How to change the voice of the vacuum cleaner Xiaomi: 5 proven ways

Why Change Your Voice and What You Need to Know Before Starting

Voice alerts from Xiaomi’s robot vacuum cleaner are not just a nice bonus, but an important element of interaction with the device. Standard phrases in Chinese or English can be annoying, especially if you’re used to the Russian-language interface. Fortunately, most Mi Robot, Roborock and Dreame models allow you to replace voice packs with custom ones, from female voice in Russian to funny options with accents or even voices of characters.

Before you make any changes, consider the procedure to be careful, the wrong actions can lead to firmware failure, loss of warranty (if the device is warranty), or even break the speaker, especially with methods with manual editing of system files. In this article, we will look at 5 safe ways - from official to alternative - and also tell you which models support voice change without risks.

Importantly, not all Xiaomi vacuum cleaners support voice replacement, for example, the Mi Robot Vacuum-Mop Essential series budget models often lack this feature, while flagships like Roborock often lack this feature. S8 Pro Ultra or DreameBot X30 Ultra offers advanced settings. Check your model's compatibility before you start.

Method 1: Official replacement through the Mi app Home/Roborock

The easiest and safest method is to use a proprietary app, which is suitable for most modern vacuum cleaners Xiaomi and Roborock (2019 and later).

1. Open the Mi Home or Roborock app (depending on the model).
2. Select your vacuum cleaner from the list of devices.
3. Go to Settings → Voice Alerts (or Settings → Voice Pack in English).
4. Click Download new voices and select your favorite package from the ones available.
5. Confirm the installation and wait until the download is completed (usually takes 1-2 minutes).

The list of available votes depends on the region of your account, for example, in Russia, the following are often available:

• 🗣️ Russian female voice (standard)
• 🗣️ Russian male voice (deep timbre)
• 🗣️ English voice (British or American accent)
• 🗣️ Chinese Voice (Original, for Nostalgia)

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If the application does not have the "Voice Alerts" section, update the vacuum cleaner firmware to the latest version through Settings → Update of the PO.

Limitation of method: Official voices cannot be edited or added, and if you want a unique voice (like your favorite character or your own), you have to use alternative ways.

Method 2: Install custom voice packets through files

For advanced users who want to install informal voice packets (such as voices from games, movies or recorded independently), manual file swaps are suitable. Xiaomi/Roborock Linux-based firmware (e.g. Roborock) S5/S6/S7, Mi Robot Vacuum 1S).

You'll need:

• 💻 Computer with Windows or macOS.
• 🔌 USB-Type-C Cable (to connect vacuum cleaner to PC).
• 📁 Voice packet in.pkg or.wav format (can be found on forums such as: 4PDA Xiaomi Community).
• 🛠️ WinSCP (for file transfer) or ADB (command-line).

Step-by-step:

Enable the developer mode on the vacuum cleaner (click 5 times on the Software version in the settings)

Connect the vacuum cleaner to the PC through USB (Use the port on the hull, not the docking station)

Install the drivers. ADB (Download from the Xiaomi website or through SDK Platform Tools)

Download the voice packet and check its compatibility with your model-->

1. Connect the vacuum cleaner to your computer and open the command line (or Terminal on macOS).
2. Enter the command to check the connection: adb devices If the device appears in the list, you can continue.
3. Copy the voice packet into the vacuum cleaner folder (the path may differ depending on the model): adb push voice_pack.pkg /mnt/udisk/voice/
4. Reboot the vacuum cleaner with the command: adb shell reboot

When you restart, the new voice is activated automatically, and if the vacuum cleaner doesn't make any noise, check:

• ✅ Correctness of the path to the file (for some models, a folder is required) /mnt/default/voice/).
• ✅ File format (only.pkg or.wav with 16kHz bitrate supported).
• ✅ Compatibility of the package with your firmware (check on the forums).

Russian female

Russian male

Character voice (e.g. from a game or cartoon)

Your own voice.

Another option-->

Method 3: Record your voice (for models with support) TTS)

Some Xiaomi vacuum cleaners (e.g. Roborock) S7 MaxV or DreameBot L10 Pros support technology TTS (Text-to-Speech, which allows you to convert text to speech directly on your device, opens up the possibility of writing your own voice or using any text phrases.

This will require:

• 🎤 Microphone (you can use a smartphone).
• 📱 An audio recording and editing app (such as Audacity or Voice Recorder).
• 🖥️ Program for converting to.wav format (16 bits, 16 kHz, mono).

Instructions:

1. Write down the phrases that the vacuum cleaner should say (e.g., "Getting cleaned up", "Charging completed"). Use clear diction and minimal background noise.
2. Edit the recordings in Audacity: cut the pauses, normalize the volume, export to.wav.
3. Create an archive with files and rename it to custom_voice.zip.
4. Upload the archive to the vacuum cleaner via Mi Home (Settings section) → Voice. → Download the custom packet) or through ADB (as in Method 2).

Note that the quality of playback depends on the hardware capabilities of the vacuum cleaner. On budget models, the voice can sound robotic or distorted.

💡

Your own voice is the most unique option, but it requires fine tuning. TTS, Try the standard voices from the app first to assess the sound quality.

Method 4: Firmware with alternative voices (for experienced)

If your vacuum cleaner model doesn't support voice change with standard methods, you can install custom firmware with pre-integrated voice packets, which is suitable for Valetudo-based devices or modified versions of official software.

Advantages of the method:

• ✅ Access to dozens of voice packets from the community.
• ✅ Possibility of fine tuning (volume, speech speed, phrases).
• ✅ Removing unnecessary alerts (such as advertising messages).

Risks:

• ⚠️ Loss of warranty (if the device is under warranty).
• ⚠️ Possibility of "bricking" (breaking firmware) in case of error.
• ⚠️ Not all features can work correctly (e.g. integration with Mi Home).

Step-by-step (as in the example of Valetudo):

1. Download Valetudo firmware from the official website (select the version for your model).
2. Connect to the vacuum cleaner SSH (use root/password Default or specify the data for your model).
3. Download the firmware with the command: scp valetudo.img root@[IP_vacuumer]:/tmp/
4. Switch the device: dd if=/tmp/valetudo.img of=/dev/mtdblockX (where X is the section number, specify in the documentation).
5. Reboot the vacuum cleaner and adjust your voice in the Valetudo web interface.

After installing Valetudo, you can:

• 🔊 Select a voice from a community library (e.g. voices from Star Wars, Portal, or Rick and Morty).
• 🎛️ Set the volume level separately for each alert.
• 📝 Edit the text of phrases (for example, replace "charge is completed" with "I am ready for new feats!").

Method 5: Hardware Dynamic Replacement (Extreme Case)

If software methods don't work (e.g., the speaker is damaged or the vacuum cleaner model doesn't support voice replacement), the hardware method is to replace the speaker with a better speaker or with a different voice chip.

• 🔧 Xiaomi Mi Robot Vacuum 1/1S (early versions with removable speaker).
• 🔧 Roborock S5/S6 (The speaker is located under the top cover).
• 🔧 Dreame D9/F9 (rear-body speaker).

What you need:

• 🛒 New speaker (compatible with your model, for example, ES8388 or WM8960).
• 🔧 Torx screwdriver T5/T6 (hull-breaker).
• 🔥 soldering iron (if the speaker is soldered, not on the connector).
• 📸 Camera (to capture the location of the wires before disconnection).

The first step is the disassembly (on the example of Roborock) S6):

1. Turn off the vacuum cleaner and remove the side brush.
2. Unscrew 4 screws on the bottom cover (under the rubber bumper).
3. Carefully tuck the top panel with a plastic spatula (start at the back).
4. Find the speaker (usually a black round module next to the motherboard).
5. Unplug the plume or unplug the wires, then install a new speaker.

Warnings:

⚠️ Warning: When disassembling, do not touch the sensors and battery contacts - this can cause a short circuit. Use an antistatic bracelet or regularly touch a grounded object.

⚠️ Warning: If the speaker is soldered, do not overheat the board with a soldering iron for longer than 3 seconds - this can damage the chips.

After the speaker is replaced, it may be necessary to calibrate the sound through the engineering menu (available in Valetudo or via the appliances). ADB). If your voice is too quiet or hoarse, check it out:

• 🔌 Correctness of wire connection (plus to plus, minus to minus).
• 🔊 Volume settings in firmware (sometimes a factory reset is required).
• 🛠️ Integrity of the new speaker (call multimeter).

Comparison of methods: which one to choose?

To make it easier for you to decide, we have compiled a comparative table of all ways to change your voice:

Selection recommendations:

• 🆕 If you have a new model (2022 or later), start with the official app – there may already be Russian voices.
• 🎤 If you want your voice, check the support. TTS model-specific.
• 🔧 For old vacuum cleaners (Mi Robot 1, Roborock) S5) Replace the files through ADB.
• 🛠️ If the speaker is broken or the voice is not at all satisfied, consider a hardware replacement.

Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

When changing voices, users often face typical problems, and here are the most common ways to solve them:

1. The vacuum cleaner can't see the voice packet loaded. The reason is the wrong path or file format. Solution: check that the file is called voice.pkg and it's in the root folder (/mnt/udisk/). Some models need a folder. /miio/voice/.
2. The voice sounds robotic or jammed, and it's because of the wrong bitrate or sampling rate settings. Solution: convert audio to audio. WAV, 16 kHz, 16 bits, mono (use Audacity).
3. After the firmware is installed, the vacuum cleaner does not turn on. Cause: damage to the boot sector. Solution: try reflashing through the recovery mode. + 10 seconds. If it doesn't work, contact the service.
4. The Mi Home app does not show the Voice Alerts section, because it is outdated firmware or regional restrictions, solution: update the vacuum cleaner software and check the account region (should match the region of the device purchase).
5. After the speaker was replaced, the voice became quieter. The reason: impedance incompatibility of the speaker. Solution: check the parameters of the old and new speaker (should match, for example, 8 Ohms, 0.5 Watts).

If neither method worked, maybe your vacuum cleaner model doesn't hardware support voice change, and then there are two options:

• 🔇 Disable voice alerts completely (in the application settings).
• 🔊 Buy an external Bluetooth speaker and connect it to the vacuum cleaner through ancillary software (e.g. Home Assistant).

FAQ: Answers to popular questions