Second Space on Xiaomi: A Complete Guide to Creating and Using

What is the second space on Xiaomi and why is it necessary?

If you own a Xiaomi, Redmi or POCO smartphone, you've probably encountered Second Space in your settings, and it's not just an extra desktop, it's a fully-isolated environment with separate apps, files, and even a Mi Account account, and it's basically like two phones in one: different wallpapers, passwords, and even different versions of the same software.

Why do you need it? First, to separate personal and work information, for example, you can keep personal photos and social networks in the main space, and secondly, it is convenient for testing applications without risking damage to the main system, and finally, some users use the second space to circumvent restrictions (for example, if the application blocks multi-accounts).

It's important to understand that the second space is not a virtual machine or an emulator, but it runs on the same hardware, but with a separate encrypted partition on the disk, which means that the performance does not suffer, but resources (memory, battery) are shared between the two environments.

How to Enable Second Space on Xiaomi: Step-by-step Instructions

You can activate the second space directly from the phone's settings, but there are a few nuances: First, the feature is not available on all models, it is not available on low-cost devices with a small storage capacity (32 GB or less), and second, on some firmware (MIUI 14+), the path to settings has changed. Here is a universal algorithm:

1. Open the Settings. → Special facilities.
2. Scroll down and select Second Space (some models call it Double Space).
3. Click Create a second space and confirm the action.
4. Wait for the setup to be completed (the phone will restart).
5. After rebooting, select which space you want to enter (main or second).

If the item is not on the menu, check:

• 📱 Phone model: feature available on Xiaomi 11/12/13 series, Redmi Note 10/11/12, POCO F3/F4/F5 newer.
• 🔄 Version MIUI: upgrade the firmware to MIUI 12.5 or higher.
• 🔒 Firmware Region: on Global Versions (Global) ROM) function may be disabled.

Once you create the second space, you'll be asked to customize it from scratch: select wallpaper, add accounts, and install apps. Attention: apps from the main space don't automatically duplicate, they need to be installed separately.

How to Switch Between Spaces and Manage Them

Switching between the main and second spaces takes only a few seconds, and you can do this in three ways:

1. Through the notification bar: Swipe down from the top edge of the screen and click on the user icon (if any).
2. Through the lock screen: on some models, when unlocking, a choice of space appears.
3. Through settings: Settings → Second Space → Switch space.

You can manage the second space in the menu of its settings:

• 🔄 Reset: deletes all data in the second space, but saves the space itself.
• 🗑️ Delete: Completely erases the second space (data cannot be restored!).
• 🔒 Blocking: You can set a separate password or pattern lock.
• 📱 Cloning of applications: some applications (such as WhatsApp or Telegram) can be duplicated between spaces.

Note that if you delete the second space, all the data in it (photos, messages, files) will be permanently lost. There is no backup of the second space in MIUI, so it is better to duplicate important files to the cloud or to a memory card.

Second Space Security: What You Need to Know

Many users mistakenly believe that the second space on Xiaomi provides complete anonymity, but in fact it is not.

⚠️ Note: The second space doesn’t hide yours. IMEI, MAC-If you need complete anonymity, use a separate device or specialized tools (e.g. Orbot for Tor).

However, the second space provides basic insulation:

• 🔐 Individual accounts: You can use different Google, Mi Account or social media accounts.
• 📂 Isolated Files: Applications from one space do not see files from another (unless express permission is given).
• 🛡️ Protection against accidental access: you can set a separate password or fingerprint.

However, there are vulnerabilities:

• 🕵️‍♂️ Rooted devices: If the phone is hacked, the isolation of spaces may be broken.
• 📡 Network traffic: A provider or network administrator can see activity from both spaces (if they use the same space) IP).
• 🔧 System applications: Some Xiaomi services (such as Mi Cloud) can work in both spaces simultaneously.

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If you use a second space to work, set up a VPN just for that space, so you avoid data leaks from the main space.

To improve safety, it is recommended:

1. Set different passwords for each space.
2. Disable Mi Cloud sync in the second space if you don’t need it.
3. Regularly check the permissions of applications in both spaces.

The Limitations of the Second Space: What Not to Do

And despite the flexibility, the second space has very rigid limitations.

Another important point is that the second space takes up disk space, and if you have a phone with 64 GB of storage and the main space is already filled with 50 GB, then the second one will only have 14 GB (minus the space for the system), and if there is a lack of memory, MIUI can automatically clear the cache in the second space, which will lead to the crash of applications.

⚠️ Note: Some banking applications (e.g. SberBank Online or Tinkoff) may block the second space as an “unsafe environment” in which case you will only have to use the main space.

How to delete the second space and what will happen to the data

If you don't need the second space, you can remove it.

1. All data in the second space (photos, messages, application settings) will be deleted without the possibility of recovery.
2. The deletion does not affect the main space - its data will remain intact.
3. The process takes a few minutes, the phone will restart.

To remove the second space:

1. Go to Settings. → Second space.
2. Select Remove the Second Space.
3. Confirm the action by entering the password (if it is set).
4. Wait until the process is completed.

If you wish to save data before deletion:

• 📁 Transfer important files to a memory card or cloud.
• 📱 Export contacts and messages through apps (e.g. Google Contacts).
• 🔄 Backup the second space via adb backup (developer rights required).

After removing the second space, all of its settings are reset, and you can create it again from scratch.

Comparison of the second space with other multi-profile solutions

Xiaomi's second space isn't the only way to separate personal and work data, but it compares to alternatives.

As you can see from the table, Xiaomi’s second space is the gold standard for most users: it combines high isolation, performance and convenience. Virtual machines provide more features, but require technical knowledge and can slow down.

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The second space on Xiaomi is the best choice if you want simple and reliable data isolation without losing performance.

FAQ: Frequent questions about the second space on Xiaomi