How to connect the Chinese version of Xiaomi robot vacuum cleaner to your phone: the full guide 2026

Chinese versions of Xiaomi’s robot vacuum cleaners (such as the Mi Robot Vacuum-Mop 2 Lite, Dreame D9 or Viomi V3 Pro) often sell cheaper than global counterparts, but their phone connection can turn into a puzzle. The main problem is regional restrictions: the manufacturer blocks the device from communicating with servers outside China, and the Mi Home or Mi Home Lite apps automatically select the nearest region, leading to errors like Device not supported in the current region.

In this article, we will look at all the working ways of connecting, from official (change region in the application) to alternative (use of Home Assistant or third-party firmware), focusing on bypassing the lock through the server of Singapore or Hong Kong, as this is the most reliable method for 2026, and learn how to avoid typical binding errors and what to do if the vacuum cleaner “can’t see” Wi-Fi or constantly resets the connection.

Why is the Chinese version of Xiaomi difficult to connect?

All Xiaomi robot vacuum cleaners fall into two categories:

• 🌍 Global versions -- officially sold in Europe, Russia, USA, supported by all regions in the Mi Home.
• 🇨🇳 Chinese versions are intended for the Chinese market only. They have restrictions on Xiaomi servers.

The main causes of the problems:

1. Region-specific: Chinese devices are locked into cn (China), sg (Singapore) or hk (Hong Kong) servers, and when trying to connect from Russia/Europe, the app automatically selects ru or eu, resulting in an error.
2. Lack of 5GHz Wi-Fi support: Many Chinese models only work with 2.4GHz networks, but do not explicitly report this.
3. Outdated software: Chinese devices often require an update via Mi Home, but this is not possible without a connection.

Preparation for connection: what to do before

Before you try to link the vacuum cleaner to your phone, follow these steps:

Make sure the robot is charged at least 20 times%|

Check that the phone is connected to 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi |

Remove old versions of Mi Home/Mi Home Lite|

Download the current version of the annex (see table below)|

Prepare an alternative Xiaomi account (if the main one is tied to another region)-->

Important: If your phone only supports 5GHz networks, the robot won't be able to connect.

• 📶 Use a separate router with 2.4 GHz (e.g. Xiaomi Mi Router 4A).
• 🔧 In the router settings, turn off 5 GHz temporarily (in the Wireless Network menu → Wi-Fi settings).
• 📱 On phones Samsung/Xiaomi, you can force-connect to 2.4 GHz by holding the network name in the Wi-Fi list and selecting 2.4 GHz only (if available).

⚠️ Warning: If you've tried to plug in a vacuum cleaner and you've got an error, reset it to the factory settings. Hold the power button for 10 seconds until you hear the beep. After the reset, the indicator flashes orange.

Method 1: Official connection via Mi Home (region change)

This method works for most Chinese models (Mi Robot Vacuum-Mop 2 Pro, Dreame D10 Plus, etc.), but requires the right server selection.

Step 1 Installation and Configure Mi Home

1. Download Mi Home (not Lite!) from the link above.
2. Sign up for a new account or sign in to an existing one. Importantly, if you have previously used an account for global devices, create a new one (for example, via another email).
3. In the upper right corner, tap on the avatar → Settings → Region.
4. Choose Singapore or Hong Kong. Don't choose Mainland China, which will lead to errors with SMS- confirmation.

Step 2: Adding a device

1. Press + → Add the device.
2. Select the category of Vacuum cleaner.
3. If your model doesn’t show up, choose Mi Robot Vacuum-Mop (suitable for most Chinese versions).
4. Follow the instructions on the screen: turn on the vacuum cleaner, holding the power button for 3 seconds until you hear the sound.
5. Connect your phone to a 2.4GHz network and enter the Wi-Fi password in the app.

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If the app asks you to enter a Chinese phone number for confirmation, close the window and try again after 5 minutes.

Step 3: Completion of the setup

After successful connection:

• 🔄 Update the vacuum cleaner firmware through Device Settings → Software Update.
• 📍 Set up a room map (for models with LDS-lidar).
• ⚙️ Enable Cleanup End Notices in the application settings.

⚠️ Warning: If the vacuum cleaner is unstable after you connect (loss communication, does not save the card), check Settings → Additional → Server in the application. Sometimes China is automatically selected - manually change to Singapore.

Method 2: Connect via Mi Home Lite (for older models)

Mi Home Lite is a lightweight version of the main app that works better with Chinese devices older than 2020 (Mi Robot Vacuum 1S, Viomi V2).

Instructions:

1. Download Mi Home Lite (link in the table above).
2. Sign up or log in. Important: use the same region as the main app (e.g. Singapore).
3. Press + → Add manually.
4. Type a vacuum cleaner model in the search box. If it is not available, select Mi Robot Vacuum (Universal Profile).
5. Follow the standard connection procedure (holding the button, entering the Wi-Fi password).

Advantages of Mi Home Lite:

• ✅ Fewer account-association errors.
• ✅ Supports outdated communication protocols (important for vacuum cleaners 2018–2019).
• ✅ There are no forced updates that could break communication with Chinese devices.

Disadvantages:

• ❌ There are no features (e.g., zoning cleaning in new models).
• ❌ Interface in English, without Russification.

Method 3: Alternative methods (Home Assistant, Valetudo, firmware)

If the official methods do not work, you can circumvent the restrictions by:

• 🏠 Home Assistant is an open smart home platform that supports Chinese Xiaomi devices through the Xiaomi Miio plugin.
• 🔧 Valetudo is an alternative firmware for robot vacuum cleaners that removes cloud binding to Xiaomi.
• 🔄 Manual firmware updates – download the global version of the software via ADB or Mi Home (risky!).

Connecting with Home Assistant (the most reliable way):

1. Install Home Assistant on a Raspberry Pi or computer (instructions: official website).
2. In the configuration file configuration.yaml add:

vacuum:


- platform: xiaomi_miio




host: 192.168.1.100 # IP- vacuum cleaner address




token: YOUR_TOKEN # Device token (how to get it – see below)




name: "Xiaomi Vacuum"

1. Get a vacuum cleaner token using the MiHome Bluetooth Hack utility (requires an Android smartphone with Bluetooth 4.0+ support).
2. Restart Home Assistant. The vacuum cleaner will appear in the interface as a managed device.

The advantages of Home Assistant:

• 🌐 Full control of the device without the Xiaomi cloud.
• 🔒 There is no risk of being blocked for an “unofficial” connection.
• 📊 Support for automation (e.g., scheduling with sensor data).

⚠️ Warning: Valetudo firmware or manual software updates will void warranty and may result in a complete loss of vacuum cleaner functionality. Use these methods only if other options are exhausted.

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Home Assistant is the best choice for power users, as it gives full control of the vacuum cleaner without depending on Xiaomi servers, but you will need technical knowledge (working with YAML, network protocols) to set up.

Typical errors and their solutions

Even after a successful connection, there can be problems.

Additional advice:

• 🔌 If the vacuum cleaner is permanently disconnected from Wi-Fi, check your router settings → DHCP. Assign a static IP- address to the device.
• 📱 On phones Xiaomi/Redmi turn off Network Autodetermination in Wi-Fi settings (may interfere with connection).
• 🔄 If the vacuum cleaner stopped working after the firmware update, roll back to the previous version via Home Assistant.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions