Xiaomi Mi Robot vacuum cleaners have gained popularity due to a combination of affordable prices and advanced features, but many users face the problem: after buying the device speaks Chinese or English, and the menu is displayed in an incomprehensible language, which makes it difficult to set up, especially if you do not speak foreign languages.
Fortunately, you can change the language to Russian in Xiaomi vacuum cleaners in several ways – through the official Mi Home app, voice commands or manual settings on the device itself. In this article, we will analyze all the current methods, including nuances for different models (for example, Mi Robot Vacuum-Mop 2 Lite, Mi Robot Vacuum-Mop P, etc.), and also tell you what to do if Russian is not in the list of available ones.
It's important to understand that the procedure may vary depending on the firmware version and the region of purchase of the device. For example, vacuum cleaners purchased in China often require additional manipulation to russify, we took all these points into account and prepared a universal guide.
Why does Xiaomi vacuum cleaner speak Chinese or English?
The reasons why your Xiaomi Mi Robot is not using Russian are several:
- 📦 Region of purchase: devices designed for the Chinese market (CN-version, originally configured in Chinese (EU-The version usually supports Russian "out of the box".
- 🔄 Resetting settings: after zeroing parameters (for example, when selling a used vacuum cleaner), the language can be reset at the factory.
- 📱 Settings in Mi Home: If the app is set to another region (e.g. China or the U.S.), it automatically affects the device language.
- 🔧 Outdated firmware: in old versions of the software, the Russian language could be absent or work with errors.
To determine exactly why, check the labeling on the vacuum cleaner case. If it says CN, it's Chinese, and it takes additional steps to Russify. Also, look for voice cues: if the vacuum cleaner speaks Chinese, it's likely that the app interface will be in that language.
⚠️ Note: Some models (e.g. Mi Robot Vacuum-Mop 2 Pro) automatically sync the language to the region of the Mi Home account. If your account is registered in China, you will not be able to change the language to Russian through the device settings - you will need to create a new account in the European region.
Method 1: Change language through the Mi Home app
The easiest and most reliable method is to change the language directly in the official app, which works for most models, including the Mi Robot Vacuum-Mop P, Mi Robot Vacuum-Mop 2 Lite and Mi Robot Vacuum-Mop 2 Ultra.
Step-by-step:
- Open the Mi Home app and make sure the vacuum cleaner is connected to your account.
- Go to the tab with the device (click on the vacuum cleaner icon).
- In the upper right corner, tap on ⚙️ Settings (or Settings if the interface is in English).
- Scroll down and select General Settings → Device Language (or Device Language).
- Find Russian in the list and confirm your choice.
- Wait for the vacuum cleaner to restart (usually takes 1-2 minutes).
If there is no Russian language on the list, it means that:
- 📵 The device is tied to the Chinese region in Mi Home.
- 🔄 Firmware update required.
- 🛠️ The model does not support Russian "out of the box" (solution - see method 3).
Make sure the vacuum cleaner is connected to Wi-Fi
Update the Mi Home app to the latest version
Check your account region (should be Russia or Europe)
Charge the vacuum cleaner at least 50%-->
Method 2: Change the region of your Mi Home account
If the Russian language is not in the settings, the problem may lie in the region of your account. By default, Mi Home defines the country by IP-address SIM-map, but this can be changed manually.
How to change the region:
- Open Mi Home and go to Profile (the human icon in the lower right corner).
- Tap on. ⚙️ Account settings → Region (or) Country/Region).
- Choose Russia or another European country (e.g. Germany).
- Confirm the region change. The app may ask you to re-enter your account.
- After changing the region, reconnect the vacuum cleaner and check the presence of Russian in the settings.
Important: if you change region, all Xiaomi devices associated with your account can be disabled. They will have to be reconnected! Also, some features (such as voice assistant Alice) may not work correctly if the region does not match the actual country of use.
⚠️ Note: If you bought a vacuum cleaner in China and linked it to your Chinese Mi Home account, changing your region to a Russian one may block access to certain features (such as cleaning cards), in which case you should create a new account in the European region and link the device to it.
Russia
China
Europe (Germany, France, etc.)
USA
Other-->
Method 3: Manual firmware update to add Russian
If the first two didn't work, maybe your vacuum cleaner model needs a firmware update. Older versions of the software may have had Russian missing or buggy, and the update solves this problem 90 percent of the time.
How to update firmware:
- Make sure the vacuum cleaner is connected to Wi-Fi and is charged at least 30%.
- Open Mi Home, go to vacuum cleaner settings and select Firmware Update (or Firmware Update).
- If an update is available, click Update and wait until the process is complete (usually 5-15 minutes).
- After the update, restart the vacuum cleaner and check for Russian in the settings.
If automatic updates don’t work, you can try manual firmware through Mi Home or third-party utilities (such as Xiaomi Cloud Tokens Extractor).However, this is risky and can lead to loss of warranty or device failure.
| Model vacuum cleaner | Support for Russian out of the box | Is a firmware update required? |
|---|---|---|
| Mi Robot Vacuum-Mop 2 Lite | Yes. EU-version) | Not if the region of Russia/Europe |
| Mi Robot Vacuum-Mop P | Yes. | Sometimes (for old firmware) |
| Mi Robot Vacuum-Mop 2 Pro | Yes. | Recommended (for full Russification) |
| Mi Robot Vacuum-Mop 2 Ultra | Yes. | No. |
| Mi Robot Vacuum (1st generation) | No. | Yes (required) |
What to do if the firmware is not installed?
Method 4: Voice commands for language change (for supported models)
Some modern models of Xiaomi vacuum cleaners (for example, Mi Robot Vacuum-Mop 2 Pro or Mi Robot Vacuum-Mop 2 Ultra) support voice control through Alice, Google Assistant or Siri.
Instructions:
- 🎤 Say: “Alice, install Russian on the vacuum cleaner Xiaomi” (if the device is tied to the account of Yandex).
- 📱 Or use the command for Google Assistant: OK, Google, change your language on the vacuum cleaner to Russian".
- 🍎 For Siri (if the vacuum cleaner is integrated into Apple HomeKit): "Hi Siri, change your language on the vacuum cleaner to Russian".
Note that this method does not work on all models and requires pre-configuring the voice assistant. If the vacuum cleaner does not respond to commands, check:
- 🔗 Is it linked to your Mi Home account?
- 🔊 Is the microphone on the device enabled (in the vacuum cleaner settings)?
- 🌐 Does your model support voice control (see documentation)?
💡
If voice commands don't work, try reconnecting the vacuum cleaner to the voice assistant. Go to the device settings at Mi Home → Voice Assistant → Reconnect.
Method 5: Manually adjusting the tongue on the vacuum cleaner itself
If you don’t have access to the Mi Home app or it doesn’t work, you can try changing the language directly on the device, which is suitable for models with a display or control buttons (for example, Mi Robot Vacuum-Mop 2 Pro).
Step-by-step:
- Turn on the vacuum cleaner by holding the power button for 3 seconds.
- Press and hold the Home button for 5 seconds until you hear the beep.
- After the signal, quickly press the Home button 3 times – this will open a hidden settings menu.
- Use the ↑ and ↓ buttons (or touch arrows on the display) to select the Language item.
- Find Russian in the list and confirm the choice by pressing OK or the central button.
- Wait for the device to restart (can take up to 2 minutes).
If your model doesn't have a display or navigation buttons, this is not the right way, so you just have to update the firmware or change the region to Mi Home.
⚠️ Note: Some Chinese versions of vacuum cleaners (CN) manual language change can result in resetting all settings, including stored room maps. Before the procedure, it is recommended to back up the data in Mi Home (if this feature is supported by your model).
What to do if the Russian language has not appeared?
If none of these methods worked, it's possible that your vacuum cleaner model doesn't support Russian at the software level.
- 🏷️ Older models (e.g. Mi Robot Vacuum 1 or Mi Robot Vacuum 2 in Chinese version).
- 🛒 Devices purchased on AliExpress or other Chinese sites without official localization.
- ⚙️ Vacuum cleaners with custom firmware (for example, after unofficial modifications).
In such cases, there are several options:
- Contact Xiaomi Support: Give them the model number and the device series (located at the bottom of the vacuum cleaner), and they may provide a special firmware with Russian.
- Use third-party firmware: some enthusiasts create unofficial versions of the software that support Russian, but this is risky and can void the warranty.
- Learn to operate a vacuum cleaner in English: basic commands (e.g. Clean, Home, Pause) are intuitive, and voice prompts can be turned off in settings.
If you decide to go unofficial, remember:
- 🔧 This can result in loss of functionality (for example, laser sensors or cleaning cards will fail to work).
- 🚫 Xiaomi warranty does not apply to devices with modified software.
- 🔄 Returning the original firmware will be difficult.
💡
Before installing unofficial software, be sure to back up the original firmware. This can be done through utilities like Xiaomi Mi Home Hack or Token Extractor, but the process requires technical skills.