Many Xiaomi owners are faced with a situation where, after buying a long-awaited robot vacuum cleaner, they find that the device communicates in English or Chinese, which creates some discomfort, especially if the robot loudly and incomprehensibly comments on each of its actions.
Modern models such as the Xiaomi Vacuum Cleaner S10, Roborock S5 Max or Xiaomi Robot Vacuum E10 have a modular voice packet system, which means that the device’s voice is not a feature frozen in stone, but a regular file that can be replaced. In this article, we will discuss all legal and safe ways to change the language, and also consider the nuances of integration with voice assistants.
First of all, it’s worth noting that the language change process depends on the region where the device was purchased and the version of the operating system installed on your smartphone. Global versions usually support multilingualism out of the box, whereas Chinese versions require additional actions to activate the Russian or English voice. It’s important to understand the difference between voice control (when you tell the vacuum cleaner) and voice support (when the vacuum cleaner tells you).
The first and most obvious step is to check the settings in the official Mi Home app. Often users miss basic options, trying to immediately look for complex solutions. the application interface may vary depending on the OS version (iOS or Android) and the selected server region.
To start, make sure your vacuum cleaner is connected to Wi-Fi and appears in the list of devices. Click on your robot icon to go to the main control screen. In the upper right corner, find the three-dot button or gear, which is the input to the device's settings menu. Here we're interested in the section related to voice control or language.
In some models, such as the Xiaomi Vacuum-Mop series, the path may look like Settings. → Voice control → Voice language: If you only see English or Chinese, but you don't see Russian, it means that the current region of the application doesn't support loading the desired package. → Settings → Region) to “Russia” or “China”, but remember that changing region may hide other devices tied to another location.
If the standard means of changing the language fails, owners of Chinese versions of vacuum cleaners often resort to the procedure of changing the region of the device, a more radical method that allows you to unlock hidden functions, including additional language packages, the essence of the method is to re-associate the device to servers in another region through a special engineering access menu or through the reset of the Wi-Fi module.
To do this, you'll need to reset the network settings on the vacuum cleaner itself, usually by pressing the on and off buttons on the base or Spot buttons for a long time (about 5-7 seconds), and then after the robot reports (in Chinese or English) that the Wi-Fi has been reset, you can start the binding again.
When you re-add the device to the Mi Home app, select China region. Chinese servers often contain a full set of language modules for all models released under the Xiaomi brand or the Mijia ecosystem. Once successfully connected, check the voice settings again. Often, after re-binding, the menu will have a choice between Chinese, English and Russian.
⚠️ Note: Changing the region of the device to the servers in China can lead to an increase in latency when sending commands, since the server is physically far away.
There is another nuance associated with the firmware version: sometimes manufacturers release updates that force a region change or block a language change. So, before trying to change the region, it is recommended to check the relevance of the software. Go to Settings → General → Update Check. If the update is available, install it, but be careful: new firmware may close loopholes to change voice.
One of the most popular features for smart home owners is the integration of the vacuum cleaner with voice assistants, which allows you not only to change the voice of the robot itself, but also control it through the speakers Yandex Station, Google Home or Apple HomeKit.
For users of the Yandex ecosystem, the setup process is as follows: Make sure that your Mi Home account is tied to the “Mi Home” skill in the Yandex app. Once synchronized, you can say, “Alice, turn on the vacuum cleaner” or “Alice, send the robot to charge,” in which case the robot itself can continue to speak English, but the reaction to your commands will be instant and understandable.
The Google Home app is similar, and Google Assistant allows you to give commands to start, stop and return to base, and it's important to note that for these functions, the vacuum cleaner needs to have a stable Internet connection, because voice commands are processed on cloud servers.
For those who want to have full control of the device, there is the option of using alternative clients such as Home Assistant or Valetudo. These are open smart home platforms that allow local vacuum cleaner management, bypassing the Xiaomi clouds. This gives maximum response speed and independence from the manufacturer's servers.
Installation of Valetudo requires flashing the device, which is a complex procedure, with the risk of loss of warranty. However, in return, the user gets full access to the file system, including the ability to download any sound files (.ogg or.wav) to the vacuum cleaner memory. You can record your voice or download packages with voices from movies and games.
The installation process usually involves the following steps:
- 🔌 Getting root rights on the device (often through temporary access to the device) telnet/ssh).
- 💾 Download a Valetudo firmware image that matches your model.
- 📡 setting up a local network and MQTT to communicate with Home Assistant.
- 🔊 Loading custom audio packages into the directory /usr/share/robot/sounds.
Using these solutions, you can turn a typical appliance into a powerful automation tool, and you can create scenarios where the vacuum cleaner will not only report the completion of the cleaning to the app, but also, for example, send a message to Telegram or turn on the lights in the hallway.
☑️ Readiness for customization
⚠️ Warning: Flashing the vacuum cleaner with third-party software (Valetudo, OpenVacuum) is irreversible in most cases and voids the manufacturer's warranty obligations.
Below is a table showing support for language packages and management techniques for popular Xiaomi robot vacuum cleaner models and their sub-brands.
| Model of the device | Official Russian language | Shift through the region | Support for Home Assistant Support |
|---|---|---|---|
| Xiaomi Robot Vacuum S10 | Yes. | Not required | Full (via Xiaomi Miio) |
| Xiaomi Vacuum-Mop 2 Pro | Yes (in the global version) | Possible. | Complete. |
| Roborock S7 | Yes. | Not required | Full (through Roborock integration) |
| Xiaomi Robot Vacuum E10 | No (EN/CN only) | Requires a change to CN | Limited. |
| Dreame D9 | Yes. | Not required | Complete. |
As you can see from the table, most modern models (S10, S7, D9) already have built-in support for Russian in global versions. Problems most often arise with budget models of the E series or devices designed exclusively for the domestic market of China.
It’s also worth mentioning that some models, such as Roborock, have their own app separate from Mi Home. In the Roborock app, the interface language and voice packs are often updated independently of the Xiaomi ecosystem. If you have a device from that brand, check the settings in the manufacturer’s native app.
Voice-controlled devices often wonder if you can change the timbre or the speed of speech. Unfortunately, this is not possible with standard means. Voice packets are pre-recorded audio files. However, as mentioned earlier, with custom firmware, you can replace these files with any other files, even synthesized speech.
It's also important to distinguish between voice and sound. Errors, finishing up or running sounds are system sounds that are not part of the language package, and can only be changed at the level of modification of the system firmware files, which only experienced developers can.
For most users, the best solution is to use the Official App + Voice Assistant bundle, which balances functionality, stability and usability: you get a Russian interface, clear voice responses from Alice or Google, and the robot does its primary function of dusting.
In conclusion, it's a real possibility to talk Xiaomi vacuum cleaner in the language you want. Start by checking your settings in the app, then try changing the region of the device. If you're an enthusiast and want total freedom, explore the possibilities of platforms like Home Assistant. The main thing is to proceed with caution and back up your settings before any serious software interventions.
Remember that regular firmware updates through the official app are not only new features, but also fix bugs associated with the module. Don’t ignore notifications about new versions of the software, especially if you encounter problems in the voice interface.