How to change the voice of the robot vacuum cleaner Xiaomi Vacuum Mop: all the ways and nuances

Why Users Want to Change the Voice of a Vacuum Cleaner and What to Know Before Starting

Voice alerts from the Xiaomi Vacuum Mop robot vacuum cleaner are not just a nice bonus, but an important element of interaction with the device. Standard voiceover in Chinese or English can be annoying, especially if you are used to the Russian-language interface. Moreover, some users note that the voice is too quiet or too intrusive by default. In this article, we will examine all the available ways to change voice, from official settings in Mi Home to alternative methods for firmware like Valetudo.

Before you start making changes, note that not all Xiaomi Vacuum Mop models support voice change through a standard app, such as budget versions (Lite or Lite). 1C) They are often devoid of this feature, while flagships (Pro, 2 Ultra) offer more flexibility. It is also important to understand that improper firmware manipulation can cause malfunctions in the device. If you are not sure of your skills, limit yourself to official methods.

In this article you will find:

• 🔍 How to Change Voices via Mi Home (including Hidden Settings).
• 🛠️ Guide to alternative firmware (Valetudo, OpenMiHome).

The official way: change voice through the app Mi Home

The easiest and safest way to do this is to use the Mi Home app, but there's a nuance: it's not available for all regions and models, for example, in the European version of the app, there may be no option, whereas in the Chinese version, there is one.

1. Open the Mi Home app and select your vacuum cleaner from the device list.

2. Go to Settings → Voice Alerts (or Settings) → Voice Pack in English version).

3. If the option is active, you'll see a list of available voice packets.

• 🗣️ Chinese (male/female) – standard version.
• 🇺🇸 English – often found in global versions.
• 🇷🇺 Russian – not available for all models (for example, there is in Vacuum Mop 2 Pro, but is not available in Lite).
• 🎵 Without voice – complete shutdown of alerts.

If you don’t have the language you want, try changing the region of your device in the Mi Home settings (e.g. China or Singapore).

1. In the main menu of the application, click on the profile avatar.
2. Select a region and change it to China (Mainland).
3. Restart the app and check for new voice packets.

⚠️ Note: When you change region to Mi Home, some features (e.g. integration with Google Assistant or Alice) may temporarily stop working.

Alternative firmware: Valetudo and OpenMiHome for advanced settings

If the official methods don’t work, consider installing custom firmware, the most popular solutions being Valetudo (open source) and OpenMiHome (a modified version of the standard software), which not only allow you to change your voice, but also download your own audio files, disable cloud dependence from Xiaomi, and access hidden vacuum cleaner functions.

Before proceeding, please note:

• 🔧 Valetudo firmware requires root access to the vacuum cleaner (through exploit or soldering contacts).
• 📱 OpenMiHome requires an unlocked bootloader (you need to send a request to Xiaomi).
• ⚠️ Both firmwares deprive warranty and can lead to unstable operation of the device.

Instructions for Valetudo:

1. Download the latest version of Valetudo from GitHub.
2. Connect to the vacuum cleaner SSH (Instructions are in the project documentation).
3. Upload your audio files in.wav format (8 kHz, mono) in the folder /mnt/default/rockrobo/voice/.
4. Reboot the device with the command: echo 1 > /proc/sys/kernel/sysrq echo b > /proc/sysrq-trigger

OpenMiHome is simpler, but requires you to unlock the bootloader first.

1. Open the web-based vacuum cleaner interface (usually at the address) http://[IP_vacuumer]).
2. Go to the Voice Settings section.
3. Download the archive with voice files or select from pre-installed packages.

How to turn off your voice completely or adjust its volume

If you are annoyed by voice alerts, you can turn them off or make them quieter. In most Xiaomi Vacuum Mop models, this is done through the Mi Home app:

1. Open the vacuum cleaner card in the application.
2. Go to Settings. → Voice alerts.
3. Select the option “Stop” or “Silent mode”.

If you don’t have an option, try an alternative method:

• 🔇 Physical disabling speaker – requires disassembling the vacuum cleaner and disconnecting contacts (not recommended without experience).
• 📱 Use Do Not Disturb mode in some firmware (for example, Valetudo has the Do Not Disturb option).
• 🔊 Volume reduction via engineering menu (not available on all models).

To access the engineering menu:

1. Turn on the vacuum cleaner and simultaneously press the Home and Spot buttons for 5 seconds.
2. After the beep release the buttons - the vacuum cleaner will issue a voice message in Chinese.
3. Press Spot 3 times, then Home 1 time. This will open the volume settings menu.
4. Use the buttons to change the level (confirmation is a long press home).

💡

If after turning off the voice, the vacuum cleaner stopped issuing important alerts (for example, about errors), turn on vibration or light indication in the settings, this will help not miss critical messages.

Typical problems and their solutions

When you change your voice, you often get errors, and let's look at the most common ones.

1.The voice is reset after the firmware update.

This is because Xiaomi is overwriting custom settings when it updates.

• 🔄 Reverse to the previous version of the software (if possible).
• 📁 Backup your voice files (relevant to Valetudo).
• 🚫 Turn off automatic updates in Mi Home settings.

2. The new voice sounds distorted or intermittent.

The problem is usually due to the wrong format of the audio files.

• 🎙️.wav files with parameters: 8 kHz, 16 bits, mono.
• 📂 File names are in accordance with the standard (e.g, start_cleaning.wav, error.wav).
• 🔊 Volume recordings normalized (peak level is not higher) -3 dB).

3.There is no voice change option in the Mi Home.

Probable reasons:

• 🌍 The device is tied to a region where the function is not available (try changing the region as described above).
• 📱 You have an outdated version of the app (update Mi Home to Google Play or App Store).
• 🤖 The model of the vacuum cleaner does not support voice change (relevant for budget versions).

⚠️ Warning: If the vacuum cleaner starts to behave unstable after the voice change (for example, spontaneously shut down or do not respond to commands), reset to the factory settings. To do this, press the Reset button for 10 seconds. If the problem persists, reflash the device.

Creating your own voice package: a step-by-step guide

If you don't like standard voices, you can record your own set of alerts, which is especially true for Valetudo users, which supports custom uploading. Here's how to do this:

1. Preparation of sound files.

You'll need records for all the vacuum system messages.

• 🔊 start_cleaning.wav — clean-up.
• 🏠 returning_to_base.wav — baseback.
• ⚠️ error.wav – error (e.g., stuck or low charge).
• 🔋 low_battery.wav — battery-power.
• ✅ cleaning_complete.wav — cleaning done.

2. Record requirements.

Files must meet the following parameters:

• 🎤 Format: WAV PCM (compressively).
• 📊 Discretion frequency: 8000 Hz.
• 🔢 Bit size: 16 bits.
• 🎧 Channels: mono.
• ⏱️ Duration: no more than 5 seconds (optimally - 1-3 seconds).

3. Upload files to the vacuum cleaner.

For Valetudo:

1. Connect to the vacuum cleaner SSH (default login and password: root/rockrobo).
2. Copy files into a folder /mnt/default/rockrobo/voice/ substitute.
3. Execute the command to apply changes: chmod 755 /mnt/default/rockrobo/voice/* sync
4. Reset the vacuum cleaner.

To check if you're working, run a test cleaning. If a file isn't playing back, check:

• 🔠 File name correctness (registrar is important!).
• 🔊 Sound format and parameters.
• 📁 File access rights (must be 755).

💡

Use free programs like Audacity to convert and normalize audio files. In export settings, select WAV (Microsoft) and specify the parameters: 8000 Hz, 16 bits, mono.

Comparison of methods: which way to choose?

The choice of method depends on your vacuum cleaner model, technical skills and goals. Below is a comparison table that will help you determine:

Selection recommendations:

• 🏆 For most users, the best option is the official method via Mi Home (if supported).
• 🌍 If you don’t have the right voice, try changing the region in the app.
• 🛠️ For advanced users who are willing to risk the guarantee, Valetudo is suitable.
• 🔇 If your voice is annoying, it’s easier to turn it off completely.

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions