Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphone owners often face the need to separate work and personal data without buying a second gadget.The MIUI and HyperOS Second Space feature allows you to create an isolated environment that works like a separate phone inside your main device. It is ideal for those who want to hide personal photos from children, separate work chats from family chats or simply test questionable applications without risk to the main system.
Many users get lost in the wilds of the menu trying to find this option, because different versions of the firmware, its location can vary slightly. In this article, we will discuss in detail the algorithm for searching, activating and fine-tuning the second profile, you will learn how to switch between spaces in seconds and what are the nuances of this feature on modern models.
It is worth noting that this feature depends not only on the shell version, but also on the regional firmware. Global versions sometimes lack some of the features available in Chinese builds, but the basic functionality of splitting profiles is usually retained. If you can not find the desired menu item, the system may restrict access due to regional settings or lack of necessary services.
What is the Second Space and Why is it Necessary?
At its core, Second Space is a full-fledged virtual copy of your smartphone. Once activated, you get a clean desktop, separate settings, gallery, contacts and accounts. To an outside observer or someone who has taken your unlocked phone in their hands, it looks like two different devices in the same case.
The main purpose of this technology is privacy and organization. You can customize the fingerprints, you can touch with one finger, you can open your personal area, you can open your work area, and it's much more convenient and safer than constantly logging out of your accounts or hiding files in hidden folders that you can easily find if you want.
And it's also good for parents, and by creating a second profile for your child, you can restrict access to certain apps, set time limits, or just remove important documents and banking applications. It works independently, and the processes running in the second space don't affect the performance of the primary profile if you have enough RAM.
⚠️ Note: When you delete the Second Space, all the data inside it (photos, contacts, installed applications) will be permanently lost.
It is important to understand the difference between Second Space and Guest Mode.Guest Mode is temporary and resets when switched, whereas Second Profile stores all data, settings and progress in games even after the phone is rebooted.
Where to look for the function in the settings MIUI and HyperOS
Finding the entry point in settings may vary depending on the version of your operating system. In most current Xiaomi shell builds, the path to function is standardized, but developers periodically change the logic of grouping menu items.
To find the right section, open the Settings app and scroll down to the About Phone or More tab. This is where advanced features are most often hidden. In some versions of MIUI, this item is placed in a separate category called Special Features, which can confuse the inexperienced user.
If standard search doesn’t produce results, use the built-in search bar at the top of the settings menu. Enter “Second Space” or “Second Space” and the system will redirect you to the desired section if the feature is supported by your model.
- 🔍 Open “Settings” and select “More».
- 🔍 Find the “Second Space” item in the list of special features.
- 🔍 Alternative path: “Annexes» → «Application settings» → three-point → «Second space».
- 🔍 Use the search by settings by typing in the exact name of the function.
It should be borne in mind that on some budget models with a small amount of RAM, the manufacturer can programmatically disable this feature to ensure the stability of the main interface, in which case it will not be possible to find it in standard ways.
Step-by-step instructions for inclusion and initial setting
The activation process of the second profile takes only a couple of minutes and requires no special knowledge. Once you have found the desired section in the menu, the system will prompt you to familiarize yourself with the features of the function and start the process of creating a new environment.
Press the button "Enable Second Space." The smartphone will start preparing files and creating an isolated environment. This can take anywhere from 30 seconds to a couple of minutes depending on the memory speed of your device. During this process, the screen can go out or blink — this is normal system behavior.
☑️ Pre-launch checks
Once you've finished your preparation, you'll see a new space welcome screen, where you'll be asked to set up a pin, a pattern lock, or a fingerprint, and it's critical to remember which finger or code is responsible for entering the second space so you don't get confused in the future.
In the next step, the system will suggest moving data from the main profile, so you can choose the specific apps, contacts or photos that will be available immediately after the switch, but experienced users recommend that you do not move for now and set up the second profile as a “clean sheet” to avoid conflicts of application versions.
⚠️ Warning: Do not interrupt the process of creating a second space. If the phone runs out or crashes during initialization, you may need to completely reset the device to factory settings.
Once you've completed the setup, you'll be in a new interface, and to go back, you'll need to use a special shortcut on your desktop or a previously configured fingerprint.
Switching and access shortcuts setting
The convenience of using the Second Space depends on how quickly you can switch between profiles. By default, a special shortcut appears in the notification curtain or on the desktop of the second profile.
You can configure the switching method as you wish, and the fastest way is to use different fingerprints to lock the screen, for example, the thumb of the right hand opens the main profile, and the thumb of the left one opens the second one, and this works even with the screen off.
Hidden Switch Settings
If biometrics don't work for you, use a password. When you type a specific pin on the lock screen, your phone will know which profile to log in to, which is handy if you're afraid someone might see you unlock your phone.
For those who prefer visual control, the notification curtain of the second space always has a notification that the Second Space is enabled, clicking on it, you can quickly return to the main profile, you can also add a switch widget to the desktop for quick access.
- 👆 Set up different fingerprints to instantly access different profiles.
- 👆 Use different graphic keys to log in from the lock screen.
- 👆 Add a switch widget to the desktop for visual control.
- 👆 Hide the switch icon in the privacy settings if needed.
Importantly, notifications from apps in the second space will come separately.You won't see messages from WhatsApp's second profile, being mostly until you switch.
Application portability and data handling
One of the most useful features is the ability to clone applications, so you don't have to re-download social networks or messengers, but it allows you to create a copy of the application in a second space, while maintaining the independence of your accounts.
To move data, open the Second Space settings and look for Data Transfer. Here you will see a list of applications installed in the main profile. Choose the ones you want, and the system will create copies of them. Note that game progress and correspondence history are not always portable correctly, so for instant messengers, it is better to use built-in backup functions.
| Type of data | Automatic transfer | Synchronization nuances |
|---|---|---|
| Contacts | Yes. | Can be duplicated when importing |
| Photos and videos | Yeah (selectively) | Take up double the amount of memory |
| Annexes | Yes (copy) | Demand a separate login to the account |
| Document files | No. | You need to manually copy through the conductor |
When you work with files, remember that the two spaces are separated. Photos taken in the second space will not appear in the main gallery. If you need to transfer a file between profiles, use the Move to Second Space feature in the file menu or send the file to your cloud storage.
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When transferring heavy games, keep in mind that their cache files are also copied, taking up additional space.
Banking applications deserve special attention, and some banks may block the second space for security reasons, considering the environment potentially unsafe, in which case they will have to use the main profile for financial transactions.
Possible problems and ways to solve them
Despite its convenience, the feature may not work properly on some devices, and users often complain that the menu item is simply missing or the feature is not turned on, primarily due to regional firmware restrictions.
If you upgrade to a new version of MIUI or HyperOS and the feature is gone, check the region in the settings. Sometimes changing the region to India or China (without changing the language) helps to return the disappeared menu items, although this is not a guaranteed method.
Another common problem is fast battery drain, because the second space can be run by background processes, the power consumption doubles, and to mitigate this, go to the second profile settings and limit background activity for heavy applications.
⚠️ Warning: If the phone starts to warm up after the second space is turned on, check the processes running.
In case you forget the password from the second space, it is impossible to restore access to it without a data reset for security reasons.Resetting the second space through the main profile will delete all data inside it, but return access to the function management.
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If the feature is gone after the update, try clearing the Settings app cache or resetting the system settings, but not the user data.
How to remove the second space completely
If the second profile is no longer needed, it can be easily removed, so it will return the memory space and speed up the smartphone a little bit, and the deletion process is where the activation function is.
Go to the Second Space settings and select “Delete Second Space” and the system will warn you that all data will be lost. Confirm the action by entering the password from the main profile. In a few minutes, the phone will clear the memory sections occupied by the second profile.
After deleting all the shortcuts and settings disappear. If you plan to sell the phone, be sure to delete the second profile, as during a factory reset, the data from it can remain in hidden memory areas if a special cleaning procedure has not been performed.
- 🗑️ Open "Settings» → «Additionally» → «Second space».
- 🗑️ Click on the basket icon or the item "Delete».
- 🗑️ Confirm the removal of the password of the main profile.
- 🗑️ Wait for the memory cleaning process to be completed.
It is recommended to manually check before deleting if there are any important files left in the gallery or downloads of the second profile.