How to create a second space on Xiaomi Redmi: the complete guide

Xiaomi Redmi smartphones offer a unique feature – the ability to create a second workspace. This solution is ideal for those who want to separate personal and work data, hide sensitive information or simply test new applications without risk to the main system. Unlike the standard guest mode, the second space works as a full copy of Android with separate apps, settings and even accounts.

In this article, we’ll take a closer look at how to activate the feature on different Redmi models (including the Redmi Note). 12/13, Redmi 10/11 And others, what are the limitations, and how to set up both spaces to avoid conflict, and we'll focus on the hidden settings. MIUI, Flexible memory and performance management when using two spaces simultaneously.

What is the second space and why is it necessary?

The second space in MIUI is an isolated environment that runs parallel to the main system, essentially a separate user profile with its own:

• 📱 Installed applications (they must be installed again)
• 📁 Files and media (photos, videos, documents are not synchronized)
• 🔑 Google, Xiaomi and other services accounts
• ⚙️ System settings (wallpaper, sounds, brightness, etc.)

Main use cases:

• 💼 Work and personal life: separate corporate messengers (such as Slack or Teams) and personal social networks.
• 🔒 Privacy: Hide banking or correspondence apps from prying eyes.
• 🧪 Testing: Check beta versions of apps or custom settings without risking the main system.
• 👶 Parental Controls: Create a limited space for your child with separate rules.

It’s important to understand that the second space is not a full-fledged virtual machine; it uses the same system resources (processor, RAM), but isolates data at the level of the Android user profile, which means that performance can be reduced if resource-intensive applications are running simultaneously in both spaces.

Supported models and versions of MIUI

The second space feature is not available on all Xiaomi devices, and it appeared in MIUI 12 and is supported by most modern Redmi models, but with some limitations:

To check the support on your device:

1. Open the Settings. → Special facilities.
2. Scroll down and find the Second Space section.
3. If there is no item, your model does not officially support the function (but there are workarounds, which we will discuss below).

Step-by-step instructions for creating a second space

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

1. Open the settings: go to Settings → Special features.
2. Select "Second Space": tap on this item and click Create Space.
3. Set a password: the system will require you to set a PIN or a graphical key to switch between spaces. Remember this - without a password, access to the second space will not be possible!
4. Wait until the device is finished: the device will restart and the creation process will begin (it will take 1-3 minutes).
5. Set up the space: after you reboot, you will be in the second space, and you will need to go through the initial setting (as when you first turn on your smartphone).

Charge your phone at least 50 times%|Free up 2-3 GB of memory|Remember the password to switch|Disable important notifications (bank, messengers)|Check the version. MIUI-->

Once you have created the second space, you can switch between the two:

• Through the notification panel (swipe down → user icon).
• Through the lock screen (tap on the avatar in the upper right corner).
• Through Settings → Special Opportunities → Second Space

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If after creating the second space, the smartphone started to slow down, try to limit the background activity of applications in both spaces. To do this, go to Settings → Battery → Background Limitation and select applications that should not work in the background.

Limitations and possible problems

Despite the convenience, the second space has a number of limitations that you should be aware of in advance:

⚠️ Note: When you delete the second space, all the data in it will be permanently erased, including photos, messages and application settings!

• 📴 No synchronization: Contacts, SMS And the files don't sync automatically between spaces. They need to be moved manually.
• 🔄 Shared resources: both spaces share the same RAM and CPU, and running heavy games in both can lead to lags at the same time.
• 📶 Network restrictions: Some applications (e.g. banking) may block access if they detect “suspicious” activity from a second space.
• 🔒 Security: If an attacker gains access to the main space, they will be able to delete the second without a password.

Users often face the following problems:

How to optimize the two spaces

To ensure that both spaces work consistently, follow these tips:

1. Distribute applications: 📌 Mainly leave system applications (calls, SMS, camera). 📌 In the second place work messengers, test applications or games.
2. Limit background activity: 🛑 Turn off auto-run of unnecessary apps in Settings → Annexes → Auto-start. 🛑 Use the power saving mode for the second space if it is rarely needed.
3. Control the memory: 📉 Clean the cache in both spaces regularly through Settings → Warehouse. 📉 Transfer media files to SD-map.

For advanced users, there are hidden settings that allow you to fine-tune the performance:

• 🔧 Enable Performance Mode in Settings → Additionally. → Performance mode (available on MIUI 14+).
• 🔧 Disable interface animation to speed up switching: adb shell settings put global window_animation_scale 0.5 adb shell settings put global transition_animation_scale 0.5 adb shell settings put global animator_duration_scale 0.5

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If you use a second workspace, set up notifications so that important messages are duplicated in both spaces, and for this purpose, in each application (such as Telegram or WhatsApp), turn on the option “Show notifications” in the notification settings.

How to remove the second space

If the function is no longer needed, it can be disabled. All data in the second space will be deleted without the possibility of recovery!

1. Go to Settings → Special Opportunities → Second Space.
2. Slip on Remove space.
3. Enter the password (the same as for switching).
4. Confirm the deletion. The device will restart.

⚠️ Note: If you forget the password from the second space, it can only be reset via a full reset (Hard Reset!

After removal:

• 📲 Free up to 3-5 GB of memory (depending on the number of installed applications).
• 🔄 Productivity will return to the original level.
• 🔄 All system settings (wallpaper, sounds) will remain from the main space.

Alternatives to the second space on Xiaomi

If your Redmi model doesn’t support second space or you need more flexible solutions, consider alternatives:

For most Redmi users, the best solution is the built-in second space, as it:

• 🔹 No need for additional applications.
• 🔹 Completely integrated into the system (no conflicts with the MIUI).
• 🔹 Free and does not contain advertising.

If you need full virtualization (for example, to run a different version of Android), consider installing Waydroid or UserLAnd, but these solutions require technical skills and can disrupt the stability of the system.

FAQ: Frequent questions about the second space