What is the second space in MIUI 12 and why is it necessary?
The second space feature in MIUI 12 firmware is a unique opportunity to create an isolated work environment on Xiaomi, Redmi, POCO and Black Shark smartphones. Essentially, it is a second independent user profile with its own apps, settings and data that works in parallel with the main one. This feature is especially useful for separating personal and work information, testing applications without risk to the main system or providing the phone to third parties without access to your data.
Unlike standard guest mode in Android, the second space in MIUI 12 offers complete isolation: you can install separate applications, customize unique wallpapers, even use a different Mi Account. Both spaces exist on the same device at the same time, and switching between them takes literally a couple of seconds. It is important to note that the feature is not available on all models – its support depends on the firmware version and hardware capabilities of the smartphone.
Technically, the second space is implemented at the MIUI core level and uses virtualization mechanisms similar to those used in enterprise solutions to separate work and personal data. It is not an emulator or a separate user in the classical sense of Android, it is a full-fledged sandbox with its own storage, cache and security settings.
What Xiaomi models support the second space in MIUI 12
Although MIUI 12 was released in 2020, the second space feature is not available on all devices.
- 📱 Flagship models: Xiaomi Mi 10/10 Pro/10 Ultra, Mi 11 (with back ported firmware, Black Shark 3/4 — Supports the function out of the box".
- 🔄 Mid-segment: Redmi Note 9 Pro/10 Pro, POCO F2 Pro, Xiaomi Mi 9T Pro - Requires updates to MIUI 12.5 or manual activation through ADB.
- ⚠️ Budget devices: Redmi 9A/9C, POCO M3 — They do not support the function due to memory limitations (less than the 4 GB RAM).
- 🔧 Castom firmware: On devices with Xiaomi.EU or LineageOS, the function may not work stable or at all.
To see if your device supports the second space, check for the Second Space in the Settings menu. → If you don't have one, but your model is on the compatible list, try upgrading your firmware to the latest stable version. MIUI 12.5+.
Step-by-step: How to enable the second space in MIUI 12
The second space takes no more than 5 minutes to activate, but requires attention to detail.
- Open Settings and go to Special Features (on some models, the path may differ: Settings → System and Device → Additional).
- Find the second space and tap it. If there is no one, use an alternative method (described below).
- Click Create a second space and confirm the action with a password or fingerprint (if the biometrics are configured).
- Wait until the initialization process is complete (it can take up to 2 minutes) and the device will restart automatically.
- After the reboot, select the Second Space on the lock screen (an additional icon will appear at the bottom of the screen).
If the standard method doesn’t work, try activating it with ADB:
adb shell am start -n com.android.settings/.SecondSpaceSettingsThis command forcibly opens the menu of the second space, even if it is hidden in the interface, and it will require an ADB connection to execute it.
Make sure that the device has enough free memory (minimum 2 GB)
Disable VPNs and proxy servers (they can block initialization)
Connect the device to charge (the process consumes a lot of power)
Backup important data (in case of failure)-->
Configuring the second space: what can be changed
Once you create the second space, you get a virtually clean MIUI with a minimum set of pre-installed applications.
| Category | What's available | Limitations |
|---|---|---|
| Annexes | Install any APKs, including duplicates from the main space (e.g. two Telegrams) | Some system applications (such as Mi Pay) may not work. |
| Accounts. | Adding a separate Mi Account, Google Account, social media | You can’t use the same Mi Account in both spaces. |
| Security | Individual passwords, fingerprints, pattern lock | Biometrics (face/fingerprint) may conflict with the main space |
| Network | Your settings Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, mobile network | SIM-One card for both spaces (calls and calls) SMS come round) |
Important: Files in the second space are stored in an encrypted partition /data/second_space It's not accessible from the main profile, even through root access, which ensures complete isolation of data, but makes it difficult to recover information when it fails.
For convenience, you can configure a quick switch between spaces:
- 🔄 Through the lock screen (swipe up the profile icon)
- 📱 Through the notification panel (add shortcut Switch space)
- 🔑 Double press the power button (configured in Settings) → Buttons and gestures)
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If the second space is slowing down, try turning off animation in the developer settings (Settings → About Phone → MIUI version – tap 7 times) this will speed up the switch between profiles.
Constraints and challenges of the second space in MIUI 12
Despite the obvious advantages, the second space function has a number of critical limitations that you should be aware of in advance.
⚠️ Note: When resetting the main space through Settings → The second space will be automatically deleted without recovery, and all data in it (photos, messages, applications) will be lost forever.
- 🚫 No notification sync: Notifications from the second space don’t show up in the main (and vice versa).
- 📵 Call problems: Incoming calls are duplicated in both spaces, but outgoing calls can only come from the current active space.
- 🔋 Increased battery consumption: Two spaces consumed 15-20% More energy, especially if both are running background processes.
- 🛠️ Update errors: When updating MIUI through OTA The second space can "fly" - you need to reconfigure.
Another common problem is the conflict with Magisk and root rights, and if you use custom recovery (like TWRP), creating a second space can lead to a looped bootloom, in which case only a full reset via fastboot will help:
fastboot erase userdata
fastboot erase second_spaceWhat if the second space is not created?
Hidden chips of the second space: what does MIUI 12
Beyond the basic features, the second space in MIUI 12 hides a few undocumented features that few people know about:
- 🔐 Hidden mode: You can hide the existence of the second space. → Additionally. → Hide the switch icon. Now you can activate it only through the switching icon. ADB Secret gesture (triple tap on the lock screen).
- 📱 Application cloning: Some system applications (such as the Camera or Gallery) can be duplicated between spaces. APK from /data/app mainspace /data/second_space/app through ADB.
- 🔄 Automatic Switching: Set up automatic space switching on a schedule (e.g., work from 9:00 to 18:00). This feature is hidden in Settings → System system → Schedule (activation required via Activity Launcher).
- 📡 Separate MAC-Address: The second space may use another MAC-Wi-Fi address, which is useful for circumventing restrictions on public networks. activated by the command: adb shell settings put global second_space_mac_randomization 1
Another interesting possibility is to use the second space to test MIUI betas, install the beta firmware in the second space and leave the main one on the stable version, which allows you to test new features without risk to the main system, the main thing is not to update both spaces at the same time, otherwise there may be a conflict of versions.
💡
The second space in MIUI 12 supports a separate Google Play account, allowing you to install apps that are not available in your primary profile region.
How to delete a second space without losing data
If the second space function is no longer needed, it can be removed, but with caution.
- Go to Settings → Special Opportunities → Second Space.
- Select Remove the second space and confirm the action.
- Wait for the process to be completed (the device will restart).
⚠️ Note: When you delete the second space through the standard menu, all the data in it (photos, messages, application settings) are deleted irrevocably. If you want to save information, first make a backup copy through the standard menu. ADB pull /data/second_space (Root rights are required).
Alternative method (for experienced users):
adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 11 com.miui.secondspace
adb shell rm -rf /data/second_space/*These commands will clear the second space data, but won't delete it completely.
If after removing the second space, the device begins to slow down or issue errors, perform storage optimization:
- 🧹 Clear the cache in Settings → Warehouse → Clear the cache.
- 🔄 Restart the device in Safe Mode (press the power button) → "Restarting in Safe Mode").
- 📱 Check the integrity of system files through Mi PC Suite (requires a connection to your computer).