Xiaomi’s robot vacuum cleaners have long been an integral part of smart homes, but their effectiveness depends on the correct configuration in the Mi Home app. One of the key functions is to divide the apartment into rooms for accurate cleaning on a schedule or on command. However, many users face problems: the application does not save the map, the rooms overlap, and the vacuum cleaner ignores the zones. In this article, we will discuss the step-by-step algorithm for adding rooms, the nuances of working with different models (Mi Robot Vacuum-Mop 2 Pro, S7, X10+), as well as typical errors that spoil the experience of use.
It is important to understand that the configuration process depends on the version of the vacuum cleaner firmware and the application. For example, in Mi Home 6.x.x, the interface of the cards is different from 5.x.x, and the model with the LDS-Lidar requires a different approach than budget options with infrared sensors, and we'll take all of these things into account to make sure that the instructions are suitable for most devices. If your vacuum cleaner doesn't save the map after cleaning or "loses" the room, there's a section at the end of this article that addresses these problems.
Preparation: What to do before adding rooms
Before you start marking up rooms, make sure that the basic conditions are met:
- 📱 The Mi Home app has been updated to the latest version (check out Google Play or App Store).Older versions may not support new map features.
- 🤖 The vacuum cleaner firmware is relevant. Outdated software often causes card retention failures. Update through Device Settings → Firmware update.
- 📡 Stable 2.4GHz Wi-Fi connection. Xiaomi robots don't work with 5GHz networks. If the router is dual-band, create a separate network for 2.4GHz.
- 🗺️ The vacuum cleaner has completed the first cleaning, without a full map of the apartment, you can't mark the rooms!).
Pay special attention to cleaning lidar (if you have one in your model). Dust on the scanner glass distorts the map, which can cause rooms to overlap or disappear. Wipe the lidar with a soft napkin without pile. For models without lidar (Mi Robot Vacuum-Mop Essential), it is important that there is enough light in the room - infrared sensors do not work well in the dark.
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If the vacuum cleaner forgets the card after turning it off, check the energy saving settings in Mi Home. Turn off the option Automatic Shutdown after cleaning - this will help save data.
Step-by-step: how to add a room to Mi Home
When the preparation is complete, we proceed to the markup. The instructions are suitable for most Xiaomi models with support for cards (S5/S6/S7/S8 series, X10, Mop 2 Pro, etc.).
- Open the Mi Home app and select your vacuum cleaner from the device list.
- Go to the Map tab (usually at the bottom of the screen) if it is not available, then the map has not been created yet (see the "Card Problems" section).
- Click on the Edit icon (pencil or plus in the upper right corner).
- Select the Add room tool (may be called Divide into Zones in older versions of the app).
- You can circle the contour of the room with your finger on the map, and try to repeat the walls exactly, and it will affect the quality of the border cleaning.
- After the winding, a window will appear for the name of the room. Enter the name (for example, "Living room") and click Save.
- Repeat the steps for all rooms. For corridors or small areas, use the Add Zone tool (not to be confused with the room!).
If you want to combine two rooms (such as a kitchen and a dining room), highlight them on a map and select the option to combine. To separate, use the Divide tool, which will appear when you click on the room.
All walls are surrounded (without passes)
Rooms don't overlap.
Correct names (without special characters)
Checked that the vacuum cleaner is not in cleaning mode (otherwise the map will not remain)
Wi-Fi network stable (no shutdown icon in Mi Home)-->
Setting up room parameters: what can be changed
Adding a room is just the first step. For maximum efficiency, configure additional settings:
| Parameter | Description | Recommendations |
|---|---|---|
| Type of gender | Indicates the vacuum cleaner which cleaning mode to use (dry/wet, suction force). | For carpets, choose carpet + maximum power. For tile, hard floor + average power. |
| Zones of exclusion | Areas that the vacuum cleaner will bypass (such as children's toys, wires). | Draw zones better with a margin of 10-15 cm from the object. |
| Cleaning schedule | Automatic cleaning of the room by day and time. | For bedrooms, set up cleaning for the day when no one is home (noise interferes with sleep). |
| Cleaning procedure | Rooms in the overall cleaning. | Start with the dirtiest areas (kitchen, corridor), finish with bedrooms. |
| Virtual walls | Invisible barriers that restrict the movement of the vacuum cleaner. | It is useful for stairs or open doorways. |
For models with a puping function (Xiaomi Mi Robot Vacuum-Mop 2 Pro, S7), the room settings can specify the Washing Intensity (weak/medium/strong) and the Number of passes. For example, for the kitchen, 2 aisles with a strong wash are recommended, and for the bedroom - 1 aisle with a weak one.
Scheduled.
Manual launch from the phone
Voice Assistant (Alice, Google)
Other-->
Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
Even with the correct instructions, users face problems, and here are the most common ones:
- 🔄 Rooms disappear after cleaning, because of a weak Wi-Fi signal or a vacuum cleaner reset, so you can check the stability of the network and turn off the automatic vacuum cleaner in the settings.
- 🧹 The vacuum cleaner ignores the boundaries of the rooms, and this happens when the circuit is inaccurate or the lidar is contaminated.
- 🚫 You can't add a room, the button is inactive, usually it means the card is not saved, run a full cleaning and wait until it's done.
- 📵 The app crashes when you edit the map. Update Mi Home or reinstall it.
⚠️ Note: If you are using Mi Home on iOS, turn off the Battery Optimization for the App in your iPhone settings before editing the map. Otherwise, background processes may interrupt saving changes.
Another common problem is that the map doesn't match the actual layout, which happens when the vacuum cleaner encounters obstacles during the first cleaning (such as closed doors), so you can start cleaning with the doors open and without any extra items on the floor, and then you can edit the new map of the room.
What if the vacuum cleaner has forgotten all the rooms?
Features for different models of vacuum cleaners Xiaomi
Not all Xiaomi robot vacuum cleaners support room markings, here are the key differences:
- 🤖 Models with LDS-lidar (S5/S6/S7/X10+): Full support for maps, accurate division into rooms, preservation of several floors.
- 📏 Models with a gyroscope (Mi Robot Vacuum) 1S, Essential: map is based on wheel movement, rooms can only be divided approximately.
- 💡 Budget models (Mi Robot Vacuum-Mop Lite): no card support, only zone cleaning by timer.
Xiaomi Mi Robot Vacuum-Mop 2 Pro and S7 function 3D-And this is a mapping machine that automatically recognizes furniture and tells you to divide the space into rooms, and in this case, you just have to validate the zones and adjust the boundaries, but in Mi Robot Vacuum-Mop Essential, you only build a single layer of map, and you have to draw the rooms by hand.
Important for owners of Xiaomi X10+ and S8 Pro: these models support saving maps of several floors. To add rooms on the second floor, move the vacuum cleaner there, start cleaning, and after creating the map, select the floor in Mi Home (Maps tab → Floor Management).
Advanced settings: virtual walls and multi-level maps
If your apartment has a complex layout (for example, two-level or with stairs), a standard division into rooms may not be enough.
- 🚪 Virtual Walls: Create invisible barriers in places where the vacuum cleaner should not go (for example, near the stairs). → Add a virtual wall.
- 🏠 Multi-level maps: If the vacuum cleaner is used on multiple floors, save separate maps for each.
- 🔄 Automatic Room Recognition: New Models (X10+, S8 Pro) turn on the option AI-The vacuum cleaner will suggest the markup.
For virtual walls, you can set up a schedule of activities, such as blocking access to the nursery from 20:00 to 8:00. This is done in the settings of each wall: select it on the map → Schedule → specify the time interval.
⚠️ Attention: Virtual walls consume additional energy from the vacuum cleaner, as it constantly scans their location.If you notice that cleaning time has decreased, reduce the number of walls or simplify their shape (for example, use straight lines instead of curved ones).
What to do if the card is not saved or distorted
If the vacuum cleaner stubbornly "refuses" to save the card or it turns out to be distorted, check the following points:
- Lidar interference: remove mirrors, glass, glossy surfaces from the way of cleaning - they reflect the laser beam and distort the map.
- Weak Wi-Fi signal: The vacuum cleaner must be connected to the network during cleaning. If the signal is weak, use a Wi-Fi repeater.
- Low battery: If the vacuum cleaner starts cleaning with less than 20 percent charge, it may not have time to save the card. Charge it to 100 percent.
- Conflict with other devices: Disable other robot vacuum cleaners or Xiaomi smart devices on the same network – they can interfere with synchronization.
If the problem persists, try resetting the card:
- In Mi Home, go to Device Settings → Map → Reset the card.
- Run the full cleaning again.
- After completion, circle the rooms and save the changes.
For Xiaomi S7 and newer models, there is an alternative way to reset: press and hold the Home button on the vacuum cleaner three times for 5 seconds.
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If the vacuum cleaner is constantly “losing” the map, try to tie it to another region in Mi Home (for example, Singapore instead of Russia).