Voice assistant for the robot vacuum cleaner Xiaomi: how to configure voice alerts when cleaning

Xiaomi’s vacuum cleaners have long since ceased to be just smart mops, becoming full-fledged home assistants that can not only clean but also inform the owner about the process. However, by default, most models (Mi Robot Vacuum-Mop 2 Pro, Viomi V3, DreameBot D9, etc.) operate in “quiet mode”, giving out only error signals or completing cleaning. Meanwhile, voice alerts can be extremely useful: they can help track the steps of cleaning, warn of battery charge or the need to clean brushes – all without having to check the application.

In this article, we will discuss all the available ways to activate voice on Xiaomi robot vacuum cleaners, including official settings in Mi Home, alternative firmware, third-party applications and even “secret” commands for the engineering menu. Particular attention will be paid to models with a Rockchip RK1608 chip (for example, Mi Robot Vacuum-Mop P), where voice packets can be installed separately from the main software. You will also learn how to write your own voice messages or replace standard ones with Russian-speaking ones – this is important for owners of imported versions of vacuum cleaners.

Before you start setting up, check your device’s firmware version (path: Mi Home → Device → Settings → Device About). Some features may be blocked on Chinese versions of vacuum cleaners (CN-rom) or require region unlocking. If your model doesn’t support voice packets out of the box, don’t despair – there are solutions in the article for such cases as well.

1.Official way: Including voice in Mi Home

The easiest and safest method is to use the built-in settings of the Mi Home app (or Mi Robot for new models), but there is a caveat: voice alerts are not available for all regions and firmware versions, for example, in European firmware (EU-rom), they are often disabled by default, and in Chinese (CN-rom) they can only sound in Chinese.

To activate the voice:

• 📱 Open the Mi Home app and select your vacuum cleaner.
• ⚙️ Go to Settings. → Voice prompts (or Voice Pack in English version).
• 🔊 Turn on the voice alert slider (if any).
• 🌐 Choose a language (if Russian is available – well, if not, read on about alternative ways).
• 🔄 Reboot the vacuum cleaner through Settings → Reboot.

If you don't have Voice prompts on the menu, your model doesn't support this feature at the firmware level, so move on to the next sections, and note that after the software update, voice settings may be reset, which is a bug in the official app that hasn't been fixed yet.

2. Installation of alternative voice packets

If the Mi Home doesn’t have voice enabled or only Chinese alerts, you can install side-to-side voice packets, which works for most models based on the Rockchip RK1608 chip (e.g. Mi Robot Vacuum-Mop P, Viomi V3).

1. Download the voice pack (for example, look for topics from your model).
2. Unpack the archive and find a file with the.pkg extension.
3. Upload it to the vacuum cleaner via Mi Home (path: Settings → Update → Local Update).

Important: the voice packets are tied to the firmware version, and if the vacuum cleaner makes a mistake or stops talking after installation, it's incompatible, so try rolling back to an older firmware or finding a package that fits your version.

Download the package for your model and firmware version

Check the battery (minimum 50%)

Connect the vacuum cleaner to 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi

Disable the antivirus on your phone (can block download)

Make a backup of settings (if there is a function)

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For models on MTK-chip (e.g. DreameBot) D9) the process is more complicated - you will need to unlock the engineering menu and manual firmware through ADB. You can find instructions for such cases in specialized forums (for example, in the forums, 4PDA Xiaomi Community).

3. Use of third-party applications (Valetudo, Home Assistant)

If you don't want to mess around with firmware, you can plug a vacuum cleaner into alternative smart home systems that support voice alerts.

• 🤖 Valetudo is an open firmware for robot vacuum cleaners that allows you to control the device without the Xiaomi cloud. Supports voice customization and integration with Home Assistant.
• 🏠 Home Assistant – Automation System where you can configure TTS-For example, a vacuum cleaner will say, "Registration has begun" or "Battery charge 20%, returning to base».

To set up Valetudo you will need:

1. Install firmware via Docker or Raspberry Pi.
2. Connect the vacuum cleaner to the local network (instruction here).
3. In the Settings → Voice Packs section, download the desired package or record your messages.

The downside of this is the difficulty of setting up for beginners and the risk of losing the warranty (if the vacuum cleaner is warranty, it is better to use other methods), but you get full control of the device, including the ability to change your voice (for example, to a female / male) or add your own phrases.

4.Secret commands for engineering menus

Some models (Mi Robot Vacuum 1S, Viomi V2) have a hidden engineering menu where you can turn on additional alerts.

1. Press and hold the Home + Start buttons on the vacuum cleaner body for 5 seconds.
2. After the beep release the buttons – the vacuum cleaner will issue a voice message in Chinese (for example, “” – “entry into engineering mode”).
3. You can now send commands via Mi Home or ADB.

List of useful voice commands (sent via ADB or Terminal to Valetudo):

# Enable voice alerts


set_voice 1




Set the volume level (0-100)



set_volume 70




Test your voice (the vacuum cleaner will say "Test")



test_voice

⚠️ Note: Not all teams are running on new models (e.g. Mi Robot Vacuum-Mop 2 Ultra).Incorrect use of the engineering menu can result in resetting settings or even firmware damage.Before experimenting, back up via Mi Home (if the feature is available).

5. Recording your own voice messages

If you don't like the standard phrases ("Cleaning is complete," "Charging has begun"), you can record your own voice alerts.

• 🎤 Microphone and recording software (e.g. Audacity).
• 📁 Voice files in.wav format (mono, 16 kHz, 16 bits).
• 🔧 Firmware tool (e.g. Xiaomi Flash Tool or Valetudo).

Algorithm of action:

1. Write down phrases (e.g., “I’m starting to clean the kitchen,” “Battery is low – plug me into charging”).
2. Convert files to the desired format (you can use an online converter).
3. Replace the standard files in the firmware (path: /miio/voice/) or download them through Valetudo.
4. Reset the vacuum cleaner.

Example of file structure for Mi Robot Vacuum-Mop P:

⚠️ Note: On some models (DreameBot) L10) Replacing voice files requires unlocking the bootloader, which cancels the warranty. Before experimenting, check the compatibility of your model on the forums.

💡

To make your voice sound natural, write down intonations as if you were talking to a person, avoiding monotony, so alerts will be less annoying with frequent repetition.

6.Alternative solutions: smart speakers and IFTTT

If none of the above methods worked, you can go around the way of using external devices to voice the status of the vacuum cleaner.

• 🔊 Smart speakers (Xiaomi Smart Speaker, Google Home, Amazon Echo) + service IFTTT. Set up the applet: “If the vacuum cleaner has started cleaning” → The column says, "The robot has started work“».
• 📱 Push notifications with voiceovers. Apps like Tasker (Android) or Shortcuts (iOS) can convert the text of notifications from Mi Home into speech.
• 💡 Light indication. If you don't need a voice, set the smart lights to blink when events occur (e.g. red is an error, green is a cleanup completed).

Example of settings via IFTTT:

1. Create an IFTTT account and connect Mi Home and Google Assistant.
2. Select the trigger: Mi Robot Vacuum starts cleaning.
3. Select the action: Google Assistant says a phrase.
4. Enter the text that the column should say (e.g., "Vacier has started cleaning the living room. Expected completion time is 15:30").

Plus of this method – do not need to interfere with the firmware of the vacuum cleaner, minus – dependence on third-party services (if IFTTT freezes, alerts will not work).

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If your vacuum cleaner doesn’t support voice alerts at the hardware level, external solutions (smart speakers + IFTTT) are the safest and most versatile way to get voice notifications.

FAQ: Frequent questions about voice alerts