MIUI’s Second Space is a powerful tool for separating personal and work information that allows you to create an isolated environment on your Redmi Note 9. However, like any system component, it can stop being relevant, cause application conflicts, or simply take up precious space in the device’s memory.
Many users are faced with a situation where standard methods of removal do not work, the system requires a password that has been forgotten, or the process hangs at a certain stage. In this article, we will discuss in detail all the nuances of deactivating Second Space on Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 series smartphones. We will look at standard methods, forced reset options and ways to solve typical errors that occur when trying to clean the system.
It is important to understand that the complete deletion of the Second Space will lead to the permanent deletion of all data stored in this profile, this applies to photos, contacts, messages and installed applications, so before starting the procedure, you must make sure that important information is stored or transferred to the main space, if this is still available.
Preparation for profile removal and backup
Before embarking on radical cleanup measures, you need to do a lot of preparation. Deleting Second Space is not just deleting a folder of files, it's a complex system operation that affects access rights and data encryption. If you plan to save any files from a secondary profile, you need to move them to the Main Space in advance.
To transfer data, use the built-in file sharing mechanism between spaces. Go to the Second Space, select the files you want (photos, videos, documents) and use the Move to Main Space function. Attention: this method only works if you remember the password or can unlock the device with biometrics.
- 📁 Check the Second Space Gallery for important photos and videos.
- 📞 Export contacts and call history if they were from a second profile.
- 💾 Make sure that the main space has enough free memory to receive files.
- 🔋 Charge the Redmi Note 9 battery to at least 50% to avoid shutdown during the process.
If access to the Second Space is lost or the password is forgotten, the backup step, unfortunately, becomes impossible by standard methods, in which case deleting the profile will mean a complete loss of information contained in it. MIUI built in such a way that it is impossible to bypass encryption without authorization of the owner.
☑️ Preparation for disposal
Standard method of deactivation through settings
The safest and most correct way to remove Second Space is to use the regular system settings menu, which ensures that all system links are deleted correctly and that the cache associated with the isolated profile is cleared. First, you need to switch to the Main Space, since the function is managed from there.
Go to the Settings menu of your Redmi Note 9. In the options list, find a section that can be called Second Space or Special Features, depending on the MIUI version and regional firmware. Inside this menu will be a space switch button and a mode control button.
To remove, click on the gear icon or the three-dot menu in the corner of the screen to open additional options. Select "Delete Second Space." The system will issue a warning that all data will be destroyed. Confirm the action by entering the screen unlock password or pattern lock.
What to do if the removal button is inactive?
The deletion process can take from a few seconds to a couple of minutes, depending on the amount of data accumulated, during which time it is not recommended to interrupt the device or close the screen.
Removal through the Security App
In the MIUI shell, many system functions, including space management, are integrated into the Security app. If the feature is difficult to access through standard settings, try to find it through this system tool, which is especially true for older Android 10 firmware versions that were often installed on the Redmi Note 9 when they were released.
Open the Security app (green shield icon). Scroll down to Tools or Extra. Find the Second Space icon. If the feature is active, you'll see the corresponding indicator. Click on the icon to suggest switching or controlling settings.
The control menu often has the option to turn off or delete, which sometimes allows you to bypass the settings interface bugs when the standard menu freezes, but the functionality here can be limited compared to the full system settings.
| Parameter | Through Settings. | Through Security | Through Search. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Availability | Tall. | Depends on the MIUI version. | Always available. |
| Functional | Complete. | Basic | Transition to full |
| Speed. | Medium | Tall. | Tall. |
| Reliability | Maximum | Medium | Maximum |
💡
Search by settings: Type "Second Space" or "Second Space" into the settings search bar. This is the fastest way to get to the menu, regardless of the interface version.
Solving Forgotten Password Problems
One of the most common problems when trying to delete Second Space is a forgotten password. Xiaomi's security system does not allow you to delete a profile without confirming the identity of the owner. PIN-code, standard deletion becomes impossible.
Some versions of MIUI provide the ability to reset the Second Space password through your Mi Account, so that if you have several failed attempts to type in, you can see a link on the screen that says, "Forgot your password?" and click on it, you can log in to your Mi Account and reset access.
However, if this option does not appear or the account is not tied, the only way is to completely reset the device to the factory settings (Hard Reset), this action will remove all data from the phone, including the Main Space, so it should be resorted to only as a last resort.
⚠️ WARNING: Wipe Data will destroy all information on your smartphone. Make sure you back up your sensitive data to the Mi Cloud cloud or your computer before doing this.
Turn off your phone to perform Hard Reset. Press the power and volume buttons at the same time. In the Recovery menu that appears, select English, then Wipe Data → Wipe All Data. After you complete the process, select Reboot. The phone will return to the out-of-the-box state, and the Second Space will disappear along with all other data.
Removal through ADB-Teams for Advanced Users
For users with technical skills, there is an alternative method of removing Second Space using the ADB (Android Debug Bridge) debugging bridge, which allows you to force the system processes associated with Second Space to close and delete it, even if the interface is not working properly.
To start, activate the developer mode on Redmi Note 9. Go to Settings → About phone and quickly click on the build number (MIUI Version) seven times. Then, in the Advanced Settings menu, turn on “Debugging over USB.” Connect the phone to your computer.
Using the console on your computer, enter a command to get a list of users:
adb shell pm list usersYou will see a list of users, such as User 0 (Main) and User 999 (Second Space). To delete Second Space, use the command:
adb shell pm remove-user 999Please note that the user number of the Second Space may differ from 999, always check the current ID through the list users command.This method requires caution, since erroneous removal of User 0 will lead to system failure.
Cleaning of residual files and cache
After removing the Second Space, you may have tails — temporary files, thumbnails, or application logs that have been placed in an isolated profile — and although MIUI usually cleans them automatically, manual verification will not be superfluous to optimize the Redmi Note 9.
Go to the storage settings and analyze the memory. If you see strange folders with names like "SecondSpace" or "DualApps" at the root of internal memory (available through a file manager with root permissions or when you connect to a PC), they can be manually deleted.
- 🗑️ Use the Cleanup app in the Security menu to remove system debris.
- 📂 Check the folder. Android/data Remains of applications that worked in the second profile.
- 🔄 Restart the device after cleaning to reset the file indexes.
It is also recommended to check the list of installed applications. Sometimes applications removed from the Second Space remain in the list installed in the Main but are marked as inactive, and removing them will help free up space and speed up the interface.
💡
Deleting the Second Space completely does not always free up space instantly, but the system may require a reboot to recalculate the free space in the Other section.