How to make a second desktop on Xiaomi: creating and setting up

Xiaomi’s mobile devices have long since ceased to be just call tools, turning into full-fledged workstations in your pocket. However, a standard interface is often not enough to effectively separate personal and work content, creating a chaos of notifications and icons. Users often look for a way to make a second desktop on Xiaomi to isolate work apps from entertainment or hide sensitive information from prying eyes.

Unlike competitors, the MIUI ecosystem and the new HyperOS offer multiple layers of space organization, each of which solves its own tasks: you can simply add a new widget page, create a full Second Space with a separate account, or use Second Space Mode to quickly switch profiles. Deep customization allows you to adapt your smartphone to any needs, whether it is business tasks or parental control.

In this article, we will discuss all available methods of organizing workspace on Redmi, POCO and Xiaomi devices. You will learn how to properly configure data isolation, what are the limitations of each method and how to avoid common errors when creating additional profiles. It is important to understand that creating Second Space duplicates system files, so before starting the procedure, make sure that the device is free of at least 5-10 GB of memory.

Types of workspaces in the MIUI and HyperOS shell

Before you start setting up, you need to clearly distinguish between concepts that are often confused even by experienced users. In Xiaomi terminology, “second table” can mean three completely different functions with different levels of data isolation. Understanding these differences will help you choose the option that you need in your situation.

The first option is the regular desktops, which are just extensions of the home screen, where you can put app shortcuts, weather widgets, or calendars, and there's no isolation: all apps are visible in all profiles, notifications come to the shared center, and file access is single, and that's the basic level of organization that's available on any Android smartphone.

The second option is Second Space Mode, which allows you to create an additional user profile inside your current operating system, where applications are re-installed, data is split, but the switching is instantaneous, often by fingerprint or unlock code, ideal for those who want to share work and leisure without carrying two phones.

Level three is Second Space, which is a virtually separate smartphone inside a smartphone with its own set of settings, Google account and security system, and switching between the main and second space requires a password or a finger scan, which provides a high level of privacy.

⚠️ Note: Second Space may not be available on some global firmware versions or in regions with strict encryption restrictions. If you don't find this item in the settings, maybe your version MIUI Does not support this function hardware or software.

Creating a Second Space: Step-by-step instructions

To get started with the most secure option, you need to go to the system settings of the device. Navigation on the menu may vary slightly depending on the version of the shell, but the overall algorithm of actions remains unchanged for most Xiaomi and Redmi models.

Open the Settings app and scroll through the list to the Additional Features section (some versions of HyperOS may simply call this “Special Features” or be in the Security menu). Find the Second Space and click on it. The system will offer to familiarize yourself with the features of the feature and warn you that additional memory will be required to work.

Press Enable Second Space. Then the system will suggest you set up the switching method. You can choose to create a separate password or link to a specific fingerprint. Biometric unlocking is the most convenient way: touching a particular finger, the phone will know what space to enter.

Once you have set up the access settings, you will start the process of creating a virtual environment, which can take anywhere from 30 seconds to a few minutes depending on the speed of your POCO or Xiaomi processor, and then you will be on a clean desktop that looks like a new phone, and you will need to reconfigure the language, time and if necessary log in to another Google account.

⚠️ Note: When you delete the Second Space, all data, photos and installed applications will be permanently deleted. Backup important information in advance if you plan to discontinue this profile in the future.

Setting up a quick switch between profiles

The efficiency of the second desktop is directly dependent on the ease of switching. In the Xiaomi ecosystem, there are several ways to quickly navigate, which allows you to change the context of using a smartphone in a split second.

The quickest way is to use fingerprints. If you've set up the biometrics login, just put the finger you assigned to the Second Space on the screen when the screen is off. The phone unlocks and immediately opens the profile you want. Use the finger assigned to the main profile to return to the main profile, which creates the feeling of using two different physical devices.

The second method is to use a password code. PIN-If you enter a specific combination of numbers on a locked screen, you automatically start the corresponding space. For example, code 1234 opens the main profile and code 5678 opens the working one.

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Use different wallpapers for the main and second spaces, a visual anchor that will help you instantly understand what profile you are in and avoid sending personal photos to the work chat.

The third option is to switch through notifications. In the notification curtain of the Second Space, there is always a system notification that you can move to the first space, and in the settings of the function, you can activate a shortcut on the desktop that looks like a separate application, and by clicking on it and entering the password, you will go to another profile.

Data transfer and application cloning

Once you have created the second desktop, it's a question of filling it with the content you need, and fortunately, MIUI provides powerful tools for migrating data, so you don't have to install all the applications manually, but you have to keep in mind the nuances of porting between isolated environments.

To transfer files (photos, videos, documents) you use a built-in tool. Go to Second Space, go to Settings → Additional Features → Second Space. There will be a Transfer button. The system will suggest selecting files from the main space. Once confirmed, the selected files will be copied to the second profile memory.

Applications are more complicated. Most programs will have to be re-installed through Google Play or GetApps inside the second space. However, for popular messengers (WhatsApp, Telegram, Viber) and social networks, there is an App Cloning feature that allows you to run a second copy of the program without creating a full Second Space, but within the same profile.

If you want to clone apps (like two WhatsApps on the same screen), go to Settings → Apps → App Cloning. Select the program you want from the list. A copy with a yellow icon will appear on your desktop. This solution is easier for the system than a full Second Space, since it does not require separate authorization on the system.

Notification and confidentiality management

One of the main goals of the second table is to filter information noise, and if you set up notifications correctly, you can stay focused at work, or you can turn off business entirely in your spare time, and you can flexibly manage data flows.

Within the Second Space, notifications come regardless of the main profile, so you can set Do Not Disturb mode separately for each space, for example, in the second profile, you can completely disable audio notifications, leaving only vibration, or vice versa, turn off all sounds so that the phone does not distract during the meeting.

• 🔒 Hiding Content: Notification settings can prevent text from being displayed on a locked screen, which is critical if you use your phone in a public place.
• 🔇 Sound profiles: Assign different ringtones to contacts in the main and second spaces, so you can know who's calling without even looking at the screen.
• 🚫 Access blocking: Applications in the second space do not have access to the main space files unless you explicitly allow the transfer.

Also worth paying attention to is the privacy settings for specific applications. MIUI has an application Hide feature, so you can hide the app icon from the menu, leaving it only through a special code in the dialer or through a folder, which adds another layer of protection for sensitive data.

The impact of the second profile on autonomy and memory

Using two active profiles on one device inevitably impacts resources. While switching is fast, background processes in the second space can consume power and RAM even when you are in the main profile. It is important to understand these limitations.

The second space is not just a folder, it's a full-fledged virtual machine. The applications that run there (especially messengers and navigators) continue to run in the background, consuming RAM and draining the battery. If you rarely use the second profile, it's recommended to turn it off completely when it's not needed.

Use a built-in optimizer to manage resources. Periodically clear the cache in the second space, delete unnecessary files. Also keep an eye out for which apps have permission to work in the background. Turning off background activity for heavy games or video services in the second profile will help to save battery power.

⚠️ Warning: Some high-security banking applications and services may not work properly in the Second Space or even refuse to run because they think the environment is suspicious.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

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The second space on Xiaomi is a powerful tool for sharing digital life, but it requires a careful mindset about memory management and data backup.