How to Reset a Roborock (All Models)

The Roborock series of popular robot vacuum cleaners are known for their top-of-the-line features, including strong suction power. But even these top robot vacuums can have problems.

In this article, I’ll describe the steps on how to reset a Roborock. If your Roborock stops responding or simply isn’t doing what’s expected, a reset can often help.

As with all things electronic, sometimes they’ll have issues come up and not work. Often, we try a reboot/restart to get things working again.. If that doesn’t work, then we do a soft reset or hard reset back to the original factory settings.

However, before you perform a full factory reset, it might be worth just resetting the Wi-Fi router first (depending on the issue), which is what I will cover first.

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Reset Roborock Wi-Fi (All Models)

Before you reset your Roborock back to factory default restore, double-check the correct WiFi password is used in the robovac.

It’s also worth checking to see if restarting the Wi-Fi router first will resolve the issue.

Reset the Wi-Fi in these instances:

You recently changed the WiFi password on your router
Installed a new router
You can’t communicate with the robot vacuum through the app

If it’s not the wireless router, let’s reset the Roborock’s WiFi.

To reset the WiFi on the Roborock, follow the detailed steps below.

The first step involves simultaneously pressing a couple of buttons on the Roborock until you hear a voice prompt. The buttons you press varies depending on the model:

Roborock S6 Series – Partial Cleaning Button and Charge Button
Roborock S5, S4, E, and C Series – Power Button and Dock/Spot Clean Button

Once you hear the voice prompt and the WiFi indicator light is flashing, then Open the Mi App on your smart device.
Select My Devices, then choose the ‘+’ option. The app will now search for your device.
Find your device on the list of available devices.
Select Done.
Once it’s connected, the Wi-Fi indicator light should be On and not blinking.

What to Know Before Resetting your Roborock

If you do have to reset your Roborock back to factory settings, then there are some things you should be aware of before you perform a factory default restore.

You will need to reconfigure the WiFi settings, as these will be lost in the process.
All schedules and settings will be lost.
All Firmware updates will be lost as it restores back to the version it shipped with.

If you wish to restore settings like schedules and cleaning areas, then it is best to jot these down on paper prior to restoring the Roborock.

One more thing to check before your reset is the battery charge. Always ensure it has ample charge to complete the operation before you proceed with the reset.

If you’re resetting the robot because it’s displaying an error message, then check the “What if my Roborock still isn’t working?: section at the end of this article. Many of these errors are easily resolved without resorting to a full factory reset.

Reset Roborock E2, E3, E4, C1

The factory default restore process will take around five minutes to complete. Be sure to read the above section detailing which steps to take before resetting your robot vacuum before you proceed.

With the device powered on, hold down the Power Button, Spot Cleaning Button and Recharge Button together. All the indicator lights on the buttons should turn off at this stage.
After about 10-15 seconds, the Power button will begin flashing and you should hear a voice prompt that says “Restoring the initial version, this will take about 5 minutes, please be patient.” Once this happens, you can release the buttons.
After 2-3 minutes (maximum of five minutes), the robot will restart and reset the device to factory default settings.

Once you have performed these steps, then it is simply a matter of following the Wi-Fi connection setup steps and entering your cleaning schedules and settings again.

Reset Roborock S6, S6 MaxV, S6 Pure, S5 Max, S5

Use the following steps to reset these models:S6, S6 MaxV, S6 Pure, S5, and S5 Max robot vacuums.

Press and hold the Home button on the S6 series and S5 Max models
1. For S5 Model – Press and Hold the Recharge button
While still holding the button, use a pin or paperclip to press the Reset Button (this is located next to the WiFi light).
Press the Reset button until the lights on the Power, Home and Spot Cleaning Buttons go out.
At this stage, release the Reset Button, but continue holding the Home or Recharge Button for around five seconds until the Power button begins to flash. You should hear the voice prompt and the Roborock will go through its reset process. Reset should take less than 5 minutes.

Related Article: Roborock S5 vs S6 Comparison Review

What if My Roborock Still isn’t Working?

If the Roborock continues to malfunction after a reset, there are a number of troubleshooting steps you can take.

The first thing to check is the battery charge, in many cases errors are simply down to a lack of charge. If the battery has adequate charge and the Roborock isn’t functioning, then normally it will display an error code.

The following section details error codes and steps to take to resolve the issues.

Error 1 – Check if the laser unit is spinning. If it isn’t, then gently and manually rotate it. Then restart the unit.
Error 2 – Clean the collision sensor.
Error 3 – Indicates a wheel issue. Simply move it to another location and restart.
Errors 5 and 6 – This occurs when the main brush mechanism has become tangled or jammed with a foreign object, clean as necessary and restart the device.
- Error 6 is the same type of error but refers to the side brushes.
Error 7 – This refers to foreign objects caught in the main wheel mechanism.
Error 9 – Dust bag and/or Filter aren’t installed correctly.
Errors 12 and 13 – This indicates a battery charge problem, try charging the unit.
- Error 13 indicates there is a problem with charging, clean the charging terminals on the Roborock and its charging station.

These are the most common error codes and all are fairly easy to fix.

There is a full list of the error codes in the documentation that came with the unit. Or by consulting the online PDF version of the Mijia Robot manual on Roborock Inc.’s website. They have many support pages that are useful.