings menu if you haven’t already.
☑️ Checking before creating a profile
The Second Space (Second Space)
The Second Space feature is the most powerful tool in Xiaomi’s arsenal: It creates a completely isolated environment that looks like a new phone with its own desktop, wallpaper and suite of apps, in fact, they are two different users on the Android system, each with their own data and settings.
To activate this function, you need to go to the system settings section. The path may vary slightly, but most often it is located at Settings → Second Space. In some versions of the firmware, this item may be hidden in the submenu "Advanced Settings" or "Special Features." Once you log in, the system will prompt you to enable the function by clicking the corresponding button.
The process of creating it takes a while, because the system needs to form a new file structure, and you'll be asked to configure a new space: select a language, connect to Wi-Fi, and if you want, set up a fingerprint or password to log in, and this allows you to switch between profiles just by putting a certain finger on the scanner.
| Parameter | Main profile | Second space |
|---|---|---|
| Access to files | Full access | Isolated (by default) |
| Notifications | Always displayed | Only in an active profile |
| Battery | General expenditure | General expenditure |
| Deletion of data | It doesn't affect the second. | Not affecting the main |
How to transfer files between spaces?
Cloning of applications (Dual applications)
If you don't want complete system isolation, but only a second account on the messenger or social network, the best solution is the dual applications function, which creates a copy of the selected application that runs parallel to the main one using a separate database.
You can find this setting by Settings → Apps → Dual Apps. The list that opens will show programs that support cloning, most commonly WhatsApp, Telegram, Viber, Instagram and various social networks. You just need to switch the slider against the desired application.
Once activated, a copy of the app will appear on the desktop with a distinctive icon (usually a yellow tag in the corner), and you can log in using a different phone number or login, ideal for those who want to separate personal and work correspondence, but are not willing to put up with some of the performance decline that Second Space brings.
- 📱 Support: Only those applications that are added by the developer can be cloned MIUI compliant.
- ⚙️ Independence: Notifications from a cloned application come to a shared notification center but are marked with a copy icon.
- 🗑️ Deletion: Deletion of the cloned application does not affect the original and vice versa, the data is stored separately.
Switching and labeling settings
The convenience of using multiple profiles depends on the speed of switching between them. Xiaomi has several quick access methods. The easiest is using the control panel. Swipe down from the top edge of the screen to open the Curtain, and find the Second Space switch there. If there is none, click on the pencil (edit) and add this element to a prominent place.
An even faster method is to use a fingerprint. You can assign different fingers to enter different spaces. For example, the thumb of the right hand opens the main profile, and the thumb of the left hand opens the working one. To set up, go to Settings → Second Space → Switch between spaces and follow the instructions on the screen.
You can also set up a floating switch window, which is a small icon that hangs over all windows and allows you to change your profiles instantly, but be careful: having such an icon can interfere with navigation in some games or applications with a full-screen interface.
⚠️ Warning: When setting up fingerprint unlock, make sure you clearly remember which finger is responsible for what. In a stressful situation, you can accidentally unlock the wrong profile.
Working with Google Accounts and Services
In the second space, you can add a completely different Google account, and it will be independent of the main one, which is useful for separating contacts, calendars and search history, and the apps installed in the second profile will be downloaded from the Play Market store that is active there.
In the case of cloned applications, the situation is different: an app clone usually uses the same Google service as the main one, unless the application requires separate authorization within itself, for example, for YouTube or Google Maps, cloning may not work as expected due to the deep integration of these services into the system.
If you need to run a game or application that requires a Google Play Games license check, the Second Space may require a reauthorization, which the system may perceive as a new device, and be prepared for the fact that progress in games does not automatically sync between spaces, unless you use cloud-based saves inside the game itself.
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Use different wallpapers for each space, a visual anchor that will help you instantly understand what profile you are in, and not send a personal photo to a work chat.
Removal and management of the second profile
Sooner or later, you may need to delete a second profile or cloned application. If you have used the “Second Space” feature, the removal is done through the main profile settings. Go to Settings → Second Space, click on the menu (three dots) and select “Delete Second Space”.
It is important to understand that deleting the second space will permanently delete all data, photos, contacts and applications that were inside it. The system will warn you several times about this, requiring confirmation of the password of the main profile.
To remove cloned applications, the process is simpler: go to Settings → Apps → Dual apps and turn off the slider in front of an unnecessary application. Or just find the clone icon on your desktop, press it and select Delete. The data inside the clone will also be destroyed.
- 🔄 Reset: Full phone reset will remove both spaces at once.
- 💾 Backup: Do the second space data backup separately, the standard backup may ignore it.
- 🔒 Security: When selling your phone, be sure to remove all spaces and make a factory reset.
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Deleting Second Space is a radical measure that erases all the data inside it. Always check for backups before deleting.