Second Space in Xiaomi: A Complete Guide to Using the Game

Xiaomi smartphones have long stood out from the competition not only for their price-performance ratio, but also for their unique software solutions. One of them is the second space, a feature that allows you to create two completely isolated work environments on one device. But why would a typical user need it? It may seem like a tool only for paranoids or businessmen, but in practice the possibilities are much wider.

In this article, we’ll break down Xiaomi’s second space not as a marketing feature, but as a practical tool for solving real-world problems, from separating personal and work data to testing apps without risking the main system, how it works at the operating system level, what models support this feature, and why some users don’t even know it exists — even though it’s hidden just a few clicks from the home screen.

What is the Second Space and How Does It Work?

Second Space is a virtual environment inside your Xiaomi smartphone that runs parallel to the main system, essentially a second independent account with its own:

• 📱 Desktop (other wallpaper, widgets, icons)
• 🔐 Accounts (Google, Mi Account, social networks)
• 📂 Files and media (photos, videos, documents do not overlap)
• 🔄 System settings (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, sound configured separately)
• 🛡️ Application data (messages, call history, cache)

Technically, the second space is implemented through the Android Work Profile mechanism, but with advanced features. Unlike the standard guest mode, here you get a full copy of Android with the ability to install any application, customize the interface and even update the software regardless of the main space, both spaces running on the same hardware, but isolated at the kernel level.

It's important to understand that it's not just a "hidden folder" or "incognito mode," but it creates a separate user profile on Android that:

• It has its own unique Android. ID
• Supporting your own VPN-settings and certificates
• May have a different firmware version (with manual updates)

Differences between the second space from guest mode and multiplayer mode

Many people confuse the second space with guest mode or the standard multi-user feature in Android.

The main advantage of the second space over multiplayer mode is the ability to quickly switch without having to log in again. MIUI it's implemented through:

• 🔄 Switching gesture (double pressing the power button or gesture in the notification curtain)
• 👤 Separate notifications for each space (you can adjust the color of the indicator)
• 🔒 Different passwords/fingerprints to log into each space

💡

If you use a second space to work, customize different wallpapers and color themes for each profile, which will help you visually quickly navigate what space you are in.

Practical Applications: 7 Real Use Scenarios

Xiaomi users don't understand why they need a second space, and in practice, it solves a lot of problems, from basic to advanced.

1. Separation of work and personal life

The most obvious scenario is the isolation of working data, and in the second space, you can:

• 📧 Set up corporate email (Outlook, Gmail) without the risk of leaking personal emails
• 📞 Use working messengers (Slack, Teams, Zoom) with a separate history
• 📊 Keeping working documents (Excel, PDF) sealed
• 🔑 Connect to the corporate VPN without conflicts with personal networks

2. Testing of applications and firmware

For developers and enthusiasts, the second space becomes a sandbox for experimentation:

• 🐞 Testing beta versions of applications without risk to the main system
• 📱 Install custom firmware (LineageOS, Pixel Experience) in an isolated environment
• 🔧 Verification of work ADB-Root access and command without consequences
• 🎮 Testing games with different accounts (Google Play Games, Game Center)

3. Hiding confidential data

If you need to hide some of the information from prying eyes (for example, when transferring the phone to relatives or to a service center), the second space allows you to:

• 🔒 Hide personal correspondence (WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal)
• 📸 Hide photos and videos (second space gallery not displayed mostly)
• 💳 Isolate financial applications (SberBank, Tinkoff, crypto wallets)
• 📍 Disable geolocation for specific applications

⚠️ Warning: The second space is not a fully encrypted container! ADB For critical data, use Mi Secure Folder or third-party solutions like Cryptomator.

4. Circumvention of regional restrictions

Some apps and services (e.g. Netflix, Disney)+, Banking applications have geographical limitations:

• 🌍 Set up VPN only for specific applications
• 📱 Use a different Google Play ID Access to regional applications
• 📺 Change the region in Mi Account settings without consequences for the main profile

5.Manage multiple social media accounts

If you need to have multiple accounts on Instagram, TikTok or Facebook, the second space allows you to:

• 👥 Log in under different logins in one application
• 📲 Receive notifications only for the right account
• 📊 Separate Analytics and Statistics for Business and Personal Use

Parental control

You can give the child a second space with:

• 👶 Limited Applications (Educational Games Only, YouTube Kids)
• ⏰ Time limit (via Digital Wellbeing)
• 🔍 Control of browser history and search queries

7. Sale or transfer of telephone

Before selling the smartphone, you can leave in the second space:

• 📱 Demonstration version of the system with basic applications
• 🔄 The ability to quickly return to your data (if the transaction fails)
• 📋 Instructions for the new owner (for example, how to reset settings)

💡

Second space is not a replacement for a full reset before selling! Always run Factory Reset through the main space to delete all data without the possibility of recovery.

What Xiaomi models support second space

The second space feature is not available on all Xiaomi devices, but depends on:

• 📱 Smartphone models (only flagships and some mid-budget devices)
• 📟 Firmware versions (MIUI 12 and newer)
• 🌍 Regional firmware (may not be available in global versions)

Below is a list of models with confirmed support (as of 2026):

To check the support on your device:

1. Open the Settings → Memory
2. Scroll down to the Second Space section.
3. If there is no point, your model does not support the function.

⚠️ Attention: On devices with MIUI For Russia (e.g. Redmi Note 11), the second space feature is often disabled by default. EEA.

Step-by-step: how to create and configure a second space

The second space is activated in less than 5 minutes.

Step 1: Incorporation of the function

Go to:

Settings → Memory → Second Space → Create a Second Space

The system will propose:

• Select the method of unlocking (PIN, password, fingerprint)
• Specify the name of the space (e.g., "Work")
• Allocate memory (at least 8 GB is recommended)

Step 2: Initial settings

After creation:

1. Select Set Up Now or Skip (can be done later)
2. Sign in to Mi Account (optional, but recommended for synchronization)
3. Set up a Google account (if you need to access the Play Market)

Step 3: Switching between spaces

You can switch quickly through:

• 🔄 Notification curtain: swipe down → user icon → choose
• 🔑 Lock screen: swipe left/right on the input screen PIN-code
• ⚙️ Settings: Settings → Memory. → Second space → Reverse

Step 4: Additional settings

For fine tuning:

1. Open the Settings. → Memory. → Second space → Settings
2. Set up: 🔔 Notifications: Show/Hide notifications from second space 📶 Mobile data: allow/disable internet access 🔋 Optimization: Limit background activity to save battery

Step 5: Removing the second space

If the function is no longer needed:

Settings → Memory → Second Space → Remove Second Space

⚠️ All data will be deleted without the possibility of recovery!

💡

Before removing the second space, export important data via Mi Cloud or manually copy files to your PC. Use a file explorer with hidden folder mode enabled (./second_space/).

Hidden opportunities and life hacks

The second space in Xiaomi has a few hidden features that are not written in the official instructions:

1. Different versions of Android in the same device

On some models (Xiaomi) 12T, Redmi K50 Ultra can be installed in the second space:

• 📱 Beta version MIUI test new functions
• 🔄 Old firmware version (if the new one is unstable)
• 🤖 Castomy recovery (e.g., bone recovery, TWRP only for the second space)

2. Isolation of banking applications

Some banks (e.g. SberBank, VTB) block the work on rooted devices.

• 🏦 Install a banking application in an isolated environment
• 🔒 Turn off root access for second space only
• 📱 Use a separate Google Play Services with SafetyNet certification

3. Automation of switching

With Tasker or MacroDroid, you can configure automatic space switching to:

• ⏰ Time of day (for example, workspace from 9:00 to 18:00)
• 📍 Location (switching when connecting to working Wi-Fi)
• 📱 Running applications (for example, when opening Slack)

4. Hidden mode for applications

Some apps (such as Telegram, WhatsApp) can be configured to:

• 🔕 They were displayed in only one space.
• 🔔 Notifications were received only in the selected profile
• 📥 Synchronize files only in isolated storage

5. Use of the second space as a backup system

When the main firmware fails, you can:

• 🛠️ Download to the second space and recover the data
• 📥 Download firmware to restore the main profile
• 🔄 Perform a discharge through ADB without losing access to the phone

Frequent problems and their solutions

When you use the second space, you're going to see some common mistakes.

1.There is not enough memory for the second space

Error: "There is not enough space to create a second space"

Decisions:

• 📱 Free up space in the main storage (remove cache, unnecessary files)
• 🔄 Reduce the amount allocated (minimum 5 GB, but 8 is recommended)+ GB)
• 🔧 Use it. ADB for manual size change: adb shell pm set-install-location 2

2. applications are not installed in the second space

Error: “I failed to install the app” on Google Play.

Decisions:

• 🔄 Reset the device
• 📥 Clear the Google Play Services cache in both spaces
• 🔑 Make sure that the second space is authorized by Google account
• 🌍 Check your account region (some apps are not available in certain countries)

3. Notifications are not shown

Problem: Notifications from the second space are not displayed in the main.

Decisions:

• 🔔 Go to Settings. → Notifications → Second space and enable the option "Show notifications"
• 📱 Check the specific application settings (notification permissions must be enabled in both spaces)
• 🔄 Reset the device

4. Second space brakes

Problem: Lags and hanging when switching between spaces.

Decisions:

• 🔋 Close the background applications in both spaces
• 📉 Limit background activity through Settings → Battery → Optimizing the battery
• 🔄 Reduce the animation interface: adb shell settings put global window_animation_scale 0.5 adb shell settings put global transition_animation_scale 0.5 adb shell settings put global animator_duration_scale 0.5

5. sync with Mi Cloud does not work

Problem: Data (contacts, notes) are not synchronized in the second space.

Decisions:

• 🔑 Make sure the second space has the same Mi Account as the main one.
• 🔄 Go to Settings. → Accounts. → Mi Account and manually start synchronization
• 📥 Check your traffic saving settings (synchronization may be disabled)

⚠️ Note: If you are using a second space to test beta versions MIUI, Reverse to stable firmware before upgrading the main space. Version conflict can lead to bootloop ( loop load)!

FAQ: Answers to popular questions