How to create a second space on Xiaomi: a complete guide with photos and nuances

The second space on Xiaomi smartphones is a unique MIUI feature that allows you to divide your device into two independent zones with different applications, settings and data. In fact, you get two phones in one: one space for personal use, another for work, study or other purposes.

Unlike standard guest mode, the second space on Xiaomi works as a full-fledged separate system: you can install your apps, customize wallpaper, even link another Mi Account, both spaces exist in parallel, and you can switch between them in literally two touches. In this article, we will discuss in detail how to activate the feature on different versions of MIUI, what restrictions it has, and how to use it correctly so as not to lose data.

What is the second space on Xiaomi and why is it necessary?

The second space feature was first introduced in MIUI 8 and has since become an integral part of the firmware, essentially a virtual clone of your smartphone that runs on the same hardware but with separate hardware:

• 📱 Applications – You can install different sets of programs in each space
• 🔐 Data - files, photos, messages do not overlap
• 🎨 Settings – Wallpaper, themes, sounds are customized independently
• 📧 Accounts – You can link different Google or Mi Accounts

Main use cases:

• 💼 Work and privacy – differentiating between corporate and personal data
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Family phone – a separate space for a child with disabilities
• 🔒 Privacy – Hiding Personal Data When Transferring a Phone to Colleagues
• 🎮 Testing – testing applications in an isolated environment

It’s important to understand that the second space is not just an app folder, but a full-fledged virtual environment, which takes up additional memory space (usually 1-3 GB depending on the number of programs installed) and can slightly affect performance on weak devices. However, on modern Xiaomi smartphones (for example, Redmi Note 12 or POCO X5), the difference in performance is almost invisible.

What Xiaomi models support second space

The feature is available on most Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones running MIUI 8 and later.

To find out exactly if your device supports the feature, check:

1. Open the settings → About the phone → version of MIUI
2. If version 8.0 or newer, the feature should be available
3. On some firmware (e.g. Global ROM) the option may be hidden – read more about this in the next section.

💡

If the settings do not include “Second Space”, try changing the region to China in the MIUI settings (Settings → Additional → Region).

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

The activation process takes no more than 5 minutes. Follow the instructions carefully to avoid errors:

1. Open Settings (cog icon on the desktop)
2. Scroll down and select Special Features (on some firmware – Additional)
3. Slip on the item Second space (in English firmware - Second space)
4. Click Create a Second Space and Confirm the Action
5. Set a password to switch between spaces (minimum 4 digits)
6. Wait for the setup to be completed (usually takes 1-2 minutes)

Once you create it, you'll see a notification that activates it, and when you unlock your phone, you'll see a choice of space, and you can switch between them.

• 🔄 Through the notification panel (swipe down → Second Space icon)
• 🔒 When unlocking the screen (will be asked to select space)
• 📱 Through settings (Second Space → Switch)

The important point is that when you first start the second space, you'll be asked to configure it as a new phone -- go through the initial configuration, connect to Wi-Fi, etc. That's OK, it creates an isolated environment, and you can skip most of the steps by clicking "Skip" or "Set up later."

How to Set Up Second Space for Your Needs

Once you've created the second space, you need to set it up properly.

Installation of applications

By default, the second space is empty -- there's not even a standard program to install the apps.

1. Open Play Market in the Second Space
2. Sign in to another account (or the same if no distinction is required)
3. Install the required programs as on a regular phone

Note: Some system applications (such as Settings or Phone) are automatically duplicated, but their data (calls, messages) remain separated.

2. Transfer of data between spaces

By default, the spaces are completely isolated, but you can share files through:

• 📁 File Manager – Every space has a SecondSpace folder to share
• ☁️ Cloud Services – upload a file to the cloud in one space and download it in another
• 🔌 USB- Cable – connect your phone to your PC and copy files

Critical: Don’t try to manually copy application files (/data/data/ folders) between spaces – this will cause crashes and can damage data.

3. Security setting

To protect confidentiality:

• 🔐 Set different passwords or graphical keys for each space
• 👤 Turn off the synchronization of contacts and messages between spaces
• 📱 In the second space settings, turn off the notification display on the lock screen.

💡

The second space does not encrypt data – for complete security, use additional safe applications or folder encryption.

Common problems and solutions

When using the second space, users often encounter common errors, and here's how to solve them:

1.The second space is not created.

If the "Create" button is inactive or the process is interrupted:

• 🔄 Update. MIUI last-minute
• 📱 Check the vacant space - you need a minimum of 2 GB
• 🔧 Reset settings via Settings → All settings → Restore and reset
• 🛠️ Activate via ADB (instruction below)

2. Applications do not work in the second space

Some programs (especially banking or DRM-protected) may fail to run.

• 🔄 Reinstall the application directly in the second space
• 📋 Check permissions in Settings → Apps → Permissions
• 🔒 Turn off integrity check in developer settings (Settings → About Phone → Version MIUI – tap 7 times)

3.The phone began to brake after the creation of the second space

This is normal for devices with ≤3 GB of RAM. To optimize the operation:

• 🗑️ Remove unnecessary applications from the second space
• 🔄 Limit background activity in Settings → Battery → Optimization
• 📱 Turn off animation in the developer settings

⚠️ Warning: On some models (Redmi 4X, Mi A1), the second space may conflict with the application duplicate function. If you notice a malfunction, disable duplication in the settings.

How to activate second space through ADB (for hidden firmware)

On some firmware (e.g. Global ROM for the European market), the second space function is hidden, but it can be activated via ADB.

Requirements:

• 🖥️ A computer with installed Xiaomi drivers and ADB
• 🔌 USB-cable (preferably original)
• 📱 Included debugging by USB phone-on

Instructions:

1. Enable USB debugging: Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version (Tap 7 times) Settings → Additional → For Developers → Debugging on USB
2. Connect your phone to your PC and confirm your trust in your computer
3. Open the command line (Windows) or terminal (Mac/Linux) and type: Adb devices Make sure your device appears in the list.
4. Enter the command to activate the second space: adb shell am start -n com.android.settings/.Settings\$SecondSpaceSettingsActivity
5. The phone will open the settings of the second space – follow the standard procedure of creating

If the team fails, try an alternative method:

adb shell settings put global second_space_enabled 1

⚠️ Warning: Incorrect use of ADB may cause your phone to malfunction. Do not enter commands that you do not know what they are intended for. If the phone becomes unstable after activation through ADB, reset the second space settings via Settings → Second Space → Delete.

How to delete a second space without losing data

If you no longer need the function or want to make room, the second space can be deleted.

Method 1: Through settings (safe)

1. Switch to the main space
2. Open Settings → Second Space
3. Select to delete the second space
4. Confirm the action and wait until it is completed (it will take 1-2 minutes)

Method 2: Resetting (if the first method does not work)

1. Backup important data from both spaces
2. Open Settings → All settings → Recovery and reset
3. Select Resetting → Delete all data
4. After resetting, the second space will be removed automatically.

When you remove the second space,

• 📱 All applications installed in the second space will be removed.
• 📂 Files from the second space can be saved if you pre-copy them to a shared folder or cloud.
• 🔑 Password to switch between spaces will reset

⚠️ Warning: Some firmware (MIUI 12.5 and later) may require you to enter a password from your Mi Account when you delete the second space. If you forget your password, restore it in advance on Xiaomi's official website, otherwise you risk blocking the device.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions