Xiaomi smartphone owners often use the split desktop function to create an isolated environment, which is convenient for separating work and personal life, but sometimes you need to completely remove this section. Disable 2 space is possible with the usual system tools, but the process may differ depending on the version of the shell MIUI or HyperOS.
Users face situations ranging from a trivial desire to free up space to technical failures where the delete button becomes inactive. It is important to understand that deleting a profile will result in the loss of all the data stored inside it.
In this article, we will go into detail all the possible ways to deactivate a function. We will look at standard methods through settings, working with superuser rights and solving common errors when the system blocks deletion. Deletion of Second Space irreversibly erases all applications and files created inside this profile.
What is the Second Space?
Second Space creates a virtual copy of the operating system on your device. In fact, the phone works like two different gadgets: you have two sets of apps, two galleries, two contact lists, and even different wallpapers to lock the screen, switching between them through a special shortcut in the notification curtain or through a fingerprint.
Xiaomi's data isolation is implemented at the file system level. The applications installed in the second profile are not visible in the first one, and vice versa. This provides a high level of privacy. However, this architecture means that the memory is summed up: if the main profile is occupied by 30 GB, and the second one is occupied by 10 GB, then the system will show a total of 40 GB.
Many users activate this feature for the sake of experimentation or for installing dubious applications in the sandbox. Over time, the need for a dual environment disappears, and the interface with constant switching begins to annoy, at which point the question of completely cleaning the system from the unnecessary profile arises.
- 📱 Complete isolation: Data in profiles cannot be crossed without the use of special portability tools.
- 🔒 Different passwords: Each profile is logged in with a unique password or fingerprint.
- 💾 Dual: Cache files and system component updates can be duplicated by taking up space.
Standard method of removal through settings
The safest and most appropriate method of deactivation is to use the built-in menu, which is available on all current versions of MIUI and HyperOS. Before starting an operation, the system will request confirmation, warning about the risk of data loss.
First, you need to log in to the profile you want to delete, or you need to be in the main one if you want to delete the additional one. Go to the main settings menu of the phone. Find the Additional Features (or Special Features in new versions).
In the profile management menu that opens, you will see a switch or setup button. Click on the menu icon (usually three dots or a gear) at the top of the screen. In the drop-down list, select the option to Remove the second space. The system will again warn of the consequences. Press the red confirmation button.
☑️ Checklist before removal
The deletion process can take anywhere from 30 seconds to several minutes, depending on the amount of data accumulated, during which time the phone may flash the screen several times, after the procedure is completed, the device will automatically restart or return to the main profile lock screen, the function will be completely deactivated, and the space occupied by it will be vacated.
Solving the problem with the missing delete button
Quite often, users are faced with a situation where the delete button is missing, inactive (gray), or disappears immediately after clicking. This is a known MIUI shell error associated with corrupting the system profile files or access rights conflict.
In such cases, forced cleaning of system component data helps. You will need to go to Settings → Applications → All applications. In the upper right corner, click on three dots and select Show System Processes.
Go inside the app and select Clear and then Clear Everything. This will reset the split module settings, but it won't delete your personal files right away. Then go back to the Second Space menu and try the standard delete procedure again. Usually the button becomes active.
⚠️ Note: If the delete button still doesn’t work after cleaning the system process data, don’t try to delete files manually through the root-free Explorer).
Alternative Methods through ADB
Removal through restoration of factory settings
If the standard methods don’t work and the Second Space function continues to hang dead weight in the system, the radical method remains: a Hard Reset is guaranteed to delete all profiles, as it returns the phone to the “out of the box” state.
This method requires a full backup of the data, as the phone will be cleared completely. Go to Settings → About Phone → Reset. Select Erase All Data. The device will request a password from your Mi Account and unlock the screen.
Once reset, the phone will turn on as new. There will be no second space on it by definition. You just have to reconfigure the device and restore the data from the backup. Note that when you restore it from the full backup created when the Second Space was active, there is a risk of returning the problem.
| Method | Data security | Difficulty | Efficiency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Through settings | Partial (main profile retained) | Low. | Tall. |
| Cleaning the application data | Complete. | Medium | Medium |
| Dumping (Hard Reset) | No (everything removed) | Tall. | 100% |
Why a function can disappear on its own
Sometimes users notice that the Second Space Switch has disappeared from the settings menu or notification curtain. This is not always a bug. In the latest HyperOS updates and new versions of MIUI 14, Xiaomi has started optimizing system modules for low-cost devices with low RAM.
On smartphones with 3GB or 4GB of RAM, the feature can be automatically disabled by the system to improve performance, and the disappearance may be due to an update to Google Play Services security components that conflict with the profile isolation mechanism.
If the function is gone, but the data in the second profile is left (you can get there by fingerprint), it will not work as a standard to delete it. In this case, only creating a new user in debugging mode or completely resetting helps. Check for system updates in the About Phone menu, sometimes patches return functionality or allow you to correctly terminate the module.
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Tip: If you plan to sell the phone, make sure to do a full reset, not just delete the profile.Residual Second Space files can be recovered by new owners.
Impact on productivity and battery
Having an active Second Space has a noticeable impact on device resources, and even if you don't use the second profile, system services continue to index files and check for updates to applications in the background, resulting in increased battery consumption.
RAM is also wasted. Second profile system processes can take anywhere from 200 MB to 1 GB of RAM, which is critical for mid-range and budget devices. Disabling the function often results in a noticeable acceleration of the interface and a decrease in body heat.
In addition, notifications from apps in the second space can be duplicated or late, creating confusion.If you don’t use the feature daily to separate work and leisure, removing it is the best way to optimize Xiaomi’s experience.
⚠️ Note: On devices with Snapdragon processors 4xx and 6xx Removal of Second Space Can Increase Performance in Games 10-15% by releasing the processor cache.
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Removing unused Second Space is the easiest way to speed up an old Xiaomi smartphone without flashing it.