How to Make a Second Space on Xiaomi: A Complete Guide to Settings

Xiaomi’s MIUI-based smartphones offer a unique feature — a second space that allows you to create a completely isolated profile with separate apps, data and settings. It’s the perfect solution for those who want to share work and personal data, test apps without risking the main profile, or just provide additional privacy. But how do you properly configure this feature to work consistently and without failure?

In this guide, we will go through all the steps from activating the second space to fine-tuning sync and security, which Xiaomi/Redmi/POCO models support this feature, how to avoid customization errors, and what hidden features it offers, and how to get around the space limit (if you have one in your firmware) without root rights.

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

Second Space is a virtual, isolated environment within a smartphone that runs parallel to the main profile, essentially like two phones in one: each has its own space:

• 📱 Applications (you can duplicate messengers, social networks, banking programs)
• 📁 Files and media (photos, videos, documents do not overlap)
• 🔑 Accounts (different accounts Google, Mi Account, social networks)
• 🛡️ Settings (wallpaper, sounds, network settings)

Main use cases:

• 💼 Work and personal life: Keep corporate data separate from personal data.
• 🔍 Software Testing: Install beta versions of applications without risking the main profile.
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Family Access: Give your child or relative a separate space with limited rights.
• 🔒 Privacy: Hide sensitive data (e.g. financial applications) in a second space.

It's important to understand that the second space is not the same as guest mode, but in guest mode, access is limited temporarily, and the second space is a full-fledged second profile with persistent data, and this is different from Dual Apps, where only individual programs are duplicated, not the entire system.

What Xiaomi models support second space

Second Space is available on most Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones running MIUI 8 and later.

To know if your device supports the function:

1. Go to Settings → Special Opportunities → Second Space.
2. If there is no item, check the version of MIUI in Settings → About phone.
3. Older models (MIUI 10 and below) may need to be manually activated via ##6484## (test code).

⚠️ Attention: On devices with MIUI for the global market (for example, POCO X3 NFC) It might be called Private Space, and it might have limited functionality, and then you need firmware to have a full second space. MIUI China.

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

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

1. Open settings: Go to Settings → Special features → Second space. On some firmware, the path may be different: Settings → Privacy → Second space.
2. Activate: Click Create Second Space → Next. The system will prompt you to set a password (required!). Use at least 6 characters with numbers and letters.
3. Set up access: Select which data will be isolated: 📱 Applications (all duplicates by default) 📞 Contacts and calls (you can share or leave a common call) 📎 Files (we recommend sharing for security)

Complete the setting:

Click Ready. The system will restart, and the notification bar will show an icon for switching between spaces (🔄).

Make sure your phone has enough memory (at least 2GB free) |

Backup important data |

Remember the password for the second space (cannot be restored!)|

Check if your Mi Account is linked to your device-->

After the second space was created:

• 🔄 You can switch between profiles through the notification panel (swipe down) → space icon).
• 🔒 The second space password is not dependent on the main profile password.
• 📱 Applications installed in one space are not visible in another (unless synchronization is configured).

⚠️ Note: If you forget the password from the second space, you can not restore access - you will have to reset it through Settings → Second space → Delete the space. All the data inside will be deleted!

How to set up synchronization and shared data

By default, the second space is completely isolated, but you can flexibly configure what data will be shared and what will not. This is done in the Settings menu of the second space (available after it is created).

The main parameters of synchronization:

• 📞 Contacts and calls: 🔹 Separate contacts – lists do not overlap. 🔹 Common Contacts – Changes in one space will be reflected in another. 🔹 General calls – call history will be shared.
• 📎 Files and media: 🔹 Separate Storage (recommended for confidentiality). 🔹 Shared Gallery – Photos and videos will be available in both spaces.
• 🌐 The Internet and the Internet: 🔹 Shared Wi-Fi – Connections are saved for both profiles. 🔹 Separate VPN — can be used differently VPN-service.

For fine tuning:

1. Open Settings → Second Space → Synchronization settings.
2. Select data categories (contacts, messages, files) and set access mode.
3. For apps (like WhatsApp or Telegram), set up duplication through Settings → Apps → Dual Apps.

💡

If you want certain files (such as work documents) to be accessible in both spaces, transfer them to the MIUI/Common folder on the internal storage, which is visible to both profiles.

Pay special attention to setting up notifications:

• 🔔 In the main space, you can see notifications from the second (and vice versa), but only if the option to Show notifications from the second space is enabled.
• 🔕 To completely hide the activity of the second profile, disable this option in the settings.

How to Install Applications in Second Space

Applications in the second space are installed independently of the main profile.

1. Mi App Store: Switch to the second space (🔄) → Open the Mi App Store → Find the application you want and install it. It's only available in this profile.
2. Through APK-File: Download the.apk file in the main space, then switch to the second and install it through the File Manager. Make sure that the security settings allow installation from unknown sources (Settings are set up from unknown sources). → Confidentiality → Special permits).
3. Duplication through Dual Apps: Some apps (e.g. WhatsApp, Telegram) can be duplicated: Settings → Apps → Dual Apps → Select an app → Duplicate After duplicate, the app will appear in both spaces with different data.

Important nuances:

• 🔄 Applications installed in the main space are not visible in the second (and vice versa) unless you use Dual Apps.
• 📥 Application updates in the second space must be installed separately.
• 🔒 Some banking applications (e.g. SberBank Online) may block the second space due to security policies.

Security and privacy: how to protect data

The second space itself provides basic data isolation, but for maximum security, we recommend:

• 🔐 Set a complex password: Use a combination of 10+ Avoid birth dates or simple sequences (e.g. 123456).
• 🔒 Set the lock by fingerprint: In Settings → Lock the screen, add a fingerprint only for the second space, which will speed access without sacrificing security.
• 🛡️ Turn off sensitive data synchronization: In the second space settings, disable the exchange of: Contacts (if they contain sensitive information). Messages (SMS, WhatsApp, Telegram, by location (if you use geolocation services).
• 🔄 Clean the cache regularly: The second space accumulates an app cache that may contain personal data. Clear it through Settings → Warehouse → Clear the cache.

For advanced users:

• 🔧 Encryption of space: B MIUI 13+ You can encrypt the second space separately from the main space. → Additionally. → Encrypt and select Encrypt the second space. It takes 30 to 60 minutes.
• 📡 VPN For the second space: Set up a separate space VPN-A profile (like ProtonVPN) for a second space only, which hides your activity from even your main profile.

⚠️ Note: If you use a second space for working with financial applications (banks, cryptocurrency wallets), never sync it with Mi Cloud. In 2023, there were cases of data leakage due to errors in cloud synchronization. MIUI.

Frequent problems and their solutions

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

If the second space is getting stuck or does not respond:

1. Reboot your smartphone (hold the power button for 10 seconds).
2. If it doesn’t work, remove the space through Settings → Second Space → Delete Space (data will be lost!).
3. To recover data, try connecting to your PC via MI Assistant (USB debugging is required).

💡

If the second space is gone after the MIUI update, don’t panic: the data will be saved. Just re-activate the function in the settings, the system will suggest restoring the previous space.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions