Xiaomi’s robot vacuum cleaners are not just cleaning assistants, but also full-fledged members of the smart home that interact with the user through audio signals. However, standard voice alerts or melodies can get annoying: someone wants silence, someone is disturbed by a monotonous voice, and some just want to personalize the device. You can change the sound on a Xiaomi robot vacuum cleaner in several ways, from simply changing the Mi Home app to manually firmware custom tunes.
In this article, we’ll break down all the available methods: official (for models with support for customization through the application) and informal (for advanced users who are ready to work with the file system of the device), special attention will be paid to compatibility with different models, from the budget Mi Robot Vacuum to the flagship DreameBot and Viomi, and you will learn how to completely turn off sounds if they are annoying, or replace them with your own records.
We warn you in advance that some methods require technical skills and can lead to firmware failure. If you are not sure about your abilities, use only official methods or contact the Xiaomi service center.
1.What sounds can be changed on the robot vacuum cleaner Xiaomi
Xiaomi’s robot vacuum cleaners reproduce several types of audio signals, and not all of them are adjustable through standard means. Here is a full list of what can be modified:
- 🔔 Voice alerts are phrases like "Getting clean up," "Charging done," "Error: stuck with wheels." In some models, you can change your voice to male/female or turn it off completely.
- 🎵 Notification melodies are short signals at the start/end of cleaning, low battery charge or errors.
- 🔊 System sounds are squeaks when you press buttons on the case or connect to a charging station.
- 🤖 Voice assistant (in models with Yiko or XiaoAI) – available only in Chinese firmware and requires manual replacement of audio files.
Important: Customization options vary depending on the model and firmware version. For example, Mi Robot Vacuum-Mop 2 Lite only allows you to turn off sounds, while DreameBot D9 allows you to choose one of three voices in the app. Models with MT7688 processor (such as early Mi Robot versions) support FTP audio replacement, while newer RT5350 chips require soldering to access memory.
If your goal is to just remove the intrusive alerts, you just need to turn them off in the settings, and customization will require more sophisticated manipulation.
2.Official method: changing sounds through Mi Home
The safest method is to use the Mi Home app (or Dreamehome for Dreame devices), which is suitable for most modern models released after 2019. The instructions are universal, but the interface may vary slightly depending on the version of the software.
Step 1. Open the Mi Home app and select your robot vacuum cleaner from the device list. Go to Settings → Sounds and Alerts (or Notifications → Voice prompts in newer versions).
Step 2. Here you will see the available options:
- 🔇 Turn off all sounds – completely turn off voice and signal alerts.
- 🗣️ Change voice – the choice between male/female voice (not available on all models).
- 🎶 Cleaning melody – replacing the standard signal with one of the proposed (usually 3-5 variants).
Step 3: Save the changes and restart the robot vacuum cleaner (turn off and power on) and the new settings will apply after the next cleaning starts.
Make sure the robot is connected to Wi-Fi
Update the Mi Home app to the latest version
Check model compatibility with sound setting function
Backup of current settings (optional)-->
⚠️ Warning: On some firmware, after a change in voice, the robot may stutter when playing long phrases. This is a bug that is fixed by flashing or resetting settings.
3. Informal methods: Replacing audio files manually
If the official options are not enough, you can go further and replace the audio files directly in the memory of the device.
- 🖥️ Access to the robot file system (via the FTP, Telnet or physical connection to the board).
- 🔧 Ability to work with the command line and edit configuration files.
- 📁 Backup of original sounds (in case of failure).
Method 1: FTP (for older MT7688 models)
Early versions of Mi Robot Vacuum (such as 1st Gen) allowed FTP connections to internal storage.
- Install. FTP-client (e.g. FileZilla).
- Connect to the robot at 192.168.8.1 (or another IP if assigned to your network) with root login and password 1234 (default).
- Go to /mnt/default/miio/sounds/, where.wav files are stored.
- Replace them with your files with the same names and characteristics (mono, 16 kHz, 16 bits).
- Reboot the robot with the command reboot in Telnet.
Method 2: Through firmware (for new models)
Modern robots (such as the DreameBot Z10 Pro) block access via FTP.
- Download custom firmware with support for sound modification (for example, Valetudo or DustBuilder).
- Swipe the device through a USB-TTL adapter connected to the contacts on the board.
- After firmware upload your sounds through the alternative software web interface.
What happens if you replace the sound with the files with the wrong parameters?
Technical requirements for sound files:
| Parameter | Requirement | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Format | .wav (PCM) | MP3 or other formats are not supported |
| Channels | Mono | Stereo will be converted to mono with distortions |
| Bitreit | 16 bits | 8 bits will give you poor quality |
| Frequency of sampling | 16 kHz | 44.1 kHz or 48 kHz will not be reproduced |
| Max. Duration. | 5 seconds | Long files will be cut |
⚠️ Warning: Incorrect firmware or system file replacements can cause the device to “brick”; if the robot stopped responding to buttons after you manipulated it, try resetting it to factory settings by holding the Reset button (usually 10-15 seconds).
4.How to completely disable the sounds on the robot vacuum cleaner
If you're annoyed by any sound signals, you can turn them off completely.
For models with Mi Home:
- Open the app and select a robot.
- Go to Settings → Sounds and Alerts.
- Activate the option No Sound or Quiet Mode.
For models without disabling support in the app:
- 🔧 Physical disconnection of the speaker - requires disassembly of the body and depolding of the contacts of the speaker (irreversibly!).
- 📱 Blocking through alternative software – Valetudo firmware allows you to flexibly configure alerts.
On some robots (for example, Viomi V3), disabling sounds through the application is reset after a firmware update. To avoid this, make a backup of the settings in Mi Home before updating.
💡
If the robot is making sounds even in quiet mode, check if the settings have gone wrong since the last update, sometimes it helps to re-enable/disable mode.
5.Castomic sounds: where to get and how to prepare
To replace standard alerts with your own, you need the right audio files, and that's where you can find them or how to create them.
- 🎤 Record your voice -- use programs like Audacity to record and convert to the desired format. Speak clearly and monotonously, without emotion (the robot can't communicate it!).
- 🎼 Download ready-made sets - on forums 4PDA or XDA Developers have sound collections for robot vacuum cleaners (search by model).
- 🎵 Generate artificial voice – services like Google Text-to-Speech or Amazon Polly allow you to create voice phrases with the right parameters.
- 🔊 Use sounds from games/movies, such as Star Wars or Portal signals, but make sure they meet specifications.
Example of a command to convert a file to Audacity:
ffmpeg -i input.mp3 -ac 1 -ar 16000 -acodec pcm_s16le output.wavWhere:
- -ac 1 - mono sound
- -ar 16000 - frequency of 16 kHz,
- pcm_s16le — 16-bit PCM.
Before downloading to the robot, listen to the file on the computer - distortion or quiet sound will be even more noticeable on the built-in speaker of the device.
Frequent problems and their solutions
When you change the sounds, you're faced with common mistakes, and here's how to fix them:
- 🤖 The robot freezes while playing: This is a sign of a damaged file or a lack of memory. Return the original sounds and restart the device.
If the problem is not solved, try resetting the robot to the factory settings (reset button on the case) and repeat all the steps again.
💡
Before any sound manipulation, back up the original files, which will save you time if something goes wrong.
7.Alternative firmware for advanced sound tuning
Xiaomi’s official software severely limits customization options, and if you need advanced features (such as replacing all system sounds or integrating with Home Assistant), consider alternative firmware:
- 🌐 Valetudo – open source with web interface, supports most models Xiaomi/Dreame. Allows you to upload custom sounds through the browser.
Advantages of alternative firmware:
- Flexible adjustment of each sound signal.
- Integration with other smart home systems (e.g. Home Assistant or Node-RED)
- No forced updates that reset settings.
Risks:
- Loss of warranty (if the device is warranty).
- Possible bugs or unstable work (alternative software is often updated by the community).
- The difficulty of rolling back on the original firmware.
For firmware instructions, look for specialized forums (such as Valetudo Community). Most models will require a USB-TTL adapter and basic Linux skills.