How to change the language of the robot vacuum cleaner Xiaomi Mi Robot

Modern smart devices, such as robotic vacuum cleaners from Xiaomi, have become an integral part of the lives of millions of users around the world. However, when buying a device designed for the Chinese or European market, the owner may face a language barrier in the interface of the application or voice prompts of the gadget itself.

The process of changing language settings is not always obvious, as it depends on the region in the Mi Home application and the version of the device’s firmware. In some cases, standard methods are not possible, and you need to more deeply configure or even change the server anchorage. In this article, we will discuss in detail all the available ways to adapt the interface and voice of your assistant to your preferences.

It is worth noting that the global version of the device and the version for the domestic market of China can have significant differences in software. If you purchased a model originally focused on the Asian region, the standard set of languages may be limited, which is why it is important to know not only where to look for settings, but also how to properly prepare the device for changing parameters to avoid synchronization errors.

Preparation of the device and application Mi Home

Before you start changing your language settings, make sure your mobile device and the robot vacuum cleaner are ready to go. First of all, make sure that the smartphone has the current version of the Mi Home app (or Xiaomi Home), old versions of the software may not contain the necessary translations or have bugs in the menu display, which will make it impossible to adjust correctly.

It is also important to check the status of the robot’s connection to the Wi-Fi network. A stable connection is necessary to load language packets and synchronize data with the cloud server. If the device is displayed as “offline”, any attempts to change the settings will be futile.

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Before you start setting up, make sure your smartphone has GPS enabled and geolocation permission for the Mi Home app is a must for smart home devices.

Special attention should be paid to the Mi Account. Language settings are often tied to the region selected during registration or in the current profile settings. If you plan to use the Russian-language interface, make sure that the appropriate language is also selected in the settings of the smartphone itself, since the application can automatically adjust to the system settings of the OS.

Selecting the Right Region in the Appendix

The key to changing the interface language and available features is choosing the right region in the Mi Home app. This parameter determines which servers will be used for data exchange and which language packs will be available for download. For users from CIS countries, the most relevant is choosing the region “Russia” or “China”, depending on the version of your device.

If your device is a Global Version, then when you select the region “Russia” or your country, the application interface and commands to the robot will automatically switch to Russian if it is available in the server database. If the device is tied to a Chinese server, changing the region in the application can lead to the disappearance of the device from the list, since it is physically located on another server.

To change region, open the app, go to profile (the Profile tab or the human icon), then select Settings and Region. Once you change region, the app will reboot. If the robot vacuum cleaner is missing from the list of devices, you will have to add it again by scanning it. QR-code or finding a device on a local network.

⚠️ Note: When you change region, your device list may be cleared as they are tied to a specific server.Make sure you remember your Wi-Fi password and have access to your Mi Account to re-assign.

Changing the language of the voice packet

One of the most common reasons for looking for language change instructions is to change the robot's voice accompaniment, and many users prefer to hear commands in their native language or use English for originality. In modern models such as the Xiaomi Mi Robot Vacuum-Mop 2 Pro or the Roborock S5 Max, this process is completely digitalized.

To change your voice pack, open the Mi Home app, select your robot vacuum cleaner, and go to the settings menu (usually the three dots in the top right corner). Find the Voice Package or Voice Package section. Here you will see a list of available languages. If the language you want isn't on the list, you can often download it by clicking on the download button next to the name.

• 🇷🇺 Russian: Available for most global versions of devices released after 2018.
• 🇬🇧 English (US/UK): basic package present in almost all firmware revisions.
• 🇨🇳 Chinese: the main language for devices designed for the domestic market of China is often the only one available without flashing.
• 🇩🇪 German / 🇫🇷 French: available for devices certified for sale in the relevant regions of Europe.

After selecting the desired language, click the Download or Apply button. The robot vacuum cleaner must be connected to Wi-Fi to download audio files. The process can take anywhere from 30 seconds to several minutes depending on Internet speed. Upon completion of the download, the device will automatically restart the audio system and confirm the change of language with the phrase "Language changed" in the selected language.

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The voice packet is downloaded from the cloud, so a stable Internet connection is critical to successfully changing the voice language.

Configuring the system interface language

Unlike voice, the text interface language in the Mi Home app itself depends on the system settings of the smartphone and the region you choose. However, some robot vacuum cleaners have their own built-in screen or button controls, where information can also be displayed. In most cases, changing the language in the Mi Home app automatically translates the settings to the device if it supports text display.

If you want to change the display language in the application, go to the settings of the Mi Home application itself (Profile) → Settings → Language. You can force the language you want to use, overriding the system settings of your phone, which is especially useful if you want to use the Russian interface of the application, but the system language of the smartphone, for example, English.

For advanced users who own open-source devices (via adb or telnet, which is true for older models), there is a possibility of manually replacing localization files. However, for modern Xiaomi and Roborock models, this method is practically not applicable due to the closed system and the risk of loss of warranty.

Problems with the Chinese version of the device

Owners of devices purchased on Chinese sites without the Global Version marking often face a situation where Russian or English is not on the list of available languages, due to the fact that the hardware and software of such devices are tailored exclusively for the domestic market of China. In the Mi Home application, when choosing a region “China”, the interface can remain in English or Chinese, regardless of the phone settings.

There's a crutch solution that sometimes works: trying to change the region in an application to another country in Asia or Europe without untieing the device. However, as mentioned earlier, this often leads to synchronization errors. A more radical method is flashing the device to a global version of the software, but this process is complex, requires special knowledge and carries a high risk of turning the device into a brick.

If you’re faced with the Chinese version, the safest way to do this is to use the Mi Home app from China and get used to the English interface (if available) or use a screen translator for rare settings. Voice packs on such devices often can’t be replaced, and the robot will only speak Chinese.

⚠️ Warning: Don't try to refish the device yourself unless you have experience with tools like miio or valetudo. A mistake in the process can permanently disable the vacuum cleaner's electronics.

Resetting and re-binding

If the language has not changed or the device is not working properly after all the manipulations, a complete reset of the network settings may be required, which will return the robot vacuum cleaner to pairing mode and allow you to re-go through the adjustment procedure, choosing the correct region and language at the initial stage. To reset, it is usually necessary to simultaneously press two buttons on the device body (often the Home and Turn on buttons) during the 5-10 seconds before the beep.

After reset, remove the device from the Mi Home app (if it shows up there), press + to add a new device, and follow the instructions on the screen. Watch the region step carefully - that's when the base language and server anchorage are determined. Make sure that your app is updated to the latest version at that point.

Re-binding also helps to eliminate caching errors when the application “remembers” the old language settings and does not apply the new ones. After successfully adding the device, recheck the Voice Package section and make sure that the desired language is installed as active.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)