Xiaomi’s modern smartphones have become an integral part of our lives, bringing together workflow, face-to-face interaction and entertainment in one device, but it’s often necessary to separate these streams of information so as not to mix work chats with personal photos or restrict children’s access to certain features of the gadget.
This technology is known as Second Space, and it's not just an app folder, but a separate user profile with its own settings, passwords, and file system, and you can log in in in seconds, but many users are unaware of the hidden possibilities or afraid of getting confused in settings. In this article, we'll take a look at how to activate this mode, move data there, and effectively manage two lives on the same phone.
Using split profiles on MIUI is a great way to improve digital hygiene and protect privacy. You no longer need a second phone or complex clone apps that can run unstable. Everything works at the core level, providing high speed and security.
What is the Second Space in MIUI?
At its core, this feature is analogous to the Guest mode or creating multiple users on Android, but with a deeper level of integration into the Xiaomi interface. When you switch between the main and second profiles, the system actually changes the context of the work, leaving the data of the first space completely hidden and inaccessible to view from the second, this creates the feeling of using two different smartphones.
Data isolation works 100% here: contacts, saved Wi-Fi passwords, browser history and gallery in the second space do not overlap with the main one. You can install the application in the second profile, and it will work independently of the same program in the first profile, having its own cache and login settings.
⚠️ Note: When you delete the Second Space, all the data inside it will be permanently lost. Back up important files in advance if you plan to disable the feature.
It's important to understand that system resources are shared between two spaces, and if you run a heavy game in the second profile, it will consume RAM and battery power just as much as it does in the main, so you don't have to create multiple profiles, because it's designed to be a job/personal or parent/child division.
How to Create and Activate a Profile
The process of activating the second habitat on your device is as simple as possible by developers and takes no more than a minute. You do not need super-user rights (root) or a connection to a computer. All actions are performed through the standard menu of the MIUI shell settings or HyperOS.
First, you have to open the settings and find the partition that's responsible for the additional functions. The path may vary slightly depending on the firmware version, but the logic remains the same. You have to find the second space and press the activation button. The system will suggest creating a new fingerprint or pin code for quick login.
☑️ Preparation for profiling
Once confirmed, the system will create a virtual copy of the desktop, and you'll see a clean screen, just like you've bought a phone, and you can now customize it to your needs: set up separate wallpapers, choose a different language, and most importantly, customize how you log in, and it's the login mechanism that allows you to instantly switch between worlds without having to log in.
Set up ways to quickly switch
The most convenient feature of Second Space is the ability to instantly switch between profiles. You do not need to enter passwords every time or search for special buttons in the menu. Xiaomi offers several advanced methods that make the process almost invisible to the user.
The first and most popular method is to use fingerprints, so you can assign different fingers to different spaces, for example, the thumb of the right hand opens the main profile, and the thumb of the left hand opens the second one, and this works even with the screen off, you touch the sensor with a certain finger, and the phone unlocks immediately in the desired mode.
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Set up fingerprint switching is the fastest and safest way to log in, and works even from a locked screen.
The second is using a special password, and on the lock screen, you type in one pin for the main space and a completely different one for the second, and the system will know where to let you, based on the numbers you type, which is convenient if you're afraid someone will see your finger on the scanner.
The third option is a shortcut in the notification curtain, and in both profiles, an icon that looks like two interlaced rings or a human silhouette appears in the top bar, and you can instantly change the user by clicking on it, but this method is less safe because it requires unlocking the phone and screen visibility.
| Entry method | Convenience | Security | Speed. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fingerprint. | High. | Tall. | Instant. |
| PIN code (different) | Average. | Tall. | Fast. |
| Label in the curtain | Low. | Low. | Medium |
| pattern lock | Average. | Medium | Fast. |
Application transfer and cloning
One of the main tasks when you enter the second space is to fill it with the necessary software, and fortunately, MIUI allows you not to download applications again from the store, but to transfer already installed instances from the first space, which saves traffic and time.
To do this, in the second space, there is a special application called Data Transfer or Application Cloning, which will ask you to select the programs you need in an isolated environment, and after selecting the application, a copy will appear on the desktop with a characteristic icon (usually a yellow circle in the corner of the icon) indicating that it is a clone.
Can I clone banking applications?
It's important to note that the cache and data are not copied when you transfer the messenger, you have to re-authorize it, and this is done for security reasons, so that personal communications don't flow randomly between work and personal profiles, and you get a blank slate ready for the new setup.
Some system applications, such as Phone or Messages, can run in both spaces at the same time, but notifications will only come in an active profile.This is worth considering so you don't miss an important call while you're in guest mode.
Sharing files between spaces
Despite the strict isolation, the developers have provided a mechanism for secure file sharing, which may require you to transfer a document from your work folder to your personal one, or save a photo taken in the second space to the main gallery, via an integrated file manager.
There's a special section in File Manager, often designated by a lock icon or a second-space Files signature, and you can select files and copy them to the main storage, a process similar to moving files between folders on a computer.
⚠️ Note: When transmitting large amounts of data (e.g. video) 4K) The system may be slower because the actual copying of the file is done, rather than changing the link to it.
You can also flip the file from the main space to the second, which is convenient if you downloaded the document in the main profile browser, but you need to open it in an application installed only in the second profile, and the mechanism works transparently for the user, requiring only confirmation of the action.
Hiding the very fact of the existence of the profile
For those who want to maximize privacy, the Second Space Hiding feature is available, and in this mode it doesn't show up in the general settings of the phone, and the stranger who took your smartphone may not even know it exists.
To activate this mode, you need to enable the option to Hide the second space in the Second Space settings, after which you can only enter it through pre-configured “black” methods: a special fingerprint or a unique password.
If you've forgotten how to enter the hidden mode, it's going to be extremely difficult to restore access without resetting the settings, so write down the password you've chosen or remember the finger that's used to activate the hidden profile, which is the only key to your data in case of forgetfulness.
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Hiding a profile is the best protection from prying eyes, but requires perfect memory on login methods, as there will be no visual cues left on the menu.