Installing the voice of the Leather on the robot vacuum cleaner Xiaomi through PC: the full guide

Xiaomi’s robot vacuum cleaners have long been an integral part of smart homes, but standard voice alerts are quickly becoming boring. Many users want to personalize their devices by adding unique voices — for example, the legendary Yuri Kozhany, whose timbre is familiar to every fan of Soviet cartoons. Unfortunately, there are no official ways to change voice firmware, but there are working methods through a PC.

This article will take a look at the whole process, from file preparation to device firmware, and we'll look at two main ways, through the Mi Home with modified packages and through ADB for advanced users. Importantly, the procedure requires care, because the wrong actions can lead to a vacuum cleaner failure, and if you're not sure about yourself, you better trust the specialists.

Before you start, make sure your vacuum cleaner supports customization.Most Xiaomi Mi Robot Vacuum models (including the S50, S55, STYJ02YM series) are modulateable, but newer versions (such as the Xiaomi Robot Vacuum-Mop 2 Pro) may need other approaches.

What Xiaomi models support voice replacement?

Not all Xiaomi robot vacuum cleaners allow you to change voiceovers, and here is a list of proven models that have successfully installed the voice of Leather:

• 🔹 Xiaomi Mi Robot Vacuum 1S (model STYJ02YM) — most popular
• 🔹 Xiaomi Mi Robot Vacuum-Mop Essential STYTJ01ZHM)
• 🔹 Xiaomi Mi Robot Vacuum-Mop P (model) SDJQR02RR)
• 🔹 Xiaomi Mi Robot Vacuum E10 (model SDJQR05RR)

For Xiaomi Robot Vacuum X10+ and later (2022-2026), the process may be different due to the updated software. If your model is not on the list, check compatibility on forums (for example, 4PDA or Xiaomi Community) before starting work.

Also, look at the firmware region. Chinese versions (CN) are more likely to support modifications than global (Global) or European (EU), and you can find out the region in the Mi Home app settings or through the ADB command:

adb shell getprop ro.miui.region

Preparation: What will be needed to install the voice?

To put the voice of the Leather, you will need:

• 💻 Computer on Windows 10/11 or macOS (for the ADB)
• 📱 Xiaomi Robot Vacuum with Modification Support (see list above)
• 🔌 USB-Type-C Cable (to connect vacuum cleaner to PC)
• 📁 Archive with voice files of the Leather (can be found on the 4PDA or GitHub)
• 🛠️ Utilities: Mi Home, ADB Tools, Python 3.x (script-wise)

Critically, before you start, back up the original voice files of the vacuum cleaner, which will allow you to return everything back if something goes wrong. The files are usually stored in the /system/media/audio/tts folder on your device.

If you plan to use ADB, turn on the vacuum cleaner developer mode.

1. Open the Mi Home app.
2. Go to the vacuum cleaner settings → About the device.
3. Press 5-7 times on the firmware version until a notification appears to turn on the mode.

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If the vacuum cleaner is not identified through ADB, try using the original Xiaomi cable – cheap analogues may not transmit data.

Method 1: Install voice via modified Mi Home

This is the simplest method, and it doesn't require a lot of technical knowledge, and the point is to replace the standard voice files in the firmware with Leather files through the patched version of Mi Home.

Steps:

1. Download the modified APK-Mi Home file (for example, version from the 4PDA custom-voted).
2. Install it on your smartphone (pre-allow installation from unknown sources).
3. Connect the vacuum cleaner to the app and go to Settings → Voice Packages.
4. Select the downloaded package with the voice of Leather (the file must be in.mpk format).
5. Confirm the installation and wait for the vacuum cleaner to restart.

If the voice has not changed since the installation:

• 🔄 Restart the vacuum cleaner (hold the power button for 10 seconds).
• 📱 Reinstall the Mi Home app.
• 🔊 Check if the language settings in the application have gone wrong (Russian should stand).

Download modified APK Mi Home|Backup of original voice files|Connect the vacuum cleaner to Wi-Fi|Make sure the battery is over 50 times charged%|Disable the antivirus on your phone (can block the installation)-->

Method 2: Manual stitching through ADB (for advanced)

It's more complicated, but it's more reliable, and it's good if the first one didn't work, or you want full control of your files, and you need access to ADB (Android Debug Bridge).

Instructions:

1. Install ADB Tools on PC (you can download from the official website of Android Developers).
2. Connect the vacuum cleaner to your computer via USB and follow the command: Adb devices The device should appear in the list.
3. Download the archive with voice files of the Leather (usually a folder with files.ogg or.wav).
4. Copy files to the vacuum cleaner by the team: adb push local_path/ /system/media/audio/tts/
5. Set the correct resolution: adb shell chmod 644 /system/media/audio/tts/*
6. Reboot the vacuum cleaner: adb shell reboot

If you have a read-only file system error, then the /system partition is protected from writing.

• 🔓 Unlock bootloader (risky, can lead to loss of warranty!).
• 📛 Refuse the vacuum cleaner with custom firmware with support for recording in /system.

Where to download the voice files of the Leather?

Yuri Kozhany’s voiceover for Xiaomi robot vacuum cleaners can be found on the following resources:

Before downloading, check:

• 📌 Compatibility of files with your model of vacuum cleaner (indicated in the description).
• 🔍 Reviews of other users (possible bugs or incomplete sets of phrases).
• 🛡️ Viruses (check files through VirusTotal).

Important: Some packages contain only basic phrases (e.g., "Start cleaning", "Charge completed"). Look for a full voice pack for a full replacement.

Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

When installing the Leather voice, users often face the following problems:

⚠️ Note: If the vacuum cleaner stops turning on after firmware or if it gives an Error 12 error, the system files are likely damaged. EDL (emergency loading).

• 🔇 Voice doesn’t change: make sure files are copied to the correct folder (/system/media/audio/tts/). Sometimes the path may be different – check for your model.
• 🗣️ Phrases are cropped or distorted: the problem is the bitrate of audio files. OGG Vorbis, 44.1 kHz, 16 bits. Reconvert files via Audacity.
• 🔌 The vacuum cleaner doesn't connect to ADB: Try disabling driver signatures in Windows or using Linux/macOS.
• 📛 Settings dropped: after the modification, it may be necessary to re-bind the vacuum cleaner in Mi Home.

If you are using Xiaomi Mi Robot Vacuum-Mop 2 Pro or a newer model, the errors may be due to bootloader locking.

1. Get the unlock code through the official Xiaomi website (for Chinese versions).
2. Use the Mi Unlock Tool.
3. Swipe custom recaps (TWRP) to access system partitions.

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Before any firmware manipulation, check if your vacuum cleaner model has instructions to unlock the loader. Without this, most methods will not work.

How do you get your original voice back if something goes wrong?

If after setting the voice of the Leather vacuum cleaner started to glitch or you just want to return the standard sounds, do the following:

1. Connect the vacuum cleaner to the PC via ADB.
2. Delete the installed files: adb shell rm -r /system/media/audio/tts/*
3. Restore the original files from the backup (if any) or download them from the official Xiaomi forum.
4. Reboot the device: adb shell reboot

If there is no backup, you can try to reset the vacuum cleaner settings to factory:

1. In the Mi Home app, go to Device Settings → Reset.
2. Confirm the reset and wait for the reset.
3. After resetting, the vacuum cleaner will return to the standard firmware with the original voice.

⚠️ Warning: Resetting to factory settings will delete all stored room maps, cleaning schedules and custom settings. If critical, try recovering files first. ADB.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions