Xiaomi’s robot vacuum cleaners have long since ceased to be just janitors, they have become full-fledged voice assistants. But not everyone likes the standard female voice in Chinese or English that comes out of the box. Fortunately, the manufacturer and enthusiastic community offer several ways to personalize, from changing the language through an official app to installing custom voice packs with Alice’s voice from Yandex, Marina Alexandrova or even a voice from the game.
In this article, we will discuss all the current methods of voice tuning on models Mi Robot Vacuum-Mop 2 Pro, S7 MaxV, S6 and other popular versions. Particular attention will be paid to hidden settings that are not dokumented in official instructions, and also solve typical problems - for example, when the vacuum cleaner "silent" after firmware or speaks in an incomprehensible language. If you want your assistant to speak Russian, humorous or even silent - read on.
Let me warn you right away: not all models support voice change through the standard menu, for example, budget versions like Mi Robot Vacuum-Mop Essential often don't have this feature, but even in these cases, there are workarounds, as discussed in the section on custom firmware.
What Xiaomi models support voice tuning
Functionality depends on the firmware version and hardware platform.
- ✅ Full support: Mi Robot Vacuum-Mop 2 Pro, S7/S7 MaxV, S6, STYJ02YM (firmware ≥ 3.5.8). These models allow you to change the language and voice of the Mi Home app.
- ⚠️ Partial support: Mi Robot Vacuum 1S, Mi Robot Vacuum-Mop P. Requires manual download of voice packets via ADB third-party.
- ❌ Mi Robot Vacuum-Mop Essential, Viomi V2/V3, old models 2019 They only have informal methods available.
To find out the exact model of your device, flip the vacuum cleaner and look at the sticker on the bottom, there will be an article in the format STYJxxxx or SDJQRxxx. → Settings → About the device.
Change of language in Mi Home
The easiest method is to use the app's built-in settings, which are suitable for most modern models and do not require technical skills.
- Open the Mi Home app and select your vacuum cleaner from the device list.
- Go to Settings → Voice prompts (on some firmware, the item may be called the Voice Language).
- In the list of available languages, select the desired one. For the Russian region, usually available: 🇷🇺 Russian (female voice) 🇬🇧 English (British or American) 🇨🇳 Chinese (by default) 🇩🇪 German 🇫🇷 French
Confirm the change and wait until the vacuum cleaner restarts (it will take ~30 seconds).
Important: After changing the language, all voice prompts (including low charge or wheel lock notifications) will be in the language of choice. However, some system messages (such as sensor errors) may remain in Chinese, a feature of the firmware.
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If the list does not include Russian, upgrade the vacuum cleaner firmware to the latest version. Go to Settings → Software Update in the Mi Home app.
Informal methods: custom voices and firmware
If you don't like the standard options, you can set up a voice from third-party developers, which takes more effort, but allows you to choose from dozens of options, from Alice's voice to the voiceover of characters from movies.
There are two main approaches:
- Installation of voice packets through ADB: 🔧 Requires a vacuum cleaner to a computer via Wi-Fi (or via a computer) USB-OTG for some). 📁 You need to download the ready-made package with voice (for example, from the forum). 4PDA). 💻 Use commands ADB download files to the device.
- Firmware of modified software: 🔄 Suitable for power users. Popular firmware: Valetudo, DustBuilder. ⚠️ Risk of "bricking" the device with incorrect actions. 🎤 It allows you not only to change your voice, but also to turn off advertising, configure cleaning areas without the Xiaomi cloud.
Example of commands to download a voice packet via ADB:
adb connect 192.168.1.100 # IP- address of vacuum cleaner in the local network
adb push voice_pack.ru.zip /tmp/
adb shell"cd /tmp && unzip voice_pack.ru.zip -d /miio/voice/"Where to download custom voice packs?
⚠️ Note: Installing unofficial voice packets can cause system failure if the file is corrupted or incompatible with your model.Always back up the original voice files (they are stored in a folder). /miio/voice/) before experimentation.
How to turn off your voice completely
Not everyone likes voice cues — some prefer to keep the vacuum cleaner quiet.
- 🔇 Through the Mi Home app: Go to Settings → Voice prompts. Select No Sound or Quiet Mode. Save settings.
Physical button
In some models (for example, S7) There's a hardware button that turns off the sound, and it's usually next to the power button, and it's represented by an icon. 🔈.
Through the file system
You can delete or rename voice files in /miio/voice/ via ADB.
adb shell"mv /miio/voice/voice_en.dat /miio/voice/voice_en.dat.bak"Note that even in quiet mode, the vacuum cleaner can emit audible signals when critical errors (for example, falling from a ladder or blocking a brush) and can only be completely turned off through a modified firmware.
Solving voice problems
Sometimes, after a language change or firmware update, the voice stops working or sounds distorted, and here are the typical problems and solutions.
| Problem. | Possible cause | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| Vacuum cleaner silent after changing tongue | Incompatible voice packet or download failure | Reboot the device through Settings → Reboot in the application. If it doesn't help, reset the settings to the factory. |
| The voice sounds robotic or jammed. | Damaged voice files or speaker problems | Check file integrity in /miio/voice/. If the problem persists, contact the service (possibly a faulty speaker). |
| Language reset after update | The firmware rewritten user settings | Re-select the language in Mi Home. Custom voices may require re-installing the package. |
| Vacuum cleaner speaks Chinese despite Russian choice | Incomplete localization of firmware | Install an alternative firmware (like Valetudo) or wait for an official update. |
If none of the methods helped, try resetting the vacuum cleaner settings to factory:
- In the Mi Home app, go to Settings → About Device → Resetting.
- Confirm the action and wait for the reboot (it will take ~2 minutes).
- After resetting, reconnect the vacuum cleaner to Wi-Fi and adjust your voice again.
Make sure the volume in the application is not at zero | Check the connection to Wi-Fi (voice packets are downloaded over the network) |Reboot the vacuum cleaner | Update the firmware to the latest version |Reset the settings to the factory-->
Comparison of voice tuning methods
To choose the best way, we will evaluate the pros and cons of each approach:
| Method | Pluses | Cons | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Language Change in Mi Home | Quick, safe, does not require technical skills | Limited choice of votes (usually 1 option per language) | ⭐ |
| Custom voice packs via ADB | Wide choice of votes, including informal votes | Requires PC, command line knowledge, error risk | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| Modified Software Firmware (Valetudo) | Maximum customization, shutting down the Xiaomi cloud | It is difficult for beginners, the risk of losing the guarantee | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Shutting down the voice completely. | Total silence during cleaning | You will not hear important notifications (e.g., about blocking) | ⭐ |
The only way to get Alice's voice or another virtual assistant is to use Valetudo's firmware with external service integration. Xiaomi's official firmware does not support third-party voice assistants.
Security and security
Any manipulation of firmware or system files can affect the device's warranty.
- 🔄 Official methods (change language in Mi Home) are safe and not deprived of guarantees.
- ⚠️ Unofficial firmware (for example, Valetudo) usually result in a loss of warranty, as they require unlocking the bootloader.
- 🛡️ Backup: Before any changes, save the original voiceover and firmware files. This will help restore the device in the event of a failure.
- 🔧 Service center: if the vacuum cleaner stopped working after customization, return it to the factory settings before contacting the service.
⚠️ Note: Firmware from third-party developers (such as DustBuilder) may contain vulnerabilities if downloaded from unreliable sources. Always check the hash amounts of files and read forum reviews before installing.
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If you are not sure of your technical skills, limit yourself to official voice tuning methods. The risk of losing your warranty or “bricking” the device when installing custom firmware is high enough for beginners.