Second space on Xiaomi Redmi: why you need it and how to use it

Ever wondered why Xiaomi Redmi smartphones have a "Second Space" feature? This option, hidden in MIUI settings, often goes unnoticed, although it can dramatically change the way you use your phone. Imagine: one device, but two completely isolated profiles with different apps, settings and even passwords. Sounds fantastic? In fact, this is a real possibility available to owners of most Redmi models — from the budget Redmi Note 12 to the flagship Redmi K60 Pro.

The second space is not just a guest mode, but a full-fledged virtual copy of your smartphone, which is powered by MIUI Dual Apps, but with advanced capabilities: you can create a separate work profile, hide personal data from colleagues, or even test applications without risk to the main system. In this article, we will discuss when you really need a second space, how to set it up correctly, and what pitfalls such experiments harbor, and also talk about little-known features that will make using the second space as convenient as possible.

What is the Second Space and How Does It Work?

Second Space (or Second Space in the international version of MIUI) is a virtualization technology that creates an isolated copy of the operating system on your Xiaomi Redmi, essentially two independent Android profiles running on the same device.

• 📱 Own applications (you can install different versions of the same software)
• 🔐 Individual accounts (Google, Mi Account, social networks)
• 📁 Isolated files (photos, documents, downloads do not overlap)
• 🛠️ Unique settings (wallpaper, sounds, screen brightness)

Technically, the second space works as a container inside the main system, and it doesn't require root rights or performance, because it uses shared resources on the phone, but it's very hard to separate data, so if you have WhatsApp in the main space with work chats, for example, in the second, you can have a personal account, and they never cross.

It's important to understand that this is not the same as guest mode on Android, that the guest has limited rights and can't install apps, whereas the second space is a full copy of the system, and that MIUI 14+ has the ability to quickly switch between spaces through the notification bar, which makes the feature even more convenient.

Reasons to Use Second Space

Many Xiaomi Redmi owners are unaware of how widely this feature can be used. Here are 5 real-world scenarios where a second space becomes indispensable:

1. Work and personal life on one phone, like corporate email, Slack and Trello, and Instagram, games and personal correspondence, in the second, and you can switch between them in seconds.
2. Secure application testing. Have you installed a questionable APK? Run it in space two -- if the virus doesn't get damaged, the host system.
3. Hiding data from children or colleagues, you can give a phone to a child without fear that they will accidentally delete important files or see your correspondence.
4. Bypassing regional restrictions: In some countries (e.g. China), some of Google's services are blocked, and a second space allows you to create a profile with another region.
5. Multi-accounts in games and social networks, for example, you can simultaneously maintain two accounts on Genshin Impact or TikTok without bans.

Another advantage is the savings on the second phone, so instead of buying a separate machine to work with, you can use a single device with two spaces, which is especially true for freelancers or small business owners.

⚠️ Note: Some banking applications (e.g. SberBank or Tinkoff) may block access if they detect work in a virtual space.

How to create a second space on Xiaomi Redmi: step-by-step instructions

The second space is set up in 5 minutes, and the key is to follow the instructions and not skip the steps. Here's how to do it on MIUI 12/13/14:

1. Open Settings → Special Options → Second Space (in some firmwares, the path may differ: Settings → Applications → Second Space).
2. Click on “Create a Second Space” and create a password (it should be different from the main one!) This is a must-do step – you can’t create space without a password.
3. Choose which data to copy from the main space: 📱 Applications (you can choose individual or all of them) 📂 Files (photos, videos, documents) 📞 Contacts and communications

⚠️ Attention: If you don't copy the contacts, they won't be available in the second space.

Wait until the setup is complete (usually takes 1-3 minutes).

After rebooting, the notification bar will display an icon for switching between spaces (two circles). Click on it to move to the second space.

If the switch icon doesn’t appear, check the notification bar settings: sometimes it’s hidden in System Icons. You can also switch through Settings → Second Space → Switch.

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To speed up the creation of the second space, close all background applications through Task Manager before you start setting up. This will reduce the load on the processor.

How to delete the second space and what will happen to the data

If the second space is no longer needed, it can be deleted in a few clicks, but there's a critical caveat: all the data in the second space will be permanently erased.

• 📸 Photos and videos
• 📄 Documents and downloads
• 🎮 Keeping in games
• 💬 Correspondence in messengers

To remove the space:

1. Go to Settings. → Second space.
2. Select “Delete the second space.”
3. Enter the password from the second space (not the main one!).
4. Confirm removal.

If you want to save data before deleting it, there are two ways:

1. Manual transfer: Copy the desired files to the cloud (Google Drive, Mi Cloud) or external drive.
2. Export Contacts: In the second space, open Contacts → Settings → Import/Export and save the VCF file.

⚠️ Note: Some apps (like WhatsApp or Telegram) are tied to a phone number. If you delete the second space, it will be impossible to restore chats without a backup.

Hidden chips of the second space, which you did not know

Many people use the second space at a minimum, unaware of its hidden possibilities. Here are 5 life hacks that will make working with it more effective:

• 🔄 Quick gesture switch. MIUI 14+ You can configure switching between spaces with double tap on the back panel (in Settings) → Additionally. → Gestures).
• 🔒 You can set a different password for each space, you can set a graphical key for the main profile and PIN-code for the second, which will make it harder to access unauthorized.
• 📶 Separate network settings. In the second space, you can use another eSIM, VPN or even mobile phone operator (if the phone supports dual) SIM).
• 🎨 Unique wallpaper for each space, which will help visually distinguish profiles. → Wallpaper.
• 🛡️ So, surveillance protection, if you give someone a phone, in the second space, you can turn off geolocation and microphone access for all applications.

Another little-known possibility is to use a second space to circumvent game restrictions, such as PUBG Mobile or Free Fire, where you can run two accounts simultaneously if the main space is in the background and the second is in the foreground, but some games (such as Genshin Impact) block this method, so check the rules of the service.

Comparison of the second space with other data sharing methods

The second space isn't the only way to isolate data on Xiaomi Redmi. Let's compare it to the alternatives:

And you can see from the table that the second space is the most versatile option if you want complete isolation, but if you only need a duplicate of one app (like a second WhatsApp), it's easier to use Dual Apps. → Annexes → Dual Apps).

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The second space is the best choice if you need to completely separate work and personal data, test apps, or hide information from other phone users.

Frequent Problems and How to Solve Them

Despite the convenience, the second space sometimes malfunctions.-5 problems and solutions:

• 🔴 No second space is created (button is inactive) Reasons: Not enough free memory (needs at least 2 GB) Phone does not support function (check the model on the official website MIUI). Custom firmware installed. Solution: Make room or upgrade. MIUI last-minute.
• 🔴 Apps in the second space are crashing, because of a lack of RAM, close the background processes in the main space, or restart the phone.
• 🔴 No notifications are received in the second space. Check the notification settings for each application separately. Sometimes they are reset after switching.
• 🔴 The phone warms up a lot when you use the second space. That's normal when you start up the first time, but if you're heating it constantly, turn off the background synchronization in both spaces.
• 🔴 Forgot the password from the second space. The only way to reset it is to delete the second space through the main profile (all data will be lost!).

If the problem is not solved, try resetting the second space to factory settings (Settings → Second Space → Reset).

FAQ: Answers to popular questions