Replacement of voice on the robot vacuum cleaner Xiaomi: from recording to installation

Xiaomi’s robot vacuum cleaners have long been an integral part of smart homes, but their standard voice alerts in Chinese or English often annoy users. Fortunately, the manufacturer has provided the ability to replace the built-in audio files with your own recordings - whether it's your voice, your favorite character's voice or even musical phrases. S5/S6/S7, STYJ02YM, SDJQR02RR Others, but require careful handling.

In this article, we will take you through the steps from preparing audio files to uploading them to the vacuum cleaner via the official Mi Home app or alternative methods. You will learn which formats are supported, how to avoid conversion errors, and what to do if the vacuum cleaner does not hear new files. And for owners of models with limited functionality (for example, Mi Robot Vacuum-Mop 2 Lite), we have prepared workaround solutions.

Before you start, keep in mind that the procedure does not require root rights or firmware hacking, but the wrong actions can lead to a reset of the device settings. All manipulations you perform at your own risk - although if you follow the instructions, the risks are minimal.

Which Xiaomi models support voice replacement?

The voice notification customization feature is officially available for most Xiaomi robot vacuum cleaners released after 2018.

• ✅ Full support: Mi Robot Vacuum S5/S6/S7, Mi Robot Vacuum-Mop P, Mi Robot Vacuum-Mop 2 Pro, STYJ02YM, SDJQR02RR. These models allow you to replace all system sounds through the application.
• ⚠️ Partial support: Mi Robot Vacuum-Mop 2 Lite, Mi Robot Vacuum E10. Only some notifications can be changed (e.g. when cleaning starts) and others remain standard.
• ❌ Unsupported: Mi Robot Vacuum 1S, Mi Robot Vacuum 2 and other models until 2018, which will require unofficial firmware (like Valetudo) to cancel the warranty.

To determine exactly how compatible your model is, check its number (indicated on the bottom of the device or in the settings of the Mi Home app). STYJ, SDJQR S* (where * is a number), most likely, the voiceover replacement is possible.

Audio file requirements: format, duration and volume

Xiaomi vacuum cleaners have strict requirements for uploadable voice files, and if the parameters don't match, the device will either refuse to accept them or play them distorted.

To convert files to these requirements, we recommend using free programs:

• 🎵 Audacity – for trimming, volume normalization and conversion to WAV.
• 📁 Format Factory – for mass conversion into MP3 bitrate.
• 🔊 Online-Converter – if you need to quickly change the format without installing software.

⚠️ Note: If you record your voice yourself, use a noise-canceling microphone (such as a noise-canceling headset). background sounds (air conditioning, fan) can make the recording illegible after compression.

File Preparation: What Phrases Should I Write?

Xiaomi's robot vacuum cleaner plays voice notifications in different situations, and to replace all the standard sounds, you'll need to record 10-15 phrases (depending on the model), here's a full list of events for which you can set custom voiceover:

• 🔄 Start cleaning (e.g., “I’m starting cleaning»)
• ⏹️ Completion of cleaning ("Cleaning is complete, battery charged»)
• ⚠️ Mistake ("Stuck! Help me»)
• 🔋 Low charge ("Charge is running out, returning to base»)
• 🧹 Replacement of a brush / cloth ("It's time to wash the cloth!»)
• 🚫 Obstacle ("On the way, I pass by obstacles»)
• 📡 Wi-Fi connection ("network connection established»)

To save time, you can only write down key phrases (such as start/end cleaning and errors), leaving the rest as standard, and the main thing is to follow a common voice style (tone, pace, volume) so that the notifications sound organic.

If you want to add humor, you can use non-standard phrases (for example, quotes from movies or memes), but remember: too long or emotional recordings can be annoying if you play them often.

Step-by-step: how to download voiceover through Mi Home

The official way to change voice is through the Mi Home app (available for most supported models).

1. Open Mi Home and select your robot vacuum cleaner from the device list.
2. Go to Settings. → Voice packets (or Sound notifications, depending on the version of the application).
3. Click Add Add Add Voice Package → Create a new one.
4. Download the prepared audio files for each event (see list above).The application will automatically match the files to the vacuum cleaner's actions.
5. Save the package and activate it in the settings.
6. Reboot the vacuum cleaner (turn off and turn on the power) so that the changes take effect.

Files are called Latin without spaces (for example, start.mp3)

The duration of each file does not exceed 5 seconds.

Format — MP3 128 kbit/s bitrate

Volume normalized to -16 dB

Wi-Fi connection stable (at least 2 Mbps)-->

⚠️ Note: If the vacuum cleaner is silent or plays distorted sounds after loading, check: Does the duration of the files exceed the duration of the files? 5 seconds (even on the 0.1 Whether the format meets the requirements (e.g, WAV must have 16 bit/44.1 Has the app's audio settings gone wrong (sometimes Mi Home resets voice packets after an update).

Mi Robot Vacuum-Mop 2 Lite and E10 Voice packets may not be available, in which case use an alternative method via the file manager (described below).

Alternative method: Replace files through FTP (advanced)

If your model does not support voice replacement via Mi Home, or if you want to install non-standard sounds (for example, melodies instead of voice), you can use the voice replacement system. FTP-It's a way of accessing the vacuum cleaner file system:

• 📌 Connecting a vacuum cleaner and a computer to the same Wi-Fi network.
• 📌 Utilities for working with FTP (FileZilla or Total Commander).
• 📌 Knowledge IP-Robot addresses (can be found in router settings).

Instructions:

1. Connect to the vacuum cleaner FTP, using: Address: [IP_vacuum cleaner: 21 Login: root Password: (by default empty or 123456)
2. Go to the file. /mnt/default/robot/voice (The path may be different for different models).
3. Download the original files (for example, start.mp3, error.mp3) backup.
4. Replace them with your files, keeping names and extensions in mind.
5. Reboot the vacuum cleaner (reboot through) FTP power-button).

⚠️ Note: Incorrect editing of files through FTP If the device does not turn on after rebooting, try resetting the settings with a button RESET (hold on for 10 seconds).

💡

Before replacing files through FTP Take a screenshot of the original folder /voice — It will help to restore the structure if something goes wrong.

This method works on most models, but for the Mi Robot Vacuum. S7 and later may require disabling file signature verification (which is risky and requires root access).

Frequent problems and their solutions

Even with the correct following of the instructions, users face difficulties, and here are the most common mistakes and ways to fix them:

If none of the methods worked, check:

• 🔄 Device region in Mi Home (some features are only available for Chinese servers).
• 📋 Firmware version (update through Settings) → Update of the PO).
• 🛠️ Dynamic state (possibly a problem in the hardware part).

💡

If the vacuum cleaner becomes unstable after changing the voiceover (for example, spontaneously shuts down), return the standard sounds and perform a reset, this will eliminate most software conflicts.

Additional Opportunities: How to Make Your Voices Unique?

Replacing the standard phrases is just the beginning, and here are some ideas for making your vacuum cleaner's voice truly unique:

• 🎤 Use neural networks to generate voices (like ElevenLabs or Murph) and you can create a copy of your favorite actor or cartoon character's voice.
• 🎶 Add music notifications, for example, instead of "Cleaning is complete," a song excerpt.
• 🤖 Set up different voices for different events, such as a male voice for errors, a female voice for standard notifications.
• 📢 Create a "dialogue" with the vacuum cleaner. Write down phrases that sound like a response to your commands (e.g., "Okay, master, I'm going to start!»).

For generating voice by neural network:

1. Sign up for ElevenLabs (there is a free rate).
2. Choose your favorite voice or upload a sample for cloning.
3. Enter the notification text and generate an audio file.
4. Download the file in format MP3 and treat it at Audacity (stop the silence, normalize the volume).

Important: some neural networks (like Murph) add watermarks in the free version. For a vacuum cleaner, this is not critical, but if you want clean sound, use paid rates.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions