How to teach a robot vacuum cleaner Xiaomi to talk to the owner: from standard phrases to custom voices

Xiaomi vacuum cleaners are no longer just cleaners, they are fully integrated into the smart home ecosystem. But what if your vacuum cleaner could not only clean, but also report work status, warn about errors or even jokingly comment on your requests? Unfortunately, most models in the box only support basic audio signals. However, with the right settings and a little tweaking, you can turn the Mi Robot Vacuum into a real talkative assistant.

In this article, we will discuss all ways to add voice interaction: from activating standard voice alerts in Mi Home to installing alternative firmware with support. TTS (Text-to-Speech. You'll learn which models support default voice, how to write your own phrases, and why it's sometimes easier to use external services like Google Assistant or Alice from Yandex. And also what pitfalls await when trying to "voice" budget versions of vacuum cleaners.

Importantly, not all methods are universal. For example, Xiaomi Mi Robot Vacuum-Mop 2 Lite does not support voice packets due to the limitations of the hardware platform, while flagship models like Xiaomi Robot Vacuum-Mop 2 Pro allow you to set custom sounds through official software.

What models of robot vacuum cleaners Xiaomi support voice alerts

Not all Xiaomi vacuum cleaners are able to "talk"; functionality depends on the firmware version, hardware platform and even the region of sale.

• 🔹 Flagship models: Xiaomi Robot Vacuum-Mop 2 Pro, Xiaomi Mi Robot Vacuum-Mop 2, Xiaomi Mi Robot Vacuum-Mop P – support TTS Custom voice packs through Mi Home.
• 🔹 Mid-segment: Xiaomi Mi Robot Vacuum-Mop 1S, Xiaomi Mi Robot Vacuum-Mop Essential – standard audible alerts only (no support) TTS).
• 🔹 Xiaomi Mi Robot Vacuum-Mop 2 Lite, Xiaomi Mi Robot Vacuum 1C — only signals without speech.
• 🔹 Older generations: Xiaomi Mi Robot Vacuum 1 (2016) – voice can only be added through alternative firmware.

To check your model's voice support, open Mi Home, go to vacuum settings, and find Voice Alerts or Sounds. If it's not, your device doesn't support firmware, but that's not a sentence: we'll look at workarounds.

⚠️ Warning: Vacuum cleaners for the Chinese market (with suffix) CN In models, they often have advanced voice features not available in global versions, such as the Xiaomi Mi Robot Vacuum-Mop 2 Pro. CN It can voice battery status in Chinese, whereas the global version is limited to signals.

Method 1: Activate standard voice alerts in Mi Home

If your model supports voice notifications, the first step is to include them in the official app.

1. Open Mi Home and select your vacuum cleaner.
2. Go to Settings. → Voice Alerts (or Sounds and Alerts).
3. Activate the switch Enable voice prompts.
4. Choose a language (Russian, English, Chinese, etc. are available).
5. Set up the volume and types of alerts (beginning cleaning, completion, errors).

Standard phrases sound robotic and are limited to basic events:

• 🔊 "Starting cleaning"
• 🔊 "Charging complete"
• 🔊 "Mistake: stuck"
• 🔊 "Cleaning complete"

⚠️ Note: On some models (e.g. Xiaomi Mi Robot Vacuum-Mop 2), voice alerts are turned off after a firmware update. To return them, you will have to reset the vacuum cleaner settings to the factory via Settings. → General. → Reset.

Make sure the vacuum cleaner is connected to Wi-Fi|Check the volume level in the settings|Restart the vacuum cleaner (hold the power button for 5 seconds)|Update the Mi Home app to the latest version-->

If you don’t like standard phrases, move on to the next method – install custom voice packets.

Method 2: Installation of custom voice packets (TTS)

For supported models TTS (For example, Xiaomi Robot Vacuum-Mop 2 Pro can be replaced with a standard voice:

• 📱 Smartphone with Mi Home (version 6.0.100 and higher).
• 🎤 Recorded voice files in format.mp3 (maximum 10 seconds, bitrate 64 kbit/s).
• 🌐 Stable Internet connection (packets loaded into Xiaomi cloud).

Step-by-step:

1. Prepare audio files with phrases (examples: "Hello, master!", "Battery is discharged - connect me to charge"). Use services like TTSMP3 voice-generating.
2. In Mi Home go to the vacuum cleaner settings → Voice packets → Download a new package.
3. Upload files by matching them to events (beginning of cleaning, error, etc.).
4. Save the changes and restart the vacuum cleaner.

Important: Xiaomi limits the number of packets downloaded to no more than 20 phrases at a time, and if you exceed the limit, old files are automatically deleted.

💡

Use short phrases (3-5 Long audio files may be cropped or sound intermittent due to vacuum buffer limitations.

Method 3: Integration with voice assistants (Alice, Google Assistant, Siri)

If your vacuum cleaner does not support TTS, But it can work with Mi Home, you can use external voice assistants to control and get status. For example, through Yandex Alice or Google Assistant, the vacuum cleaner will not respond directly, but through the speaker of a smartphone or smart speaker.

Setting up through Yandex Alice:

1. Connect your Mi Home account to Yandex Smart Home in the Yandex app.
2. Add a vacuum cleaner as a device (Smart Home section) → Add the device → Xiaomi).
3. Tell Alice, "Put the vacuum cleaner on," or "What's the status of the vacuum cleaner?"

Limitations of the method:

• ❌ The vacuum cleaner doesn't speak himself - the answer goes through the column.
• ❌ Delayed response 2-5 Seconds (depending on Yandex servers).
• ✅ It works on all models that support Mi Home.

Google Assistant will need to connect Mi Home via Google Home:

1. Open Google Home, click + → Set up your device → Are there devices already?
2. Select Xiaomi Mi Home and sign in.
3. Now you can say, "OK, Google, run the vacuum cleaner in the living room."

Method 4: Alternative firmware (Valetudo, OpenMower) for advanced voice control

For advanced users who are ready to sacrifice the warranty, there is a way to install custom firmware with support for a full-fledged security system. TTS And even integration with Home Assistant:

• 🛠️ Valetudo is an open firmware for robot vacuum cleaners that supports voice commands through MQTT.
• 🛠️ OpenMower – Valetudo fork with advanced features for LiDAR models.

What custom firmware does:

• ✅ Full control of voice alerts (any phrase, any voice).
• ✅ Integration with Home Assistant for voice control through any assistants.
• ✅ The ability to use Python scripts for dynamic responses (e.g., "Today I removed 20 square meters of the code").

⚠️ Note: Installing an alternative firmware requires unlocking the bootloader and may result in loss of warranty. On some models (for example, Xiaomi Mi Robot Vacuum-Mop 2) after firmware stops working laser rangefinder (LiDAR) after the firmware stops working).

Short instructions for installing Valetudo:

1. Download the firmware from the official website (select the version for your model).
2. Connect the vacuum cleaner to the PC through USB-C (will require an adapter).
3. Run the firmware script: python3 flash.py --ip 192.168.X.X --token YOUR_TOKEN (The token can be obtained through Mi Home using this tool).
4. After installation, go to the Valetudo web interface at the address http://[IP_vacuum cleaner] and set up voice alerts in the Settings section → TTS.

Method 5: Hardware modification – connecting an external speaker or ESP32

For models without voice support (for example, Xiaomi Mi Robot Vacuum 1), there is a radical method - connecting an external module with a speaker.

• 🔧 ESP32 + DFPlayer Mini: Microcontroller with MP3-player that plays sounds on commands from the vacuum cleaner.
• 🔧 Bluetooth module HC-05: Allows you to transmit voice notifications to a smartphone or column.

Connection scheme ESP32:

1. Seal the wires to the contacts. TX/RX on the board of the vacuum cleaner (need a soldering iron and a multimeter to search for points).
2. Download on. ESP32 Script for parsing commands (example of code on GitHub).
3. Connect the speaker to the DFPlayer Mini and record audio files on the microSD.

Pros of the method:

• ✅ It works on all models, even without Wi-Fi.
• ✅ You can use any voice (even if it is written by your voice).

Cons:

• ❌ Requires soldering and programming skills.
• ❌ Risk of damage to vacuum cleaner board.

💡

Hardware is the only way to add voice to a budget model like the Xiaomi Mi Robot Vacuum-Mop 2 Lite, but requires technical knowledge.

Typical problems and their solutions

When setting up voice alerts, users encounter common errors, and here are the most common ways to fix them:

If after all the manipulations the voice has not worked, check:

• 🔹 Vacuum firmware version (update via Mi Home if available).
• 🔹 Region of device (Chinese versions can block voice for other regions).
• 🔹 Internet availability (some alerts are downloaded from Xiaomi servers).

FAQ: Frequent questions about voice control of Xiaomi robot vacuum cleaner