4 min · read

Remove second space and cloned apps on Android

You set rules on your child's phone, but the same phone can also hold a second space or a copy of a messaging app where those rules don't apply. Android has these features built in, and so do phones from Xiaomi, Samsung, Huawei, Honor, OPPO, realme and vivo. This guide explains the two kinds of spaces, why no parental control app can block them in advance, where to find them in Settings, and what Gardion does about them.

Two kinds of spaces

Phone makers give them different names, but each one works in one of two ways.

The first kind lives inside the phone's main user. That includes cloned apps: Dual apps on Xiaomi, Dual Messenger and Secure Folder on Samsung, App Twin on Huawei and Honor, and app cloning on vivo, realme and OPPO. A work profile and the private space added in Android 15 belong here too. A cloned app usually shows up as a second icon for the same messaging app, signed in to a different account.

The second kind is a separate user on the phone: Second space on Xiaomi, PrivateSpace on Huawei and Honor, system cloning on OPPO and realme, plus guest mode and extra users on stock Android. A separate user has its own apps, files and settings. You get into it from the lock screen with a different password or fingerprint, so from the outside the phone looks the same as always.

The rules you set apply in the main space. A second space has no parental control app in it at all, and Android's usual screen time tracking doesn't see the time spent in cloned apps.

Why you can't block a space in advance

Android does have a setting that stops anyone from adding users. According to the Android developer documentation, only an app that manages the phone with owner rights (a device owner or profile owner, in Android's terms) can turn it on. That setup is typical for work phones issued by an employer. A parental control app you download from a store doesn't get those rights, so neither Gardion nor any similar app can stop a space from being created.

We read the help pages of other services, and they run into the same wall. Qustodio says it doesn't support multiple users on Android. Norton lists "Multi-user mode not supported" among its Android limitations. Google blocks one case: you can't set up a private space while a supervised account is signed in on the main space.

That leaves parents with one option: check the phone and remove whatever is already there.

How to check your child's phone

Pick up your child's phone, open Settings and look for the items for its brand. We checked each path against the manufacturer's support pages.

1. Xiaomi, Redmi, POCO. Settings > Additional settings > Second space. If a second space exists, delete it with the trash icon on that page and then tap Delete, as described in Xiaomi's guide. Check the home screen as well: a Switch icon you didn't add means a second space is set up.

2. Xiaomi, Dual apps. Settings > Apps > Dual apps. A cloned app has a special badge on its icon. According to Xiaomi's Dual apps page, you can delete the copy right from the home screen or turn it off on the Dual apps page.

3. Samsung, Secure Folder. Settings > Security and privacy > More security settings > Secure Folder, then More settings > Uninstall (Samsung's guide). For copies of messaging apps, go to Settings > Advanced features > Dual Messenger, tap More options and choose Delete all my data, which removes every copy at once (Samsung's Dual Messenger guide).

4. Huawei. Settings > Privacy > PrivateSpace. If a PrivateSpace exists, open the menu icon and tap Delete PrivateSpace (Huawei's guide). For an App Twin copy, touch and hold its icon and tap Delete (Huawei's App Twin page).

5. Android 15 and later. Settings > Security & privacy > Private space, then under System tap Delete private space (Google's help page).

6. Pixel, extra users. Settings > System > Multiple users. Tap the extra user, then Delete user (Pixel help).

7. Honor, OPPO, realme, vivo and other brands. Search Settings for "clone", "space" or "users".

Deleting a space erases the apps and files inside it for good. Google, Huawei and Samsung all warn about this. Losing your child's photos along with the space would be a shame, so talk to your child first and give them a chance to move what they need.

For more on Xiaomi and the Switch icon, see our guide on parental controls on Xiaomi. Other phone settings worth checking are covered in parental controls on Android.

What Gardion does

On Xiaomi, Gardion Kids closes the screens used to create a second space and Dual apps.

Gardion Kids also notices cloned apps and other extra profiles on the phone. Starting this week, we tell you about them right away: Event history shows "Second space or cloned apps found", and the Gardion app gets a notification titled "Second space on your child's phone". A space you enter from the lock screen may not trigger that notification, so check Settings yourself once.

In an upcoming update, Gardion Kids will close the app cloning screens on Samsung, Huawei, Honor, OPPO, realme and vivo. Time the phone spends in another space will count toward the shared daily limit, and you'll get a notification about it.

In short

Can I block second space on Android?

Only an app that manages the phone as its device owner can do that, which usually means a work phone. Parental control apps from a store don't get that permission, so the practical step is to check Settings and delete anything extra.

How is a cloned app different from a second space?

A cloned app is a copy of one app with its own account, and its icon sits next to the original. A second space is a separate user on the phone with its own apps, files and settings.

What happens to photos and chats when I delete a space?

Everything inside is deleted permanently and can't be restored. Help your child save anything they want to keep first.

Set limits in 3 minutes

Limits, schedule and anti-bypass protection on Windows and Android. 14 days of full access, no card needed.

Try Gardion

Or install the parent app now.

Google Play APK from this site