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

The second space on Xiaomi smartphones is a useful feature for separating personal and work data, but users often face the need to disable it, for reasons ranging from bugs in work to the trivial inconvenience of switching between profiles. Unfortunately, standard deleting through the menu does not always work - the system can leave "tails" in the form of busy gigabytes of memory or synchronization errors.

In this article, we will discuss all the current ways to remove second space on Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO devices running MIUI 14/15 and the new HyperOS. From simple methods through settings to advanced solutions using ADB and reset via Mi Account. We will pay special attention to hidden nuances that are not written in the official instructions - for example, how to return memory "eaten" by the second space after it is deleted.

Why the second space is not removed in the standard way

Most forums suggest going to Settings → Second Space → Delete — but this method only works 60 percent of the time.

🔄 Incomplete data deletion: the system leaves cache and files of the second space, occupying up to 3-5 GB memory.
🔒 Mi Account Blocking: If the space was created through a Xiaomi account, you need to confirm the deletion on the company’s servers.
🛠️ Mistakes. MIUI/HyperOS: firmware 14.0.5.0 There was a bug that didn’t make the “Delete” button appear.
📱 Root rights or custom firmware: on modified devices, standard removal can cause system failure.

Before you start removing, check:

Make sure there is no important data in both spaces | Backup via Settings → Memory → Backup | Connect the device to charging (process can take up to 15 minutes) | Turn off sync with Mi Cloud in both spaces-->

If you are using the Xiaomi 12/13/14 series or Redmi Note 11/12, note: these models may need to reboot in Safe Mode after removing the second space to clean up the residual files.

Method 1: Standard removal via settings (MIUI/HyperOS)

This method is suitable for most users who have an active delete button, and the instructions are relevant for MIUI 12-15 and HyperOS 1.0:

Open the Settings. → Second space.
Choose the space you want to remove (if there are several).
Click Remove the second space (may be called Remove the profile in HyperOS).
Confirm the action by entering the screen lock password.
Wait for the process to be completed (it takes 2-10 minutes depending on the amount of data).

If the Remove button is inactive or absent:

🔹 Try switching to the main space and trying again.
🔹 Check if the space is tied to Mi Account (the cloud icon next to the name indicates this).
🔹 Update the firmware to the latest version - in MIUI 14.0.6+ fixing the bug with the missing button.

💡

If after deletion, the files of the second space (folder) remain in memory miui_multiuser), Clean them manually through the root file manager or use the app SD Maid.

Method 2: Delete via Mi Account (if space is linked to an account)

If you used Mi Account to create the second space, the system can block it from being deleted via local settings, which requires:

Go to the Mi Account website and log in.
Select the Devices section → [Your smartphone] → Management of spaces.
Find the second space in the list and click Delete.
Confirm the action via SMS or email (depending on the account security settings).
Restart your smartphone – the changes will apply after re-entering the system.

Important: This method only works if:

📱 The device is connected to the Internet.
🔑 You remember the password from Mi Account (when lost, recovery will take up to 24 hours).
🔄 The second space was not created through the Children's Mode (this is a separate function).

What if the Mi Account doesn’t see the second space?

If the second space is not displayed on the Mi Account site, but it is in the smartphone settings, try: 1. Disable cloud sync in the space settings. 2. Delete the device from the list in Mi Account and add again. 3. Use the method with ADB (described below).

Method 3: Remove via ADB (for power users)

If standard methods don’t work, Android Debug Bridge (ADB) requires a smartphone to a PC and basic command line knowledge, and is suitable for all Xiaomi models, including the POCO F5, Redmi K60 and Xiaomi 13T.

Step-by-step:

Enable USB Debugging: Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version (click 7 times) Settings → Additional → For Developers → Debugging by USB
Connect your smartphone to your PC and confirm the debugging permission.
Download ADB Tools and unpack into any folder.
Open the command prompt (Win + R → cmd) and go to the folder with ADB:
Enter a command to check the connection:
Remove the second space with the command:

After the command is executed, the smartphone will automatically restart. If an Operation not allowed error occurs, it means:

🔐 You don’t have enough rights (you need an unlocked bootloader).
📵 The device does not support removal through ADB (HyperOS is important for some models).
🔄 Second Space is Protected by Mi Account – Delete it through your Account First (Method 2).

Standard removal through settings|Through the Mi Account.|With help. ADB|Nothing helped, I had to reset the settings.|Another way.-->

Method 4: Resetting settings (extreme case)

If all previous methods fail, there is a hard reset, which will remove all data from the device, including the main space, so use it only as a last resort.

Instructions for MIUI/HyperOS:

Make a backup copy of important data (photos, contacts, messages).
Go to Settings → About the phone → Reset settings.
Select Erase All Data (not Reset!).
Enter the lock password and confirm the action.
After the reboot, the device will be as new as the new one, without the second space.

Important: Some models (Xiaomi 12 Pro, Redmi K50 Ultra) may require:

🔧 Manually delete the folder miui_multiuser through TWRP (if she stayed).
🔄 Re-attach Mi Account to avoid activation blocking.

💡

Resetting is the only way to guarantee that you will remove the second space on devices with a locked bootloader and outdated firmware (e.g. MIUI 11 and below).

Method 5: Manually Delete Residual Files (for Advanced)

Even after the "successful" removal of the second space, the device may still have space-taking files, which can be manually deleted, but this requires root rights or TWRP.

Instructions:

Install a file manager with root support (such as Root Explorer or FX File Explorer).
Go to the root directory and find the folders: /data/system/users/11 /data/media/11 /data/user_de/11 (where 11 — ID second-space)
Delete these folders and all their contents.
Reset the device.

Without root rights, you can try cleaning through ADB:

adb shell


su




rm -rf /data/system/users/11




rm -rf /data/media/11




rm -rf /data/user_de/11

💡

If after manual cleaning, the smartphone began to slow down, follow the command adb shell pm compile -m speed -f /data to optimize the Dalvik cache.

Frequent mistakes and their solutions

When you delete the second space, you're going to have a problem, and we've collected some of the most common ways to solve it.

Mistake.	Reason.	Decision
Remove button is inactive	Space is tied to Mi Account	Delete the space through Mi Account (Method 2)
The "Not enough memory" error	Mainly space less than 1 GB of free space	Clear the cache or transfer files to the PC, then try again
After the deletion, there was a folder left. miui_multiuser	Incomplete cleaning of system files	Delete the folder manually via ADB or TWRP (Method 5)
The device hung on the logo after removal	Damage to system files	Reset via Fastboot (fastboot erase userdata)
The second space appears again after the reboot.	Synchronization error with Mi Cloud	Turn off sync in account settings and delete the space again

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

📋 Logs of errors through ADB (adb logcat).
🔍 Forums 4PDA Xiaomi Community – often offers solutions for specific models.
🔧 Update of the firmware - in new versions MIUI/HyperOS Many bugs have been fixed.

💡

On HyperOS devices (e.g. Xiaomi 14), the second space can be automatically restored when you connect to the Mi Cloud. To avoid this, disable backup in your account settings before deleting.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions

Can I delete the second space without losing data?

No, deleting the second space always results in data loss inside it. However, files from the main space will remain intact. Before deleting, back up important data via Settings → Memory → Backup or manually copy files to your PC.

Why is it that after the second space is removed, the memory is not free?

This is due to the residual files in folders. /data/system/users/ and /data/media/. To make room: Use ADB for manual cleaning (Method of 5). Or do a cache reset through TWRP (Wipe → If the memory is still missing, check the folder. miui_multiuser — It can weigh a few gigabytes.

Can I recreate the second space after removal?

Yes, but with the caveat: You can create up to 3 spaces on MIUI (including the main one). HyperOS has increased the limit to 5, but you need to be linked to Mi Account. If you have errors in the previous deletion, reset your settings before creating a new space.

Will this work on POCO or Redmi?

Yes, all of the described methods are suitable for all MIUI/HyperOS-based devices, including: POCO F5/F4/X5 Redmi Note 12/11/10 Redmi K60/K50 Xiaomi 13/12/11 series Exception: on POCO with global firmware (for example, POCO X3 NFC), the second space may be called Dual Apps, but is removed similarly.

What if after removing the second space, the smartphone began to slow down?

This involves memory fragmentation or cache damage. Try: Clear cache via Settings → Memory → Clean. execute adb shell pm compile -m speed -f /data. If the brakes are left, reset (Method 4). On Xiaomi with Snapdragon processors (e.g. Xiaomi 13 Ultra) after removing the space, it may be necessary to reassemble the Dalvik cache via TWRP.