Xiaomi’s robot vacuum cleaners have long been an integral part of smart homes, but their standard voiceover in Chinese or English is often uncomfortable, especially for Russian users who want to hear clear voice cues in their native language. Fortunately, the manufacturer and enthusiasts offer several ways to change voice accompaniment, from official firmware to custom solutions.
In this article, we will discuss all the current methods of replacing voiceovers on Xiaomi Mi Robot Vacuum, Mi Robot Vacuum-Mop, Xiaomi Robot Vacuum S10/S12 and others released from 2018 to 2026. You will learn how to install Russian voice through the Mi Home app, where to download alternative voice packs and how to avoid typical errors when manual firmware.
Which Xiaomi models support the voice change?
Not all Xiaomi robot vacuum cleaners allow you to change voice packets, depending on the firmware version, hardware platform and regional device binding. Below is the compatibility table for popular models:
| Model | Official replacement of the vote | Custom voices | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Xiaomi Mi Robot Vacuum 1/1S | ❌ No. | ✅ Yes (requires root) | Outdated platform, complex firmware |
| Xiaomi Mi Robot Vacuum-Mop 2 Lite | ✅ Yes (via Mi Home) | ✅ Yes, no root) | Supports Russian voiceover "out of the box" |
| Xiaomi Robot Vacuum S10/S12 | ✅ Yes (multilingual firmware) | ✅ Yes (via Valetudo) | Easy replacement via web interface |
| Xiaomi Dreame D9/D10 | ✅ Partially (English only) | ✅ Yeah (requires patch) | Uses a different voice system |
If your model is not listed, check it for compatibility with alternative firmware (such as Valetudo or OpenMiHome), just look at the specifications of the device or search for information on forums like 4PDA or Xiaomi Community.
⚠️ Note: Xiaomi vacuum cleaner robots with the prefix “Pro” (such as Mi Robot Vacuum-Mop Pro) often have a locked bootloader. Before trying manual firmware, check the ability to unlock through service commands!
Change of language in Mi Home
The easiest and safest method is to use the built-in settings of the Mi Home app, which is suitable for most modern models (2020 and later) and does not require technical skills.
- Update the firmware of the robot vacuum cleaner to the latest version through the Device Profile → Software Update.
- Open Mi Home, go to vacuum cleaner settings and select Voice prompts (or Language Settings).
- In the list of available languages, find "Russian" (if not, see the next section).
- Confirm the change and wait for the device to restart (~2 minutes).
If there is no Russian on the list but there is English, try setting it up, and then go back to the settings. Sometimes this will unlock hidden language packs. Also check the region of your Mi Account: Russia or Mainland China should be chosen for Russia (Chinese firmware often contains more languages).
Download the latest version of Mi Home|Update vacuum cleaner firmware|Check the region of the account (Russia/China)|Connect to a stable Wi-Fi-->
On some models (e.g. Xiaomi S10) after changing the language, you may need to reset your settings through Settings → Reset to factory. Don’t worry – this won’t delete the maps of the premises, but will return all user settings (scheduling, cleaning areas) to default.
Unofficial voice packs: where to download and how to install
If there are no official Russian voices for your model, custom firmware and voice packs from the community come to the rescue.
- 🔹 4PDA — The largest Russian-language forum with a collection of voices for Xiaomi.
- 🔹 GitHub – open-voice repositories (for example, for Valetudo).
- 🔹 Telegram channels – chats of enthusiasts, where they post the latest versions.
Before installation, check:
- 📌 Compatibility of the package with your model and firmware version (indicated in the file name).
- 📌 Reviews of other users – some packages may contain errors or “broken” sound files.
- 📌 Installation instructions (some require) ADB root-access).
⚠️ Note: Install unofficial voice packets on a model with a locked bootloader (e.g. Dreame) D9) This can lead to a “bricking” of the device. Before you run the firmware, back up the original firmware through Mi Home Developer Tools!
To install a custom voice, it is usually required:
- Download the archive with a voice packet (.zip or.tar format).
- Unpack it on a memory card (if the vacuum cleaner supports OTG).
- Connect to the vacuum cleaner via SSH (for advanced models) or use Valetudo RE.
- Replace files in /mnt/default/rockrobo/voice/ (the path may be different!).
- Reboot the device with the reboot command.
How to check the current version of the firmware?
Firmware through Valetudo: an alternative to Mi Home
Valetudo is an open alternative firmware for Xiaomi robot vacuum cleaners that allows you to fully control the device without cloud services. It supports the replacement of voice packets without restrictions, including:
- 🎤 Installation of custom voices (including user records).
- 🌍 Instant switching between languages without rebooting.
- 🔊 Volume and voice settings.
To install Valetudo:
- Check the compatibility of your model on the official website.
- Download the firmware image for your device (for example, valetudo-rockrobo-vacuum-v11_2.6.0.zip).
- Connect to the vacuum cleaner via Telnet or use DustBuilder for automatic installation.
- Download the voice pack via the Valetudo web interface (Settings → Voice Packs).
Valetudo has the advantage of being unbound to the Mi Home and being able to use a vacuum cleaner without the internet, but it will require basic knowledge of ADB or SSH. On models with an STM32 chip (such as Mi Robot Vacuum 1), Valetudo firmware is impossible without soldering!
Manual replacement of voice files (for advanced ones)
If you're not afraid to dig through the vacuum cleaner's system files, you can manually replace voice prompts, which works on most models, but requires root access or SSH connectivity.
Here's the step-by-step instruction:
- Connect to the vacuum cleaner through ADB (This requires the developer mode enabled: adb connect 192.168.X.X adb shell (IP-The address of the vacuum cleaner can be found on the router or in Mi Home).
- Go to the directory with voice files: cd /mnt/default/rockrobo/voice/
- Make a backup of the original files: cp -r en /sdcard/voice_backup/
- Upload new voice files (e.g. via scp or FTP) and replace the /voice/ folder with them.
- Set access rights: chmod -R 755 /mnt/default/rockrobo/voice/
- Reboot the vacuum cleaner: reboot
Important: On models with newer firmware than 2023, the path to voice files may differ (e.g. /mnt/UDISK/voice/). Check the directory structure with the command ls -la /mnt/.
⚠️ Warning: Incorrect change of access rights (chmod) can lead to loss of communication with the vacuum cleaner! If after rebooting the device does not respond, try resetting the settings with a button RESET on the body (hold 10 seconds).
Typical problems and their solutions
When changing voices, users often encounter common mistakes, and here are the most common ways to fix them:
| Problem. | Possible cause | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| Voice unchanged after reboot | Incompatible package or installation error | Check the file format (should be.wav or.mp3). Try another package. |
| The vacuum cleaner squeaks instead of speaking | Damaged audio files or incorrect bitrate | Recode your files to 16-bit, 16 kHz, mono (can be accessed via Audacity). |
| Mi Home does not show the option to change the language | Outdated firmware or regional restrictions | Update the vacuum cleaner software and change your account region to China. |
| After Valetudo firmware vacuum cleaner does not connect to Wi-Fi | Resetting network settings | Reconfigure the network through the Valetudo web interface (192.168.X.X:80). |
If after all the manipulations the vacuum cleaner stopped responding to commands, try:
- 🔌 Hard reset: Hold the power button for 20 seconds.
- 📡 Flip-through USB (port-model OTG).
- 🔧 Contact the Xiaomi Service Center (if the warranty is valid).
💡
Before you install custom voice, write the original audio files to your computer, which will help restore your performance if something goes wrong.
Creating your own voice package
If you don't like the voices that you have, you can write your own voice packet.
- 🎙️ Microphone (preferably condenser for pure sound).
- 🎛️ Software for recording and editing (Audacity, Adobe Audition).
- 📁 Folder structure template (can be taken from the original package).
Algorithm of action:
- Download the original voice pack for your model (e.g. English).
- Write down your phrases by mimicking the intonation and duration of the original files.
- Save files in WAV format (PCM, 16 kHz, 16 bits, mono).
- Replace files in the package folder (save original names!).
- Pack the folder into the.zip archive and install it as a custom pack.
Example of folder structure for Xiaomi S10:
voice/
├── start_sweeping.wav
├── stop_sweeping.wav
├── error.wav
├── low_battery.wav
└── ...For convenience, you can use ready-made scripts for generating packets, such as roborock-voice on GitHub, which automatically convert your records to the desired format.
💡
Own voice packet is the best option for uniqueness, but requires exact compliance with technical parameters (bitrate, sampling frequency).