Xiaomi Mi Robot Vacuum 1S
In this article, we'll look at all the steps of setting up, from the first switch on to the hidden features that aren't mentioned in the official manual, how to connect a vacuum cleaner to the Mi Home, configure virtual walls, optimize cleaning routes, and even integrate it with voice assistants, and focus on the common mistakes that make the robot misorientate or skip zones.
If you have just purchased a Mi Robot Vacuum 1S Or you've been using it for a long time, but you want to make the most of it -- this is the guide for you. We've gone without water and phrases, and we've focused on doing it with some practical explanations of why it's important.
1.Preparation for the first launch: what to do before turning on
Before you press the power button, prepare the room and the device itself, which will take 10-15 minutes, but saves hours of cleaning due to orientation errors.
First, remove small items from the floor: wires, toys, shoes. Xiaomi Mi Robot Vacuum 1S It's equipped with obstacle sensors, but they're not perfect. A vacuum cleaner can grab a cord from a charger and drag it around the apartment with a fiber, which will cause the socket to fall or damage. Black wires on the dark floor are especially dangerous, because their sensors often don't notice.
Second, check the height of the sills. The maximum difference overcome for this model is 2 cm. If you have joints between the tile and the laminate above, the robot will get stuck. Solution: use transitional slats or limit the cleaning area to a virtual wall (more on that later).
The third is lighting. Laser rangefinder (LDS) If you start cleaning at night, at least turn on the night light, otherwise the map of the room will be curved, and the vacuum cleaner will begin to wander around the same places.
- 🧹 Remove carpets with a long pile (above 1.5 cm). The brush may become entangled and the engine overheat.
- 🔌 The charging station should stand against the wall, with free space 0.5 m to the left and 1.5 m to the front.
- 🚪 Close the doors to rooms where the robot is not allowed to enter (for example, a children's room with scattered toys).
- 📏 Check the dimensions of the furniture. The vacuum cleaner will not crawl under the sofa if the clearance is less than 10 cm.
⚠️ Warning: Don't put the charging station on the carpet. The vacuum cleaner and docking station contacts must be tightly in contact, or the charging will be interrupted by 80-90%.
2. Connect to the Mi Home application: step-by-step instructions
Without the Mi Home app, you lose 70% of the vacuum cleaner's functions. Setup takes 5 minutes, but requires stable 2.4GHz Wi-Fi (5GHz is not supported!) Here's how to do it correctly:
1. Install the Mi Home app (available for Android and iOS).
- Google Play
- App Store
Register.
Xiaomi
3.Push it. + → Add the device → Household care → Robot vacuum cleaner. Choose the Mi Robot Vacuum model. 1S (forget 1C or 1T!).
Activate the coupling mode on the vacuum cleaner:
Hold the power button for 3 seconds until you hear a voice message in Chinese (this is normal).
- The blue Wi-Fi indicator will light up (blinks at a frequency of 1 time per second).
5. In the application, select your Wi-Fi network and enter a password. If the vacuum cleaner does not connect, check that the network name does not contain Cyrillic or special characters (only Latin and numbers).
6 Wait until the setup is complete. The vacuum cleaner will emit a long beep, and the app will show its icon.
- 🌐 Connection problems? Try restarting your router or temporarily disabling network protection (WPA3 occasionally conflict).
- 📱 Do you see the model on the list? Update the Mi Home app to the latest version.
- 🔄 Does the vacuum cleaner disconnect from Wi-Fi? check if it is blocked by antivirus or parental control on the router.
The latest update to Mi Home has been installed|Vacuum in pairing mode (blinds blue)|Wi-Fi is running at 2.4 GHz|The name of the network does not have Cyrillic.|Router does not block new devices-->
3.The first cleaning: how to build a map of the room
A freshly connected vacuum cleaner doesn't know the layout of your apartment, but it needs to be trained to create a map that it can navigate. Here's how to do it effectively:
1. Start cleaning manually:
- In the app, click Cleanup. → Start.
Select Standard Mode (not Turbo or Maximum to avoid planting the battery).
2. Watch the process:
The vacuum cleaner will slowly circle the room around the perimeter, then fill the center with zigzags.
Do not interfere in the first 10-15 minutes - he must make a map himself.
3. Check the result:
After cleaning, open the Map tab in the application.
If the room is crooked or not fully displayed, start cleaning again. Sometimes it takes 2-3 attempts to make an accurate map.
Common errors during the first launch:
Closed doors: The vacuum cleaner will not be able to map the next room.
- Too dark room: laser rangefinder loses landmarks.
Extraneous sounds: voice commands or loud music can knock navigation.
⚠️ Warning: If the map is torn (with gaps between rooms), try moving the dock to the center of the apartment for the duration of training.
| Problem. | Reason. | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| The map is not saved. | Weak Wi-Fi signal | Move the router closer or use a repeater |
| Rooms overlap each other | Low lighting. | Turn on the lights, close the curtains. |
| Vacuum cleaner "lost" in the hallway | Lack of landmarks (empty walls) | Add stickers or small objects to the walls |
| The map takes too long to build. | Too many small obstacles | Remove unnecessary items from the floor |
4. Configure cleaning areas and virtual walls
One of the most useful features of the Mi Robot Vacuum 1S — And you can divide the map into zones and put virtual barriers:
Clean the kitchen without going into the living room.
Restrict access to the children’s or work room.
- Exclude carpets that the vacuum cleaner does not clean well.
How to set up zones:
1. Open the Map tab in the app.
2.Push Edit → Add a zone.
3. circle the desired area on the map.
4. Keep the area with a clear name (e.g., "Kitchen", "Corridor").
How to add a virtual wall:
1. In the map editing mode, select Add Wall.
2. draw a line where you want to restrict movement.
3.Tune the type of wall:
- Normal - vacuum cleaner will not cross the line.
Magnetic – the robot will round the zone in an arc (useful for aquariums or fragile objects).
Tip: If the virtual wall doesn't work, make sure the vacuum cleaner is connected to the Internet during cleaning, and without communication, it ignores all the map settings.
💡
Create a 1.5m radius Dock Station area around the charger, which will prevent the vacuum cleaner from getting stuck when you return to base.
- 📍 Maximum Zones: You can create up to 10 zones and 5 virtual walls at the same time.
- 🔄 Autosave: The map is updated after each cleaning, but it is better to back up in Settings → Map. → Exports.
- 🚫 Limitation: Virtual walls do not work in timer cleaning if Wi-Fi is disabled.
5. Cleaning schedule optimization: when and how often to run
Automatic cleaning on schedule – the key feature of Xiaomi Mi Robot Vacuum 1S. But many people don't adjust it in a very efficient way, so the vacuum cleaner doesn't work idle or clean the dirt:
Frequency of cleaning:
Kitchen and corridor: daily (or every other day) as there is the most garbage.
Bedroom and living room: 2-3 times a week.
Bathroom and toilet: 1 time per week (if tiles - more often).
Launch time:
It is best in the morning (7-9 hours) or in the afternoon (12-15 hours) when you are at work.
- Avoid night cleaning – vacuum cleaner makes noise (~65 dB in Turbo mode, and it can interfere with sleep.
Suction modes:
Quiet (500 Pa) – to keep the bedroom clean.
Standard (1000 Pa) for daily cleaning.
Turbo (1800 Pa) – for general cleaning only (once a week).
How to set up a schedule in the application:
1. Go to Cleanup. → Schedule.
2.Click Add and select the days of the week.
3. Specify the time, cleaning areas and suction mode.
4. Save the task.
How to save battery power when cleaning on schedule?
⚠️ Warning: If the timetable indicates when the vacuum cleaner is discharged (for example, after a night cleaning), it will miss the task. Always leave a 20-30% charge reserve for the next run.
| Zone | Recommended frequency | Optimal regimen | Cleaning time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kitchen. | Every day. | Standard. | 10-15 minutes |
| corridor | Every day. | turbo | 5-10 minutes |
| Bedroom. | 2-3 times a week | Quiet | 20-25 minutes |
| Living room | 2 times a week | Standard. | 25-30 minutes |
6.Integration with voice assistants and smart home
Xiaomi Mi Robot Vacuum 1S Supports management via Alice (Yandex), Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa, which allows you to start cleaning with your voice or link it to other devices (for example, turn on the vacuum cleaner when you leave the house).
Connection to Yandex Alice:
1. Open the Yandex application on your smartphone.
2. Go to Devices → Add Device → Xiaomi.
3. log in to your Mi Home account and select a vacuum cleaner.
4. Commands can now be used:
- "Alice, turn on the vacuum cleaner."
- "Alice, start cleaning the kitchen."
Connection to Google Assistant:
1.In the Mi Home app, go to Profile → Settings → Voice assistant → Google Assistant.
2. Follow the instructions for linking accounts.
3. After setting up, say:
- "Okay, Google, start cleaning the living room."
Automation with other Xiaomi devices:
- Start cleaning when you open a window (if you have a Xiaomi sensor) Door/Window Sensor).
Stop the vacuum cleaner when returning home (by geolocation of the smartphone).
- Include vacuum cleaner when the humidity in the house exceeds 60% (with the Aqara Temperature & Humidity Sensor).
- 🎤 Voice commands in Russian only work with Alice. Google and Alexa understand only English mode names.
- 🔗 Connecting to a smart home requires a stable internet connection. If Wi-Fi goes down, automation won't work.
- 🛠 Restriction: You can’t set up cleaning on schedule through voice assistants – only manual start.
💡
Integration with Alice allows you to create complex scenarios, such as, "If no one is home and the humidity is above 60%, turn on the vacuum cleaner and humidifier."
7 Maintenance: How to prolong the life of a vacuum cleaner
Even the smartest device requires maintenance, neglect of service leads to:
- Loss of suction power (clogged filters).
Navigation errors (dirty sensors)
- Breaking the brushes (wound hair).
Checklist of monthly maintenance:
Cleaning of the main filter:
- Get the filter (latch at the back of the vacuum cleaner).
Wash under running water and dry for 24 hours (do not use a hair dryer!).
- Install it back only after drying completely.
Brushing the side brush:
- Remove the brush (turn counterclockwise).
- Remove the wound hair and threads with scissors.
Check the bearing - it should rotate freely.
Sensor cleaning:
Wipe the laser rangefinder (upper rotating part) with a dry wipe.
Clean the infrared sensors (bottom) of dust with a cotton swab.
4. Wheel check:
Make sure there are no coiled hairs on the wheels.
- Lubricate the axles with silicone lubrication (1-2 drops).
Replacement of consumables:
- Filter HEPA: Every 3-6 months (depending on the dustiness).
Side brush: every 6-12 months.
- Main brush: every 12 months.
⚠️ Warning: Never use a wet filter vacuum cleaner, which causes the control board to short circuit, and if the filter is wet, dry it for at least a day at room temperature.
💡
Buy a spare set of filters and brushes in advance. Original consumables for Mi Robot Vacuum 1S code-name WXC01ZM (filter WXC02ZM (sidebrush).
8. Solving typical problems and errors
Even the devices tested fail. Here are the most common problems Xiaomi Mi Robot Vacuum 1S and ways of eliminating them:
1. The vacuum cleaner does not return to the docking station:
Cause: weak signal of infrared beacon or obstacle in the way.
- Decision:
Check that 1.5 m of space is free in front of the station.
- Wipe the IR sensor at the station with a dry cloth.
- Move the station to a more open location.
Error "Blocked main brush" (Error 10):
- Reason: hair or thread wound on the brush.
- Decision:
- Turn the vacuum cleaner off the power.
Remove the main brush (click on the latches on the sides).
- Clean the shaft of the garbage and put the brush back in.
3. The vacuum cleaner does not build a map or is "lost":
- Reason: poor lighting, lack of landmarks or firmware failure.
- Decision:
- Turn on the lights in the room.
Reset the vacuum cleaner (hold the power button for 10 seconds).
- Update the firmware through Mi Home.
The battery is running out fast:
Reason: battery wear or constant operation in Turbo mode.
- Decision:
Use the Standard Mode for daily cleaning.
Once a month, perform battery calibration: discharge the vacuum cleaner to 0% and charge to 100% without interruptions.
5. The vacuum cleaner is not connected to Wi-Fi:
Reason: change of router password or failure in the application.
- Decision:
- Reconnect the vacuum cleaner to Mi Home (Device settings) → Wi-Fi network).
If it doesn’t help, reset the vacuum cleaner settings (hold the power buttons and Home 5 seconds).
| Mistake. | Code. | Reason. | Decision |
|---|---|---|---|
| The wheel is locked. | Error 2 | Wounded hair or rubbish | Clear the wheel axis |
| Low suction | Error 5 | Clogged filter or dust collector | Clean the filter and container |
| Sensor error | Error 12 | Mud on laser rangefinder | Wipe the sensor with a dry wipe. |
| Battery malfunction | Error 15 | Battery wear and tear | Contact the service center. |