Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphone owners often face the challenge of restricting access to personal information. The MIUI shell and the new HyperOS offer powerful built-in tools that not only lock, but also completely hide the fact that certain programs are present, which is critical when children use the phone or when the device falls into the hands of strangers for a short time.
The Chinese brand’s systematic approach to security allows you to create isolated spaces where bank data, personal correspondence and sensitive photos are stored. Second Space’s built-in mechanism creates a full-fledged second operating system inside your phone that requires a separate password or fingerprint to access, much more reliable than the simple third-party blockers from the Play Market store.
In this article, we will explore all available methods of protection, from basic locking of individual applications to creating hidden folders. You will learn how to configure biometric authorization and understand how the guest mode differs from the second space.
Use of the Hidden Applications function
The easiest way to secure your data is to use the regular concealment function, which does not require additional software installation and works at the system level, and once activated, the icons of selected programs disappear from the desktop and from the menu of all applications, remaining available only through a special code or fingerprint of the owner.
To activate the function, you need to go to the system application Security, which is preinstalled on all devices of the brand. Inside the menu, you should find the Hide applications and activate the switch. The system will suggest creating a unique password for access or linking the action to biometric data, which greatly speeds up the process of entering the hidden partition.
To open a list of hidden programs, you need to perform a specific action on the desktop, usually spreading two fingers to the sides (the gesture "pinching"), as in zooming out the image. However, in some versions of firmware, the gesture may differ, so you should check the settings in the Settings → Hidden applications section beforehand.
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Don’t rely on hiding icons. For full protection, be sure to set a separate password to log in to the apps themselves through the “App Lock” function.
Setup to block individual applications
If you don't have to hide your icons, you just have to prevent someone from running your programs, use the lock function, which allows you to set a password, a pattern lock or a fingerprint for each application separately, and when you try to open a secure program, the system will ask for proof of identity.
Configure it through the same Security app. In the list of available options, select Application Lock. Here you will see a list of all installed programs. Just switch the slider opposite the desired application (for example, Gallery, Messages or Bank clients) to activate the protection.
It is important to configure the unlock options in the locker settings menu, you can choose whether you need a password every time you start or only after you restart the device, and you can also use the Hide the contents of notifications, which masks the text of messages in the notification curtain until the phone is unlocked.
- 🔒 Use a complex pattern lock that does not repeat simple geometric shapes so that it cannot be guessed from the tracks on the screen.
- 👁️ Enable the Face Unlock option only if you are confident in the reliability of your model’s algorithm, as a photo can sometimes bypass the protection.
- 📱 Change your password to the blocker regularly, especially if other people use the phone periodically.
☑️ Setting up application protection
Guest mode and its limitations
Guest Mode is a standard Android feature that allows you to temporarily restrict access to the main user's data. When you switch to this mode, a clean desktop appears on the screen without your widgets, photos and call history. The guest can only use the basic features of the phone and the apps you allow.
However, in the shells of MIUI and HyperOS, this mode is often hidden or unstable compared to “pure” Android. Xiaomi smartphone owners are more likely to use a more advanced analogue – Second Space. However, if your phone supports Guest mode, it can be activated through the user profile in quick settings or in the Settings → Passwords and Security → Privacy Protection.
⚠️ Note: In Guest mode, some system features and settings may not be available. Do not hand over your phone in this mode for long calls, as the guest may accidentally reset important network settings.
The main difference between Guest mode and full application protection is the temporary nature of use, which is ideal when you need to give someone a phone for a single call or viewing a card, but is not suitable for the constant separation of work and personal information.
Second Space: Creating a Second Space
Second Space is a unique feature of the Xiaomi ecosystem, which creates a completely isolated environment inside a smartphone, like two different phones in one case, each space has its own desktop, its own Google and Mi Account accounts, its own galleries and contact lists.
Switching between spaces is instantaneous through a notification panel or a special widget, so you can set different fingerprints to enter the main and second spaces, for example, unlocking the right thumb with your right hand opens a personal profile, and the left little finger opens a working or hidden profile.
To set up, go to Settings → Second Space and click “Enable.” The system will prompt you to set up a biometrics and create a password. Once created, you will access a clean interface where you can install individual versions of apps, such as a second WhatsApp or Telegram, and fill it with content that is not available in the main profile.
| Parameter | Main space | Second space |
|---|---|---|
| Access to files | Full access | Isolated (removal needed) |
| Accounts. | Your personal | Individual (possibly anonymous) |
| Notifications | All notices | Only from the 2nd profile applications |
| Battery | General expenditure | Background processes can consume charge |
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The second space is not just a folder, but a fully-fledged, isolated environment, and deleting applications in the second space will not affect the data in the main profile.
File and Media Protection in the Gallery
Photo and video protection is also worth noting: The Gallery app on Xiaomi smartphones has a built-in Hidden Album feature, and photos placed on this album disappear from the general viewing and require additional authorization to view.
To add a photo to a hidden album, open the gallery, select the images you want, click the menu (three dots) and select Hide. To access them, you will need to pull the album list down and enter a password or attach a finger to the scanner, which is an effective way to hide personal photos from prying eyes without installing third-party vault applications.
In addition, files can be moved to a hidden album directly from Explorer.The files in the hidden album are encrypted and not displayed when you connect your phone to your computer via USB until you unlock access directly on your smartphone screen.
- 📸 The hidden album syncs to the Mi Cloud only if the appropriate option is enabled, which creates a backup even for hidden data.
- 📂 Files can be moved between regular and hidden folders without loss of quality, but the process of moving large video files can take time.
- 🔐 When resetting your phone to factory settings, the hidden album will be deleted unless backup is made via Mi Cloud or manually ported.
Additional security measures of the system
Application protection will be ineffective if access to the device itself is compromised. Xiaomi’s security settings recommend that device search and remote lock be activated, allowing data to be erased or the phone locked through the web interface in the event of theft.
You should also pay attention to the "Stealth Protection" feature, which prevents the phone from turning off or entering flight mode without entering the unlock password. You can activate this option in Settings → Passwords and Security → Theft Protection. This is a critical setting that prevents an attacker from quickly disabling communications.
⚠️ Warning: Don't use simple passwords like "1234" or "0000" to protect applications. Attackers check them first. Use combinations of numbers and characters.
Update your security regularly. Xiaomi releases security patches monthly. Go to Settings → About Phone → Update to make sure you have an up-to-date version of the software with patched vulnerabilities.