Xiaomi’s current smartphones, including the popular Redmi 9, offer users advanced digital space capabilities. One of the most useful, but sometimes confusing, features is the Second Space, a tool that allows you to create an isolated environment within a single device, effectively splitting your phone into two independent gadgets: one for work and one for your personal life. However, like any software product, this feature can become unnecessary or even problematic if you stop using it.
Users often have to deactivate this mode when a seasonal project ends, you need to transfer the phone to another person, or you just need to free up valuable gigabytes of internal memory. The deletion process is not always obvious, especially if you have not gone into the system settings for a long time or forgot the access password. In this article, we will discuss in detail how to remove the second space on Redmi 9 using the regular tools of the MIUI operating system.
It is important to understand that deleting this profile is an irreversible process for the data stored there. Before you start, make sure you keep all the important contacts, photos and documents that were in an isolated environment. We will look at several scenarios, from standard deleting through the menu to forced reset if access to the system is limited.
What is the second space and why remove it?
The second space in the MIUI shell is essentially a virtual machine running in the background, creating a separate desktop, gallery, contacts, apps and Google accounts. For many Redmi 9 users, this has been a lifeline for separating work and leisure, but over time, the functionality may not be relevant, for example, if you used it to temporarily access corporate data or install experimental applications.
The main reason smartphone owners decide to remove the second space is a lack of space.Duplicating system libraries and installing heavy applications in two profiles can take up a significant amount of memory at the same time. In addition, background processes can sometimes adversely affect battery autonomy, although this is not always critical for the Redmi 9 with its capacious battery.
⚠️ Attention: Deleting the second space will result in a complete cleanup of all data stored inside it. APK-Files will be permanently lost if you do not back up in advance.
It's also worth noting that having an active second space can make it harder to update your firmware or reset your device to factory settings. The system can require both profiles to confirm passwords, which makes it more difficult, so if the feature is idle, it's best to get rid of it to optimize your smartphone.
Preparation for profile removal
Before you go to the immediate deletion, you need to perform a number of preparatory steps, which will help to avoid loss of important information and prevent possible errors in the Android system. First of all, check the contents of the second space, go to it and make sure that there are no files that you will need in the future.
If you plan to simply switch to the main profile, make sure you know the password or pattern lock to it. Often users forget that logging into the second space requires a separate authorization, different from the main one. Redmi 9 uses a single security center to manage both profiles, but access to data is divided.
☑️ Pre-deletion check
It is also recommended to check for updates to the system. Sometimes bugs in older versions of MIUI can prevent the correct removal of profiles. Go to Settings → About Phone → MIUI version and check for new versions of the software. A stable connection to the Internet will also help, especially if you need to synchronize data before cleaning.
Standard method of removal through settings
The easiest and most secure method to remove the second space is in the standard smartphone settings menu, which is suitable if you remember the password and have access to the system. Xiaomi interface is quite logical, but items can be hidden in the depths of the security menu.
To start, open the Security app (green shield icon) that is pre-installed on all Redmi devices. At the bottom of the screen, you'll see the Second Space tab. When you click on it, the system will suggest switching or managing profiles. We need the control mode.
What to do if the item is not on the menu?
After logging into the profile management menu, look at the top right corner or the three-point menu, and there should be a button called "Delete the second space," the system will warn you that all data will be destroyed, confirm the action by entering the unlock password of the main screen, the process takes a few seconds, after which the phone will return to the state of one active user.
Some versions of the firmware may have a slightly different path, and you can also try to go along the path: Settings → Features → Second Space. The logic of the action remains the same: find the delete button and confirm the operation. This is a standard method that ensures that the cache and system files associated with the profile are properly cleaned.
Remove via the Settings app
An alternative that is often overlooked is found in the general settings of the Android system: If the Security app shortcut has been removed or changed, this path will become the main one.
Open the Settings menu and scroll down to Password and Security or Special Features (depending on the MIUI version on your Redmi 9). In the feature list, look for Second Space, which shows the activity status of the function and the amount of memory you have.
| Parameter | Main space | Second space | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Occupied memory | ~15 GB | ~4.2 GB | Actively. |
| Number of applications | 45 | 12 | It's working. |
| Google accounts | 1 (Major) | 1 (Separate) | Synchronization |
| Access to files | Complete. | Isolated. | Protected. |
Clicking on this item will take you to the switch menu. To delete the profile, you need to find the "Delete" button (often indicated by a basket or red text). Xiaomi system will again request confirmation, since this action is critical for the data structure. Once confirmed, a quick reset of the isolated partition will occur.
If the system gives you an error when you delete it, try turning it off first, then turning it back on, and then trying to delete it again, which helps reboot the system services responsible for virtualizing profiles, and sometimes just restarting your smartphone before you operate also solves the problem of freezing the process.
What to do if you forget your password
It's common for a user to forget the password from the second space, and without the right code or pattern lock, standard deletion is impossible, because MIUI's security system blocks access to profile management, but there are ways to get around this limitation.
The first method is to use a Mi Account or Google account if they were linked, and if you have a few failed password attempts, you may see a link on the screen that says, "Forgot your password?" and by clicking on it and logging in to the cloud service, you can reset the access code and be able to delete your profile in a regular way.
⚠️ Note: If the password is forgotten and the accounts are not tied, the only way to remove the second space is to completely reset the device (Hard Reset.
In extreme cases, if access cannot be restored, you can try to clear the system application data responsible for the second space. To do this, go to Settings → Apps → All applications, find the list “Second Space” (may be hidden under system processes) and click “Clear Data”. This can reset the access settings, but does not guarantee the removal of the profile without losing the main screen data.
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If you often forget passwords, set up fingerprint unlock for both spaces, making it much easier to manage and access security features.
Problems in removal and their solution
Even if all instructions are followed, Redmi 9 users may encounter technical difficulties, most often the deletion process freezes during the “Data Cleanup” stage or the system issues an error message, which may be due to file system corruption or running processes conflict.
If the deletion is hanging, don't be in a hurry to turn off the phone. 5-10 If the progress bar's not moving, try it.-force restart by pressing the power and volume button. After turning on, check if the second space has disappeared. If not, repeat the procedure, but before doing so, close all working applications in the main profile.
Another common problem is the lack of RAM to perform the cleaning operation. Although this sounds strange, the system needs a resource to handle the deletion script. Close the background applications, clear the cache through the Security menu and try again. Also make sure that there is at least 1-2 GB of free space on the disk for temporary operation files.
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In 90% of cases, removal problems are solved by simply restarting your smartphone before you try again. Don't ignore this simple step.
Alternative methods and resetting settings
If the standard methods don’t work, the radical but effective way is to completely reset the device to factory settings, which is guaranteed to remove the second space on the Xiaomi Redmi 9, as it erases all user information and returns the phone to the “out of the box” state.
To perform the reset, go to Settings → About Phone → Settings Reset → Erase all data. You will need to enter the unlock password. Once confirmed, the phone will restart and begin the cleaning process. It will take a few minutes.
⚠️ Warning: Full reset removes ALL data from your phone: photos, contacts, apps and passwords. Use this method only if you have a fresh backup or data is not important to you.
Once the reset is complete and the Android setup is complete, the second space will be completely missing as the default feature is off.This is a "clean" start that also helps solve a host of other software bugs accumulated over the time you've been using the smartphone.