How to use Xiaomi robot vacuum cleaner from two phones: the complete guide

Why do you need to synchronize Xiaomi’s robot vacuum cleaner with two phones?

Xiaomi’s robot vacuum cleaners (Mi Robot Vacuum, Viomi, Dreame series) have become an integral part of smart homes, but their standard setup involves only binding to one Mi Home or Mi Home Lite account. What to do if the device needs to be controlled from two smartphones — for example, when family members want to run the cleaning independently of each other?

In this article, we’ll look at all the ways Xiaomi’s robot vacuum cleaner can be shared from two phones, from official app sharing to old models workarounds, how to avoid common mistakes (like losing connection to a device after changing your account), what restrictions the manufacturer imposes, and how to set notifications to come to both devices.

Before you go to the instructions, check the firmware version of your vacuum cleaner – this depends on the availability of certain functions. Up-to-date data can be found in the Settings menu → About the device in the Mi Home application.

Method 1: Official Mi Home sharing (for new models)

The most reliable and recommended method is to use the “Shared Management” feature in the Mi Home app, which is available for most models released after 2020 (for example, Xiaomi Mi Robot Vacuum-Mop 2 Pro, Dreame Bot D9, Viomi V3), which does not require resetting and saves the entire cleaning history.

To share access:

1. Open the Mi Home app on your main phone (where the vacuum cleaner is already tethered).
2. Go to the Devices tab and select your robot vacuum cleaner.
3. Press three points (⋮) top-right → Joint management.
4. Select Add a family member and enter an email or phone number of the second user (he must be registered with the Mi Account).
5. Confirm the invitation on the second phone via notification or manually in the Profile → Shared Management section.

Once confirmed, the second user will have full access to the vacuum cleaner control, including:

• 📱 Starting and stopping cleaning
• 🗺️ Editing maps and cleaning areas
• ⚙️ Changes in suction and wet cleaning settings
• 🔔 Receiving notifications of completion of cleaning or errors

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If the invitation does not come, check that both accounts are linked to the same region (e.g. Russia or China) in the Mi Home settings.

Method 2: Linking to one Mi Account (for older models)

If your vacuum cleaner model does not support Shared Management (e.g. Xiaomi Mi Robot Vacuum 1 or Roborock S5), the only official way is to use one Mi Account on two phones, which means that both users must log in under the same Mi Home account.

Cons of this method:

• ⚠️ Synchronization conflicts: If both phones actively control the vacuum cleaner at the same time, crashes may occur (e.g., duplication of commands).
• 🔄 Loss of history: When switching between phones, cleaning history can be reset.
• 📵 Notifications on one device: alerts will only come to the phone that last synced with Xiaomi servers.

To minimize the risks:

1. On the main phone, open Settings → Mi Account → Security and enable two-factor authentication.
2. On the second phone, log in to Mi Home under the same account, but don’t run the app at the same time on both devices.
3. Use the second phone only to view status or start cleaning on schedule, avoiding simultaneous commands.

Method 3: Use of third-party applications (for advanced users)

If the official methods do not fit, you can use alternative applications that support the management of Xiaomi devices without being tied to the Mi Account.

• 🤖 Home Assistant (with Xiaomi Miio integration) – allows you to control the vacuum cleaner through a local network without the cloud.
• 📲 Mi Home Alternative – Supports multiple accounts on one device.
• 🌐 IOBroker with Miio Adapter for Automation and Remote Control.

To set up through Home Assistant:

1. Install Home Assistant on the server or Raspberry Pi.
2. Add Xiaomi Miio integration through the Settings menu → Devices and services.
3. Enter. IP-address and token of your vacuum cleaner (it can be obtained through the Mi Home Packet Capture app).
4. Configure access for the second user via the Home Assistant web interface.

Advantages of this method:

• ✅ No dependence on the Xiaomi cloud (works even when the Internet is disconnected).
• ✅ Flexible access rights for each user.
• ✅ Ability to integrate with other smart devices (e.g., starting a vacuum cleaner when opening a window).

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The side of the application requires technical skills and may violate Xiaomi’s terms of use, and use them at your own risk, especially if the vacuum cleaner is still warranty.

Limitations and Typical Problems in Co-Governance

Even with the right sharing setup, users face a number of challenges, and here's a table of the most common problems and solutions:

Pay special attention to the cleaning schedule: if both users add their tasks, the vacuum cleaner can start more often than necessary, or conflict.

• 🕒 Create a single shared schedule on the main phone.
• 📅 Use voice assistants (Alice, Google Assistant) for one-time commands from the second phone.

Update the vacuum cleaner to the latest version

Make sure both phones are connected to the same Wi-Fi network

Check that the second phone has the Mi Home app of the same version installed.

Turn it off. VPN or proxy on both devices-->

How to avoid data loss when changing your account

If you decide to re-connect the vacuum cleaner to another Mi Account (for example, when selling or transferring a device), it is important to save key data: room maps, cleaning history and user settings. Unlike new models, old Xiaomi vacuum cleaners do not store maps in the cloud - they are only stored locally in the application.

To move the data:

1. Take screenshots of the maps of the premises (Map section in Mi Home).
2. Export schedule settings: Go to Schedule → Export (not available on all models).
3. Write down manual cleaning areas (for example, the coordinates of the “no-go zones”) – they will have to be restored manually.

After the re-binding:

• 🔄 Run the vacuum cleaner in Training Cleaning mode to restore the map.
• 📲 Move the forbidden areas, focusing on screenshots.
• ⚙️ Set the schedule again (if export is not supported).

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In the models with LDS-The map is recovered faster by a sensor (laser scanner), and if the vacuum cleaner uses visual navigation (camera), the process can take 2-3 cleanings.

Safety: How not to lose control of the vacuum cleaner

Sharing access to a smart device is always risky, and here are the key precautions:

⚠️ Note: Never share access to your main Mi Account through your account. SMS Fraudsters can take control of all your Xiaomi devices, including cameras and locks.

Safety recommendations:

• 🔐 Use two-factor authentication for your Mi Account.
• 📵 Check the list of devices in your Profile regularly → Collaborate and delete inactive accounts.
• 🛡️ For third-party applications (such as Home Assistant), set up local access on the IP, to prevent data transmission through the cloud.

If you suspect that an outsider has access to the vacuum cleaner:

1. Delete all joint accounts on Mi Home immediately.
2. Reset the vacuum cleaner settings to the factory (Settings → Reset).
3. Change the password from your Mi Account and turn off all active sessions in Security → Devices.

FAQ: Frequent questions about joint management of Xiaomi vacuum cleaner