How to Stop Sending a Xiaomi Vacuum Card: A Complete Guide to Disabling Data Transfers

Xiaomi's robot vacuum cleaners are not just house assistants, but devices that collect a lot of data about your home. One of the most controversial features is sending a cleaning card to the manufacturer's servers. Many users do not suspect that their Mi Home or Xiaomi Home is transferring a diagram of an apartment to the cloud, where it is stored and analyzed. Why this happens, how dangerous it is, and how to completely stop sending a map, we will discuss in this article.

Since 2020, Xiaomi has been actively integrating cloud services into its vacuum cleaners, arguing that it improves navigation algorithms and personalizes cleaning. However, along with the convenience, there have also come risks: data leaks, third-party access to the layout of your home, and in some cases even the use of maps for targeted advertising or insurance fraud. Fortunately, there are ways to disable this feature – both official (through app settings) and alternative (through third-party firmware or traffic blocking).

It's important to understand that completely disabling the card transfer can affect some of the functions of the vacuum cleaner, such as remote control over the Internet or synchronizing cleaning areas between devices. But if privacy is more important to you, then compromises are justified. Next, detailed instructions for different models and versions of the software.

Why Xiaomi is sending a vacuum cleaner card to servers?

Xiaomi’s official position is that the data on the layout of the house is needed to:

• 🔄 Optimizing cleaning routes – Algorithms analyze typical obstacles and adjust the trajectory.
• 📱 Syncs between devices – if you have multiple vacuum cleaners, they can use a single card.
• 🛠️ Fault Diagnostics – Support can remotely check why the robot is stuck or not reaching the zone.
• 📊 Statistics and Analytics – Anonymized Data Helps Improve Firmware.

In practice, however, this means that Xiaomi (and possibly its partners) can access:

• 📏 Exact room sizes and furniture location.
• 🚪 Number of doors and windows (according to light sensors).
• 🕒 Your activity schedule – when you are home and when you are not (by cleaning time).
• 📍 Geolocation (if the vacuum cleaner is tied to an account with the included one) GPS).

⚠️ In 2022, researchers at Check Point discovered a vulnerability in Xiaomi’s vacuum cleaner data protocol that allows them to intercept cleaning cards through unsecured Wi-Fi networks.

In some countries (e.g. the EU), Xiaomi is required to provide users with the option to opt out of data collection in accordance with the rules of the EU. GDPR. However, in Russia, Ukraine or Kazakhstan, such requirements are often ignored, and the option to disable card transfer may be hidden or absent at all.

Which Xiaomi models pass the card?

Cloud map synchronization is available in almost all modern models Xiaomi, Viomi and Dreame with laser navigation (LDS). Here is a complete list of devices that are guaranteed to send data (unless you manually disable this option):

Vacuum vacuum cleaners with gyroscopic navigation (e.g. Mi Robot Vacuum) E10 or Redmi Vacuum 1C) They don't build an accurate map of the space, so they don't transmit the layout data, but they can still send it to the cloud:

• 📡 Cleaning statistics (time covered area).
• ⚠️ Errors and failures (for example, if the robot is stuck).
• 🔋 Battery condition and brush wear.

If your model is not listed in the table, check it by serial number on the official Xiaomi website or in the Settings menu. → Devices older than 2018 (such as Mi Robot Vacuum 1) do not usually support cloud-based card synchronization.

How to disable sending a card to Mi Home

The easiest method is to use the built-in settings of the Mi Home app (or Xiaomi Home for newer versions), but the interface may vary depending on the region and version of the software.

Open the Mi Home app and select your vacuum cleaner|Go to Settings. → Map (or Settings) → Privacy)|Find the option “Cloud sync” or “Sending a card»|Turn off the slider and confirm the action|Restart the vacuum cleaner (hold the power button for 5 seconds)-->

If your app doesn’t have an explicit Cloud Sync option, try an alternative path:

1. Go to Profile. → Account settings → Confidentiality.
2. Find the Smart Home or Xiaomi Devices section.
3. Turn off the option “Use Data Collection” or “Device Analytics”.

Important: in some regions (e.g. China), the option to disable card transfer may be hidden, in which case the change of the account region to the European one will help:

1. In Mi Home, go to Profile → Settings → Region.
2. Choose a country from the EU (e.g. Germany or France).
3. Reconnect the vacuum cleaner to your account.
4. Check for the option to disable card synchronization.

⚠️ Warning: Changing the region may result in the loss of some features, such as voice control in Russian or integration with Alice/Yandex.Station!

If the official method did not work, go to the alternative methods described below.

Alternative methods: traffic blocking and custom firmware

If Xiaomi doesn't provide the option to disable card submission through settings, you can go roundabouts. Here are three proven ways:

1.Blocking Xiaomi domains on the router

Transfer of card data is carried out through Xiaomi servers on domains such as.mi.com,.xiaomi.com and *.miui.com. They can be blocked at the router level or in the hosts file on the smartphone.

Instructions for the router (on the example of Keenetic):

1. Go to the router control panel (usually at 192.168.1.1).
2. Go to Security. → Blocking sites.
3. Add the following domains: ot.io.mi.com api.io.mi.com app-analytics.sg.mi.com
4. Save the settings and restart the router.

To lock on your Android smartphone, you'll need root rights or an app like Blokada.

127.0.0.1 ot.io.mi.com


127.0.0.1 api.io.mi.com

2. Use of alternative firmware (Valetudo, OpenMiHome)

For advanced users, there's a radical method of running vacuum cleaners with custom software, like Valetudo, which is an open-source alternative to Mi Home, which is:

• 🔒 Completely disables cloud synchronization.
• 📱 Allows you to control the vacuum cleaner through a local network (without the Internet).
• 🛠️ Gives access to advanced settings (for example, fan speed or sensor sensitivity).

Cons:

• ⚠️ Loss of warranty (unofficial firmware).
• 🔧 Skills required to work with ADB and SSH.
• 📵 Some functions (such as voice control) may stop working.

Instructions for installation of Valetudo:

⚠️ Warning: Incorrect firmware can cause the vacuum cleaner to fail. Before starting, back up the original software via the dd if command.=/dev/mtdblock0 of=/tmp/backup.img.

3. Shutting down the internet for vacuum cleaner

The most reliable, but also the most radical way, is to completely disconnect the vacuum cleaner from the Wi-Fi.

1. In the Mi Home app, go to Device Settings → Wi-Fi.
2. Click "Forget the net."
3. Turn off automatic connection in router settings (add) MAC-blacklisted address).

Disadvantages:

• 📵 It is impossible to control the vacuum cleaner remotely.
• ⏱️ Cleaning schedules are not working (you will have to start manually).
• 🔄 No firmware updates (which may be a plus for privacy).

💡

If you need to keep remote control but only block card transfer, use a guest Wi-Fi network with limited Internet access. Set up rules on the router that prohibit the vacuum cleaner from communicating with Xiaomi domains.

What happens if you stop sending the card?

Disabling the map data will cause several changes in the vacuum cleaner, not all of which are critical, but you should be prepared for the following:

The biggest downside is that you can't access the cleaning card through the app, but the map itself is still stored in the vacuum cleaner's memory, and you can:

• 📱 View it through Valetudo (if installed).
• 💾 Manually exported through ADB (cat /mnt/default/rockrobo/map/map1.png > /tmp/map.png).
• 🖥️ Use third-party utilities like DustBuilder for visualization.

The advantages of disabling card transfer:

• 🔒 Complete privacy – no one but you knows the layout of your home.
• ⚡ Less battery load (no energy is used to transfer data).
• 🛡️ Leakage protection – even if Xiaomi account is hacked, there will be no cards.

💡

Disabling cloud synchronization does not affect the quality of cleaning – the vacuum cleaner will still build a map and navigate it, just will not send it to servers.

How to check if the card is transferred to the server?

If you have disabled sending a card but are not sure it worked, there are a few ways to check:

1. Network traffic analysis

Use a traffic monitoring app, such as Fing (Android/iOS) Or Wireshark (PC). Connect the vacuum cleaner to Wi-Fi and check if it communicates with domains:

• ot.io.mi.com (main card server)
• api.io.mi.com (API synchronize).
• app-analytics.sg.mi.com (analytics).

If there are no connections to these addresses, the transfer of the card is disabled.

2. Verification through Xiaomi account

In the Mi Home web version (home.mi.com), go to the device history:

1. Sign in under your account.
2. Select a vacuum cleaner in the list of devices.
3. Check the tab "Map" or "Journal of cleaning".

If the map is not displayed or shows outdated data, the synchronization is disabled.

3. Local export of the card

For advanced users: connect to the vacuum cleaner SSH Check if the card files are in the folder. /mnt/default/rockrobo/map/. If there are files but they are not in the cloud, the transfer is blocked.

Check team:

ls -la /mnt/default/rockrobo/map/

⚠️ Note: Some models of vacuum cleaners (for example, Dreame) D9) They store the cards in encrypted form, and you'll need special tools like DreameMapExtractor to view them.

Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

When trying to disable card sending, users often encounter problems, and here are the most common errors and solutions:

1.The option “Cloud sync” is not in the settings

Reason: In your region, Xiaomi has hidden this option.

Decision:

• 🌍 Change your account region to European (see instructions above).
• 📱 Update the Mi Home app to the latest version.
• 🔧 Use alternative methods (domain blocking or Valetudo).

2.After the synchronization was turned off, the vacuum cleaner stopped saving the card

Reason: Some models reset the local map when the cloud is turned off.

Decision:

• 🔄 Restart the vacuum cleaner (hold the power button for 10 seconds).
• 🗺️ Start cleaning manually - the map will be rebuilt.
• 💾 Make a backup copy of the card through ADB before the cloud shutdown.

3.Vacier does not connect to Wi-Fi after region change

Reason: Xiaomi servers for different regions use different authentication protocols.

Decision:

• 🔄 Reset the vacuum cleaner settings to the factory (Settings) → Reset).
• 📡 Connect to another Wi-Fi network (e.g., a mobile access point).
• 🔧 Manually indicate DNS-server 8.8.8.8 in router settings.

4.Valetudo doesn't see vacuum cleaner on local network

Cause: Problems with network settings or firewall.

Decision:

• 🔌 Make sure that the vacuum cleaner and the Valetudo device are connected to the same network.
• 🛡️ Turn off the firewall on the router or add an exception to IP-vacuum-dress.
• 🔄 Restart the vacuum cleaner and check that it runs a web server (netstat) -tuln | grep 80).

💡

If after turning off the cloud, the vacuum cleaner begins to orient less, try updating the laser sensor. To do this, wipe it with a soft wipe and start calibration through Settings. → Sensors. → Sizing LDS.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions