Xiaomi’s modern robot vacuum cleaners have advanced navigation systems that allow them to efficiently clean complex spaces. However, to make the device work as efficiently as possible and not get lost in space, it needs to first build an accurate digital model of your apartment, a process called mapping, and is the foundation for all other functions of a smart home.
The process of creating a map occurs automatically during the first run, but users often face the need to restart or adjust data. Understanding the principles of Lidar or vSLAM cameras will help avoid typical errors and save time on setting up the device.
In this article, we will discuss in detail how to properly prepare the room, start building a map, and how to edit the result in the Mi Home application. You will learn about the nuances of working with virtual walls and how to fix common navigation failures.
Preparation of the premises before the first launch
Before a robot vacuum cleaner can build a map, it needs to be able to create optimal conditions for it. The lighting in the room should be sufficient, especially if your model uses optical navigation rather than a laser rangefinder. Dim light can knock down object recognition algorithms, leading to incorrect route construction.
Remove from the floor any foreign objects that may interfere with movement: wires, toys, shoes or bags. the height of the obstacles should not exceed 2 cm, as most Xiaomi models have clearance in this range. If the robot gets stuck in the process of construction, the map may be cropped or displaced.
Doors to rooms that need to be cleaned should be kept open. If you plan to use the zoning function, make sure the robot can move freely between zones during the scan, and closed doors will be perceived by the system as blank walls.
⚠️ Warning: Do not start mapping if water is spilled on the floor or wet cloths lie on the floor. moisture can damage the wheel sensors and cause a gyroscope error, making navigation impossible.
It is also worth checking the battery power before starting. To build a full map of the apartment, the robot may need more energy than for a regular cleaning, as it will move slower and scan the space more carefully.
Automatic map construction process
The mapping process usually starts when the device is turned on for the first time or after the memory is completely reset, and you need to place the robot in the base in the center of the room or in the area from which it will start cleaning most often.
Open the Mi Home app, select your device, and find the menu item responsible for managing the map. Depending on the firmware version and model, this item may be called "Map", "Map Settings" or "Map Editor".
Press the "Build a map" or "Start a construction" button, and the robot will leave the base and start moving around the perimeter of the room, creating the contours of the walls, and then it will start filling the interior space, zigzagging or spiraling.
During this process, don't lift the device or move the base to another location. Any physical intervention can disorient the gyroscope. If the robot is still lifted, it's best to interrupt the process and start it again.
The length of the procedure depends on the area of the room. For a one-bedroom apartment, it can take 15-20 minutes, whereas for a large house with many rooms it takes about an hour.
☑️ Readiness to build a map
Editing and separating rooms
Once you've finished scanning, you'll get a black-and-white or color plan of the apartment. Often, automatic room identification doesn't work perfectly, and the boundaries between the kitchen and the living room can be blurred. In this case, manual editing is required.
Go to map editing mode in the app. Select the "Share Room" tool (usually an icon with two squares or scissors) and draw a line at the place where the virtual junction between the rooms should be.
If the robot mistakenly splits one large room into two, use the "Combine" tool, which allows you to define a single area for cleaning, and makes it easier to manage your schedule, and you can also rename the rooms by giving them clear names.
| Function | Description | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| Split up | Divide one zone into two parts | Kitchen-living room, hallway-hall |
| Unite | Flows two zones into one | The Big Room Dividing Mistake |
| Rename | Change the name of the room | For convenience in voice control |
| Turn. | Rotates the card 90 degrees. | If the orientation of the map is incorrect |
It is important to correctly label functional areas if you plan to use Quiet Cleaning at night only in certain rooms, and the accuracy of the map directly affects the quality of the automation scenarios.
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If the robot has misdefined the boundaries of the room, try to start building the map again, removing large pieces of furniture that could create blind spots for the laser.
Configuring virtual walls and forbidden areas
One of the most useful features of Xiaomi's ecosystem is the ability to create virtual constraints, invisible barriers that a robot cannot cross, even if there's nothing physically stopping it from doing so.
There are two main types of constraints: virtual walls and no-go zones. A wall is a line that you can't cross. A zone is a painted rectangle that's forbidden.
Use virtual walls to fence off space under the sofa where the robot is constantly clogged, or enter a room with a carpet you don't want to wet when cleaning it wet. No-go zones are perfect for places where there are bowls of water for animals or scattered toys.
⚠️ Warning: Virtual walls only work if you have a current map, and if you reset the map, all the restrictions that you've created will disappear and you'll have to recreate them.
To create a constraint, go to the map settings, select Virtual Walls, and draw a line or square in the right place. You can create up to 10-20 of these zones depending on the model of your device, which is usually enough for a standard apartment.
Keeping several maps and floors
Owners of two-story houses or apartments with complex layouts often wonder: can you save several cards? Modern models such as Xiaomi Vacuum-Mop 2 Pro or Roborock S7 support the function of saving up to 4-5 memory cards.
To save the floor map, after you've finished building and editing, be sure to click Save or Apply. If you just turn off the robot, it can only remember the last active map.
When you move the base to another floor, the robot has to re-build the map, and after scanning the second floor, the system will suggest that you keep it as a new one, separate from the first floor, and switch between floors automatically when you find familiar landmarks or manually through an app.
What if the robot doesn’t know the second floor?
Keep in mind that moving the charging base to a new location requires recalibration, and the robot must "see" the base from different points on the map to successfully return to it after cleaning.
The solution: navigation errors
Even the smartest robots get lost sometimes, and if you notice that the trajectory has become chaotic, or the robot is spinning in place, you may have contaminated the sensors, wipe the laser rangefinder and the collision sensors with dry soft cloth.
A common problem is a "scattered" map, where the walls on the screen don't match reality, which happens if the robot is towed on a slippery floor or kicked, in which case the map must be removed completely and rebuilt.
To delete the old card, go to the device settings, find the "Map Management" option, and select "Reset the card" or "Delete the card." After that, repeat the construction procedure from the beginning, following all the rules of the room preparation.
⚠️ Warning: If the map fails, don't force the robot to turn around with your hands, it's better to interrupt the cleaning, clean the sensors and start the process again.
If navigation problems continue after a card is reset, check for software updates. Newer firmware versions often fix motion algorithm bugs.
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Regular cleaning of sensors and updating of firmware are the main ways to prevent failures in the construction of the map and ensure long-term service of the navigation system.