Creating a cleaning map for Xiaomi robot vacuum cleaner: from scanning to optimization

Xiaomi’s robot vacuum cleaners have become an integral part of modern smart homes, but their effectiveness depends on the quality of the created room map. Without a properly configured map, the device will move randomly, skip zones or waste time re-cleaning the same areas. In this article, we will understand how to create an accurate cleaning map from scratch, configure zoning, save several floors and optimize routes for Mi Robot Vacuum-Mop 2 Pro, DreameBot D9 and other popular devices of the brand.

The process of creating a map seems simple: it starts the robot, it rode around the room — and it is ready. However, in practice, users face problems: incomplete scanning (for example, missing corners or corridors), incorrect saving (the map is reset after rebooting) or zoning errors (the robot confuses rooms). We will examine each step in detail, from the preparation of the room to fine-tuning in the Mi Home application, and also reveal hidden functions that the manufacturer does not advertise in the official documentation.

Preparation of the room before scanning

Before you can start the robot to create a map, you need to prepare the space, which will avoid scanning errors and save time for subsequent adjustments.

Remove small objects from the floor: wires, toys, shoes or fringed mats can interfere with LDS (laser scanners) or ToF (time-of-flight) sensors. This is especially true for models with hybrid navigation, such as the Xiaomi Mi Robot Vacuum-Mop P, where the combination of a laser and a camera requires a clean view. If the robot “hangs” on the obstacle, the map can turn out fragmentary.

Close doors to rooms that don't need to be scanned, so it can focus on the same area and not stretch the map into multiple rooms at once, for example, if you're creating a living room map, close the bedroom door, so the algorithm can quickly determine the boundaries of space.

• 🧹 Remove from the floor: wires, small toys, shoes, mats with high pile.
• 🚪 Close doors to unscanned rooms or use virtual walls in settings.
• 💡 Provide lighting: in dark corners, the robot’s camera may not recognize contours well.
• 🔋 Charge the robot to 100% – scanning consumes a lot of energy.

⚠️ Warning: If you have mirrors or glass surfaces (such as interior partitions), put a matte tape on them, and laser sensors can become blind from reflections, which will distort the map.

Starting the first scan: step-by-step instructions

Once the room is ready, you can start mapping, which takes 10 to 30 minutes depending on the area and the complexity of the layout.

1. Place the robot in a charging station, and that's the starting point for the map, and make sure that the station is in the corner or along the wall, not in the middle of the room.

2. Open the Mi Home app, select your robot vacuum cleaner and go to the Map section (or Map in English).Click Create a map or Start Mapping.

3. Start cleaning in scan mode: to do this, select Zone Cleaning → Create a map (on some models, the option is called Explore Map). The robot will slowly travel around the perimeter and then fill the interior space.

Don't interrupt the process, even if the robot stays in place for a long time, and at this point it can calibrate the sensors or build. 3D-model of the room (relevant to devices with VSLAM-technology, such as DreameBot Z10 Pro).

Charging the robot to 100%|Cleaning small objects off the floor|Close the doors to unscanned rooms|Location of the base in the corner|Checking the lighting-->

Adjustment of the map: division into zones and rooms

Once you've finished scanning, you'll get a rough map, and you'll have to zone it up and name the rooms, and then you'll be able to schedule the cleaning for the specific areas.

1 Room division: In the Mi Home app, click on the Edit icon and select Separate Rooms. Swipe your finger along the lines separating one room from another. For example, separate the kitchen and the hallway, even if they are visually connected.

2. Zone name: assign each room a unique name (e.g., Bedroom, Bathroom, Balcony) to make it easier to set up your schedule. Avoid generic names like Room 1, which will confuse you when creating multiple maps (e.g., for a two-story house).

3. Add virtual walls and exclusion zones: if there are areas where the robot is not desirable to go (for example, the feeding place of the pet), click Add a virtual wall and circle the area. LDS-navigation (for example, Mi Robot Vacuum-Mop 2) is enough to draw a line, and for devices with cameras (DreameBot) L10) You can create a ban zone of any form.

⚠️ Warning: If the robot has misdefined the boundaries of the room (for example, combined the kitchen and corridor), do not try to fix this manually by dragging the lines.

💡

To divide rooms accurately, use physical landmarks: place the robot at the door and run the scan separately for each zone. Then combine the maps in the application via Multicard (available for multi-storey models).

Preserving and managing multiple maps (multi-storey houses)

If you have a two- or three-story house, one card won't be enough. Xiaomi robots support multi-cards, but their setup has nuances.

1. Create a map for each floor: place the charging station on the first floor, run the scan, and save the map called Floor 1. Then move the station to the second floor and repeat the process. Importantly, don't change the location of the station on the same floor, the robot navigates by its coordinates.

2. Switch between cards: in the Mi Home app, select a robot, go to Map → Map Management and activate the desired one. Some models (for example, DreameBot L10) automatically determine the floor by pressure in the barometer, but it is better to check manually.

3. Combination of maps: if you have an open layout (for example, a staircase between floors), create a common map through the option Multi-storey map. To do this, scan both floors sequentially without turning off the robot.

Limitations:

• 📵 Robots with VSLAM-navigation (for example, Viomi) V3) Do not support automatic flooring – cards will have to be switched manually.
• 🔄 When moving the station to a new floor, wait until the robot is fully charged (at least 80%) - otherwise it can "lost».
• 🗺️ Maximum number of saved cards: 3-5 depending on the model (see table above).

Optimizing cleaning routes

Xiaomi robots use a Z-shaped cleaning algorithm by default, but it can be customized for specific tasks, such as a double-pass for carpeting, and a spiral route for smooth surfaces.

1. Select the cleaning type: in the Mi Home app, go to Cleaning Settings → Mode and select:

Standard (Z-shaped) - for most rooms.

Deep (double passage) - for highly contaminated areas.

- Point - for cleaning a specific area (for example, under the chair).

2. Room ordering: If you want a robot to clean the bedroom first and then the kitchen, drag the rooms in the right order in the Planner section. This is true for models with sequential cleaning support (for example, DreameBot D9).

3. Exclude areas from cleaning: If you do not want a robot to wash the floor in a particular room (for example, in a bathtub with a mat), mark it as Only vacuum cleaner in the zone settings. To do this, click on the room on the map and select the appropriate mode.

Hidden settings: Some models (e.g. Mi Robot Vacuum-Mop 2 Pro) allow you to adjust the speed and suction force for each room separately.

1. Click on the room on the map.
2. Select Additional Settings.
3. Set the Suction settings (600 to 2500 Pa) and Speed (slow/medium/fast).

Laminate / tile: speed - average, suction - 1500 Pa, moping mode - wet.

Carpet: slow speed, suction 2,500 Pa, mapping off.

- Parquet: speed - slow, suction - 1000 Pa, moping - slightly wet.-->

Solving Typical Card Problems

Even after you set up the map correctly, you can have a problem, and let's look at the most common problems and how to fix them.

1.The card is not saved after the robot is restarted

Reason: a device memory failure or firmware conflict.

Update the firmware of the robot through Settings → Software update.

- Reset the card: Settings → Map → Reset the card, then start the scan again.

Check if there is enough space in the robot’s memory (relevant for models with VSLAM).

2.The robot is 'lost' and can't find a base

Reason: changed location of charging station or severe contamination of sensors.

- Wipe. LDS-sensor (located under the top cover) with a dry wipe.

Move the station to its previous location (a deviation of more than 1 meter can knock navigation).

If the robot is new, give it 3-5 cleaning cycles to “train” the layout.

3. Map distorted (walls curved, rooms irregularly shaped)

The reason: Mirror interference, glass interference, or low lighting.

- Put a matte tape on the reflective surfaces.

Run the scan during the day or turn on additional lighting.

For models with VSLAM (like the Viomi V3), avoid direct sunlight – they can blind the camera.

⚠️ Note: If the robot after updating the firmware stopped correctly building the map, roll back to the previous version of the software. → About the programme → The software version and click Reverse (if available). Otherwise, contact Xiaomi support and request firmware for manual installation.

Additional features: saving the map to the cloud and exporting

Advanced users can take advantage of the hidden capabilities of Xiaomi robots, which are not documented in official instructions.

1. Export of the SVG card

Some models (e.g. DreameBot D9) allow you to export the card for analysis on a PC.

Connect to the robot via SSH (root access required).

- Do the command:

cat /mnt/default/robot/Map_*.svg > /mnt/default/robot/map_export.svg

- Download the file. map_export.svg through FTP Mi Home.

2. synchronization of maps between devices

If you have multiple Xiaomi robots, you can clone a map from one to the other through the cloud.

In Mi Home, click on the first robot map and select Export.

In the menu of the second robot, select Import card and confirm synchronization.

Note: This feature only works for devices with the same navigation system (e.g. LDS → LDS).

3. Backup of maps

In order not to lose the card when resetting, create a backup copy of it:

- In Mi Home, go to Robot Settings → Map → Backup.

Save the file to Google Drive or local storage.

To restore, select Restore from a copy and specify the path to the file.

FAQ: Frequent questions about cleaning cards