Sharing Xiaomi robot vacuum cleaner: how to share a device in Mi Home

Xiaomi’s robot vacuum cleaners have become an integral part of smart homes, but their setup is often questionable — especially when you need to give access to a device to multiple users. For example, you want family members or tenants to be able to run cleaning through their Mi Home app without having your login and password. In this article, we’ll look at all the ways to access a robot vacuum cleaner, including hidden nuances that are not described in the official documentation.

The process is divided into two scenarios: adding a user through Sharing (available for most models) and manually linking through a Xiaomi account (if the first method does not work), and consider how to avoid typical errors — for example, why the device can disappear from the list after a reboot or how to regain control if the main account is blocked. If you are a landlord or live in a large family, this guide will help you set up flexible vacuum cleaner management without unnecessary hass.

Supported models and account requirements

Not all Xiaomi robot vacuum cleaners support sharing. Below is a compatibility table for popular series. Please note that even if your model is on the list, both users must use the same region in Mi Home (e.g. Russia or Mainland China). If regions are different, the device will not appear in the list to add.

Both users must also:

• 📱 Have the latest Mi Home app installed (check out Google Play or App Store).
• 🌍 Use one region in your account settings (you can change it in Profile) → Region).
• 🔒 Be logged in to one Xiaomi account family (if you use the Family feature").

⚠️ Note: If you have previously changed region in Mi Home, the device may have "hang" in the old region. To fix this, remove the vacuum cleaner from your account and add again, selecting the correct region when you first set up.

Method 1: Sharing through Share in Mi Home

This is the easiest method that works for most modern models: you don’t need to know the password from the second user’s account – just so that it is registered with Xiaomi and located in the same region.

Step-by-step:

1. Open the Mi Home app and go to the home page where all your devices are displayed.
2. Find the robot vacuum cleaner card and click on it to open the control panel.
3. In the upper right corner, tap the icon. ⋯ (three dots) and select Device Settings.
4. Scroll down to the Shared Access section (or Share Device in English) and click on it.
5. Enter the email or phone number associated with the second user's Xiaomi account. Make sure the address is entered without errors!
6. Select the access level: 🔓 Full access – the user can manage all the functions, including the settings of cleaning areas. 🔒 Restricted access – only start/stop cleaning, without changing settings.

Send an invitation

If the invitation doesn't come,

• 📧 Check the Spam folder in the mail linked to your Xiaomi account.
• 🔄 Ask the second user to update the Mi Home app to the latest version.
• 🌐 Make sure that both devices (your and the other user) are connected to the Internet.

⚠️ Note: If you have granted full access, the second user will be able to delete the device from your account!To avoid this, use restricted access or set up Family Sharing (see next section).

Method 2: Adding through Family Access (for loved ones)

If you want to share the vacuum cleaner with family members and still have control of the device, use the Family Sharing feature in Mi Home, which is convenient because all the family devices are displayed in one account and can be managed centrally.

How to set up:

1. Open Mi Home and go to Profile → Family.
2. Click Add a family member and enter an email or phone number of a relative.
3. After confirming the invitation, go to the robot vacuum cleaner settings (⋯ → Settings of the device).
4. Select Family Access and tick the family member you want to grant access to.
5. Save the changes. Now a relative will see the vacuum cleaner in their app.

Advantages of this method:

• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 All family devices are grouped in one place, they are convenient to monitor.
• 🔐 The main account keeps priority – only you can delete devices or change settings.
• 📱 Synchronization of notifications (e.g., when cleaning is completed) is supported).

Limitations:

• 🚫 It does not work if the second user is not a member of your "family" in the Mi Home.
• 📵 Some models (e.g. Mi Robot Vacuum-Mop 2 Lite) do not support this method.

💡

If the second user doesn't see the device after adding it to Family Sharing, ask them to log out of their Mi Home account and re-sign in, which will force them to update their device list.

Method 3: Manually linking through a Xiaomi account (for older models)

If your robot vacuum cleaner doesn't share or previous methods don't work, you can use manual tethering, which requires temporary access to the second user's account, but it's guaranteed to work even for older models.

Instructions:

1. Sign in to your Xiaomi account on the second user’s phone (or ask them to temporarily provide access).
2. Open Mi Home and go to Profile → Settings → Xiaomi accounts.
3. Click Add Account and log in under your login (the one to which the vacuum cleaner is already tied).
4. After a successful login, return to the Mi Home home screen – the robot vacuum cleaner should appear in the list of devices.
5. Now, a second user can control the vacuum cleaner through their account, even if you log out.

Important nuances:

• 🔄 After binding, do not delete the device from your main account - this will lead to a reset of the vacuum cleaner settings.
• 📴 If the second user deletes your account from their phone, access to the vacuum cleaner will be lost.
• 🔒 This method does not allow you to configure limited access - the second user gets full rights.

⚠️ Note: If you are a landlord and you use this method for tenants, make sure that the contract states a commitment not to remove the device from your account, otherwise you will have to dump the vacuum cleaner and reconfigure it.

How to restrict access for tenants or guests

If you're renting out or temporarily providing access to a vacuum cleaner, it's important to limit the functionality to avoid unwanted changes in settings.

1. Set-up of cleaning areas

• 📍 Create in Mi Home no-go areas for rooms where the vacuum cleaner should not go (for example, a storage room with valuables).
• 🔄 Set up a cleaning schedule so that the vacuum cleaner works only in your absence.

2. Restriction through "Guest mode"

Some models (e.g. Roborock) S7 Pro) support guest mode where possible:

• 🚫 Block changing the maps of premises.
• 🔕 Disable voice commands (if the vacuum cleaner supports XiaoAI or Alice).
• ⏱️ Limit working hours (for example, no more than 1 cleaning per day).

3. Post-rental dump

If you handed the vacuum cleaner over to tenants through a manual tether, after they left:

1. Remove the device from their account (Settings) → Remove the device).
2. Reset the vacuum cleaner to factory settings by holding down Power buttons + Home Home 15 seconds.
3. Add the device back to your account.

💡

The most reliable way for landlords to use Restricted Access through Share and set up no-go areas, allowing tenants to start cleaning, but not to change key settings.

Frequent mistakes and how to fix them

Even with the right settings, users have problems sharing vacuum cleaners, and here are the most common mistakes and solutions:

1. The device is not displayed by the second user

• 🌍 Reason: Different regions in Mi Home Solution: Change region to Russia or Mainland China for both users (in Profile) → Region).
• 🔄 Reason: The device didn't sync with the cloud.Solution: Reboot the vacuum cleaner and check the Wi-Fi connection.

2.Invitation not sent

• 📧 Reason: Error in email or phone number. Solution: Check the data entered correctly. If you use email, it should be linked to your Xiaomi account.
• 🚫 Reason: User is blocked in Mi Home.Solution: Ask them to log into Profile → Security and checking account status.

3.Vacuum vanished from device list

• 🔋 Reason: Battery discharge below 10% Solution: Charge vacuum cleaner to 20% and restart it.
• 📵 Reason: Resetting Wi-Fi settings on vacuum cleaner.Solution: Connect to vacuum cleaner access point (MiRobot_XXXX) and set up the Wi-Fi again.

4. Error "The device is occupied by another user"

This means that the vacuum cleaner is currently being managed through another account.

• ⏳ Wait 5-10 minutes and try again.
• 📱 Ask the second user to close the Mi Home app on their device.
• 🔄 Reboot the vacuum cleaner by holding the power button for 10 seconds.

💡

If the device is occupied error appears constantly, check if the vacuum cleaner is connected to third-party services (such as Google Home or Alice).

Security: How to Avoid Losing Control of Your Device

By giving access to a robot vacuum cleaner, you risk losing control of it if the second user deletes the device or changes settings.

1.Use two-factor authentication (2FA)

Set up. 2FA for your Xiaomi account:

1. Go to Profile. → Security → Two-factor authentication.
2. Attach your phone number or Google Authenticator app.
3. Keep your backup codes in a safe place.

2. Check the list of connected devices regularly

To see who has access to your vacuum cleaner:

1. Open the robot vacuum cleaner settings in Mi Home.
2. Go to Shared Access or Family Access.
3. Delete unfamiliar accounts or accounts that are no longer needed.

3. Set up change notifications

Include alerts for important events:

• 🔔 Settings of the device → Notifications → Change of settings (not available for all models).
• 📧 Set up email notifications in your Xiaomi account (Profile) → Notifications).

⚠️ Note: If you handed the vacuum cleaner to tenants through a manual account binding, they can completely reset the device if they know how to do it (Power button retention) + To avoid this, only use official Share sharing.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions