What is the second space on Xiaomi and why is it difficult to remove it?
The second space (Second Space) in MIUI is an isolated environment on Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones that allows you to create a separate desktop with your own apps, settings and data. The feature is useful for separating personal and work information, but often becomes a problem if the user has forgotten the password or data of the Mi Account associated with the second space.
The main difficulty is that Xiaomi does not provide official tools to reset the second space without authorization. The system blocks access to settings unless the correct password is entered or the account is confirmed. This is done to protect data, but creates problems when access is lost. In this article, we will look at 5 proven ways to remove the second space even without a password, from simple to technically complex.
It is important to understand that some methods require unlocking the bootloader or using ADB, which can lead to a loss of warranty or a complete reset of the device. If your smartphone stores critical data, try to restore access through the Mi Cloud first or contact the service center.
Method 1: Remove via MIUI settings (if you know anything)
If you remember the password from the main space or PIN-lock screen code, but you can't log in to the second space, try to delete it through the standard settings. MIUI 12-14 and does not require additional tools.
Instructions:
- 📱 Open the Settings. → Special facilities → Second space.
- 🔑 Enter the password from the main space (not the second one!).
- 🗑️ Click Remove the second space and confirm the action.
- ⚠️ If the system requests Mi Account data, proceed to the following method.
If this method didn't work, then the second space is protected by a separate Mi Account or password that the system doesn't recognize, and more radical measures will be needed.
⚠️ Note: After the second space is deleted, all the data in it (photos, messages, apps) will be permanently deleted. If it stores important files, try extracting them first. MIUI Backup (if available).
Method 2: Recovery Mode (without loss of core space data)
If standard deletion doesn’t work, you can try resetting the second space through Recovery Mode.This method doesn’t affect the main space, but requires care to avoid erasing all the data on the device.
Step-by-step:
- Turn off your smartphone.
- Press the Power button + Volume up until the Mi logo appears.
- In the Recovery menu, select the language (if there is one).
- Go to Advanced → Second Space (on some firmwares, the path may be different).
- Select Delete Second Space and confirm.
- Reset the device.
If Recovery doesn't have Second Space, then your version of MIUI doesn't support that option, so move on to the next method.
Turn off the smartphone
Press the power button + volume up
Wait for the Recovery Menu to arrive
Find Second Space or Advanced
Confirm removal
Reset the device-->
On some models (Redmi Note 9 Pro, POCO X3 NFC) after resetting the second space, the error "Space is damaged" may appear, in which case only a complete reset (see Method 4) will help.
Method 3: Using ADB for forced removal (for advanced)
If previous methods have failed, you can remove the second space via ADB (Android Debug Bridge), which requires USB debugging enabled and access to your computer. If debugging is disabled, go to Method 4 or 5.
Instructions:
- Download and install ADB Tools on PC.
- Connect your smartphone to your computer and allow debugging over USB (if requested).
- Open the command prompt (cmd) in the folder with ADB.
- Enter the command: adb shell pm list packages | grep "secondspace" This will show the packets associated with the second space.
- Delete the found packages (example): adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.miui.secondspace
- Reset the device.
If the second space is still displayed after the reboot, try removing the additional packets:
adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.miui.secondspace.overlay
adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.miui.secondspace.manager⚠️ Attention: Misuse of the right ADB If you're not sure about the teams, you better use another method.
What if the ADB can’t see the device?
Method 4: Complete Fastboot reset (guaranteed but radical)
If no other method has worked, it will completely reset through Fastboot, which will delete all data on the device, including the main and second space, but is guaranteed to solve the problem.
What you need:
- 🖥️ Computer with installed ADB and Fastboot.
- 🔌 Original. USB-cable.
- 📱 Battery charge of at least 50%.
- 🔓 Unlocked boot loader (if previously blocked).
Instructions:
- Turn off your smartphone.
- Press the Power button + Volume down to enter the Fastboot.
- Connect the device to your PC and open the command line in the folder with Fastboot.
- Enter the command to completely reset: fastboot erase userdata fastboot erase cache fastboot reboot
Once rebooted, the device will be as new as it is, without the second space or any other data, and this method is 100% effective, but it is only a last resort.
💡
Before resetting via Fastboot, check if the bootloader is unlocked.If not, first unlock it through the official Xiaomi tool (a tied Mi Account will be required).
| Method | Difficulty | Loss of data | PC required | It works without a password. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Through MIUI settings | ⭐ | Only the second space. | ❌ No. | ⚠️ Partially. |
| Recovery Mode | ⭐⭐ | Only the second space. | ❌ No. | ✅ Yes. |
| ADB | ⭐⭐⭐ | Only the second space. | ✅ Yes. | ✅ Yes. |
| Fastboot (full reset) | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | All data. | ✅ Yes. | ✅ Yes. |
| Flashing through EDL | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | All data. | ✅ Yes. | ✅ Yes. |
Method 5: Flashing through EDL (for power users)
If all previous methods fail, it is still EDL (Emergency Download Mode) that requires special hardware (e.g., Qualcomm HS-USB QDLoader 9008) and is only suitable for Qualcomm processor-based devices.
Warning: Incorrect firmware through EDL can turn a smartphone into a brick. Use this method only if you are confident in your actions or under the guidance of a specialist.
Instructions:
- Download the official firmware for your model from the Xiaomi Firmware Updater website.
- Install Qualcomm drivers and Mi Flash Tool.
- Transfer the smartphone to EDL mode (usually by closing contacts on the board or through ADB).
- Connect the device to your PC and run through the Mi Flash Tool.
Once the firmware is in place, the device will be completely clean, with no second space or locks, but it's a tricky and risky method -- if you've never flashed a smartphone, you'd better go to the service.
💡
Flashing through EDL is the only way to bring a smartphone back to life if it is locked at the bootloader level or has a damaged firmware.
What do you do if nothing helps?
If neither of these methods worked, there are two options:
- Contact Xiaomi Service Center – Official workshops have access to specialized unlocking tools.
- Sell/exchange device – if the smartphone is locked without recovery, it is sometimes easier to buy a new one (especially if the model is outdated).
You can also try to restore access via Mi Cloud:
- 🌐 Go to account.xiaomi.com.
- 🔑 Try to recover the password from the Mi Account tied to the second space.
- 📱 If the account is restored, log in on your smartphone and delete the space in the standard way.
If you bought a used smartphone, try contacting the previous owner – perhaps he remembers the data from the Mi-account or agrees to help with unlocking.