How to completely disable the second space on Xiaomi: 5 proven ways

The second space feature on Xiaomi smartphones (including Redmi and POCO) allows you to create an isolated work environment with separate applications, settings and data. This is convenient for separating personal and work information, but many users face problems: the system begins to spontaneously switch between spaces, takes up excess memory or simply interferes. Disable this feature is not as obvious as turning on – especially if you forgot the password from the second profile or encountered a bug in MIUI.

In this article, we will discuss all the current ways to remove the second space, from standard methods through the settings menu to advanced solutions using ADB and reset to factory settings. We will describe the nuances for different versions of MIUI (12 to 14) and popular models (Xiaomi 13/14, Redmi Note 12, POCO F5).

1.What is the second space on Xiaomi and why turn it off

Second Space is a virtual environment in MIUI that runs parallel to the main profile.

• 📱 A separate desktop with a unique set of applications
• 🔒 Own security settings (password, fingerprint, Face) ID)
• 📁 Isolated storage (photos, files, messages do not overlap with the main space)
• 🔄 Ability to quickly switch over notification curtain or gesture

Despite the obvious advantages for privacy, the feature has serious disadvantages:

• ⚠️ It takes up to 3-5 GB of memory (depending on the number of installed applications)
• 🐢 Slows down the smartphone due to background activity of the second profile
• 🔄 Spontaneous switching between spaces (frequent bug in the space) MIUI 13/14)
• 🔒 The risk of blocking yourself if you forget the password from the second space

According to Xiaomi user surveys, about 40 percent of owners have tried a second space, but 78 percent have subsequently turned it off due to inconvenience. If you too have decided to get rid of this feature, read on — we’ve put together all the working ways.

2. Method 1: Disconnect via standard MIUI settings

The easiest method is to remove the second space through the settings menu.It works on most models (Xiaomi 12/13/14, Redmi Note 11/12, POCO X5/F5) with MIUI 12–14 if:

• 🔓 You remember the password from the second space.
• 📱 The device is not locked.
• 🔄 Function not damaged due to system failure

Step-by-step:

1. Open Settings → Special Features (or additionally in older versions).
2. Select the Second Space (some firmwares call it Double Space).
3. Click Remove the second space (or Disable).
4. Enter the password from the second profile (if requested).
5. Confirm the action – the system will start cleaning the data (it will take 1-3 minutes).

Backup important data from the second profile|Make sure your phone is at least 30 times charged%|Close all background applications|Remember the password from the second space-->

If the second space is not in the settings, try an alternative path:

Settings → Accounts and Synchronization → Multiplayer Mode

⚠️ Attention: On some firmware (MIUI 14 for global version) after the second space is deleted, the Security section in the settings may reset. Before the procedure, check if your fingerprints and faces are saved in the main profile.

3. Method 2: Recovery Mode Deletion (if you forgot your password)

If you don't remember the password from the second space, or if the system makes an error when you try to disable it, hard resetting through Recovery will help, which will delete all the data from the second profile, but save the main space.

Instructions:

1. Turn off your smartphone.
2. Press the button combination to enter Recovery: For most models: Volume up + Power For POCO F4/F5: Volume down + Power (hold 10 seconds)

Wipe & Reset

Wipe Second Space

Power

Reboot

⚠️ Note: Some custom firmware (e.g. Xiaomi.EU) may not have Wipe Second Space, in which case only a full reset (Wipe All Data) will help, but it will delete data from both spaces!

Method 3: Disconnect via ADB (for advanced users)

If standard methods fail, you can remove the second space using the Android Debug Bridge (ADB), which requires a connection to a computer but bypasses the limitations of MIUI.

What you need:

• 💻 A computer with installed Xiaomi drivers and ADB
• 🔌 USB-cable (preferably original)
• 📱 Included debugging by USB developer-setting

Step-by-step:

1. Activate Developer Mode: Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version (click 7 times)
2. Enable USB debugging in Settings → Additional → For developers.
3. Connect the phone to the PC and confirm the debugging permission.
4. Open the command prompt (CMD) on your computer and type: adb shell pm list users You will see a list of users (for example, UserInfo{0:Owner:13} running and UserInfo{10:Second Space:30} running).
5. Remove the second space with the command (replace 10 with your second user’s ID): adb shell pm remove-user 10
6. Reboot the device: adb reboot

adb shell am stopuser 10

Then repeat the removal.-->

This method works on 90% of MIUI devices, but may not work on firmware with enhanced protection (e.g. MIUI China Stable), in which case only resetting via Recovery will help.

5. Method 4: Complete reset to factory settings (extreme case)

If neither method works, you'll have to reset completely, and it will delete all the data from both spaces, so use it only as a last resort.

How to reset:

1. Back up important data (photos, contacts, messages) through Settings → Google → Backup.
2. Go to Settings → About the phone → Reset settings.
3. Choose Delete all data (or Factory Reset).
4. Enter the password from the main space and confirm the reset.

Once rebooted, the device will be as new as it is, without any second space, a method that is guaranteed to work on all Xiaomi models, but has a significant disadvantage: the loss of all unsaved data.

⚠️ Note: On some devices (Xiaomi 13 Ultra, Redmi) K60 Pro) after the reset, you may need to re-activate your Mi Account!

💡

A full reset is the only way to remove the second space if it was created through the Mi Cloud, in which case local methods will not work.

6. Frequent errors and their solutions

When you turn off the second space, users often encounter problems, and we've collected the most common errors and ways to fix them:

If your problem is not described in the table, check:

• 📋 Version MIUI (updates often change the location of menu items)
• 🔧 Root rights (if you have them, some system functions may be blocked)
• 📡 Internet connection stability (for cloud profiles)

7 How to Prevent Automatic Second Space Creation

Some users complain that the second space is turned on itself after updating MIUI or resetting settings.

1. Turn off automatic sync with Mi Cloud: Settings → Accounts → Mi Cloud → Sync → Turn off
2. Delete Second Space app data (if listed): Settings → Applications → Application Management → Second Space → Storage → Clear Data
3. Before updating MIUI, back up and reset to factory settings (this will prevent the second space settings from being moved).

It’s also worth checking if the device has third-party launchers (like Nova Launcher or HyperOS Launcher) that may conflict with the second space function, in which case return the standard MIUI launcher.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions