Owners of Xiaomi devices often face the need to use multiple accounts in popular instant messengers at the same time, which can be the separation of personal and workspace or the need to manage several projects. The standard MIUI shell and the new HyperOS offer built-in tools to solve this problem, but they require the right setup.
A systematic approach to cloning avoids installing dubious software that can overload RAM, but in some cases, regular functions are not enough, and then specialized utilities come to the rescue. Understanding the principles of virtual space will help you to properly organize digital workflow.
In this article, we will take a look at all the ways you can run copies of programs, learn about hidden system functions, methods for creating profiles and the nuances of working with Android containers, and properly configure notifications and background processes.
Built-in function Cloning applications
The most reliable and energy-efficient way to run a second copy of the program is to use the native shell functionality. In the Xiaomi settings menu, this option is called Application Cloning. It works at the system level, so the clone gets the same rights and optimizations as the original.
To activate the function, you need to go to the settings section, find the App item, and select App Cloning. The list that opens will only show programs that support duplicate creation, usually WhatsApp, Telegram, Viber and some social networks.
After turning on the toggle in front of the desired messenger, a copy of it with a characteristic icon in the form of a yellow label will appear on the desktop, which is ideal for most users, since it does not require root rights and does not create unnecessary load on the processor.
💡
If you don’t see the app in the cloning list, try updating the program itself via Google Play or GetApps to the latest version.
It is worth noting that the system clone is completely independent of the main application in terms of data, but some system resources are numb, which means that with a strong load on the device, both instances can run a little slower than usual.
☑️ Pre-cloning testing
Configuring the second space (Second Space)
A more radical, but more isolated, method is to create a Second Space, a feature that is available in MIUI that actually creates a separate profile inside your smartphone, similar to a new user account on Windows, with its own wallpaper, its own apps, and its own data.
To activate this mode, go to Settings → About Phone and quickly click on the MIUI version several times to open advanced settings, or find the “Second Space” option in the main system settings. Once created, you can switch between spaces through a notification curtain or a special widget.
The main advantage of this method is complete isolation, and applications in the second space do not see data from the first space, which provides a high level of privacy, and you can install any software there, even if it does not support official cloning.
⚠️ Note: The second space takes up additional space in the device’s memory, as it essentially duplicates the system libraries for the applications to run.
Switching between spaces is instantaneous, but programs running in the background in the second profile may be limited to power saving. If you are critical to instant notifications from the second account, you will need to additionally configure autorun.
Hidden settings of the Second Space
Use of third-party parallelizer applications
If Xiaomi's built-in tools don't support the app you want, third-party solutions come to the rescue. Parallelizers create a virtual environment (container) inside Android, running the target application inside themselves, which bypasses the system's limitations.
The most popular members of this class are Parallel Space, 2Accounts and Multiple Accounts, which work by emulating an environment in which a running program “thinks” that it is installed on a separate device.
- 🚀 Parallel Space – a classic solution with support for many copies and incognito mode.
- 🔒 Shelter is an open source application that uses an Android Work profile to isolate, which is more secure.
- ⚡ Island – analogue of Shelter from the developer Greenify, ideal for freezing background processes.
These programs have drawbacks, which consume more battery life as they create an extra layer of abstraction, and some high-security banking applications and services may refuse to work inside these containers for security reasons.
Comparison of methods: characteristic table
The right method depends on your specific tasks and your smartphone model, and to make it easier to make a decision, we have prepared a comparative table of the main ways.
| Characteristics | Cloning (MIUI) | Second space | Third-party utilities |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stability of work | Tall. | Tall. | Medium |
| Battery consumption | Minimum | Medium. | High-pitched |
| Support for any applications | Only from the list. | All applications | Most applications |
| Data isolation | Partial | Complete. | Partial |
As you can see from the table, for everyday tasks like the second WhatsApp, built-in cloning is the best option, and if you want complete isolation of working data or running specific software, you should consider creating a second space.
Problems with notifications and their resolution
A common problem faced by Xiaomi users when cloning is the lack of notifications in the second copy of the application, which is due to the aggressive policy of energy saving the shell MIUI, which seeks to “sleep” background processes to save charge.
To fix this, you need to manually configure permissions for the cloned application. Go to Settings → Applications → All applications. Find the clone in the list (it will be marked with an icon) and go to its settings.
You'll need to do a few things: turn on AutoRun, set the power saving mode to No Limits, and allow notifications to be displayed. Without this step, messages can only come when the application is open.
⚠️ Note: When resetting phone settings or updating firmware, energy saving settings may reset, and the procedure will have to be repeated.
💡
For the second account to work smoothly, it is critically important to prevent the system from “killing” the application process in the background.
Data security in cloning
Using two accounts on the same device increases the risk of data leakage if the phone is used by different people. Xiaomi's built-in tools provide basic protection, but additional measures are recommended for sensitive information.
App Lock allows you to put a password or fingerprint on a particular messenger, which is useful if you give a phone to children or colleagues, and you can set it up in the Settings menu → Apps → Applications → Application Lock.
Also, when using third-party parallelizers, your data passes through their servers or is stored in their containers, and this may not be acceptable for bank applications and corporate mail from the point of view of the company’s security policy.
- 🛡️ Use different passwords for your primary and cloned accounts.
- 👁️ Check the list of devices that have access to your accounts regularly.
- 🚫 Do not install cloned applications from unknown sources.
Compliance with these simple rules will allow you to comfortably enjoy the benefits of multitasking without sacrificing privacy.The cloning technology on Xiaomi is mature enough to be safe when used correctly.