A USED ROBOT VACUUM FREED FROM THE CLOUD — IT NOW RUNS FULLY OFFLINE
Root a supported Dreame or Roborock vacuum once and it never needs the manufacturer's cloud again.
by Sören Beye
HomeAutomation
- difficulty
- ●●●○○
- time
- an evening
- license
- Apache-2.0
- repo
- repo ACTIVE9,745 stars
●●●○○ · an evening · Apache-2.0 · 9,745 stars · repo ACTIVE
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
Jump to section
COMPAREE VERDICT
Valetudo replaces the manufacturer cloud with a local web interface running on the vacuum itself. It is not a custom firmware: it runs alongside the vendor firmware, so you keep the vendor's navigation and cleaning while losing the cloud account. You root the robot once — on Dreame models that means plugging a small breakout PCB into the debug connector and using a USB-UART adapter, on some older Roborocks it can be done over the air — and from then on it serves its own map, accepts commands over your LAN, and integrates with Home Assistant over MQTT. The single thing most likely to go wrong is buying a model that is not on the supported list, so check it before you buy. Rooting voids the warranty, and the docs tell you to test the robot before you do it. If you are comfortable following a technical guide carefully, it is a practical way to own a robot vacuum that does not need a cloud account.
IN THE REPO
GOOD TO KNOW
- —Apache-2.0 licence — commercial use allowed.
- —A local cloud replacement that runs on the robot next to the vendor firmware, for supported Dreame and Roborock models (see the supported robots list).
- —Rooting instructions are model-specific in the docs and assume you can follow a technical guide with a USB-UART adapter; the newcomer guide warns installation needs more than basic skills.
- —No CAD or BOM — this is software that flashes onto existing hardware.
- —Rooting voids the manufacturer warranty, which is why the community does this to second-hand units.
- —Home Assistant integration is built in; MQTT support means it works with most home automation setups.
Can I build this?
Build at your own risk. Projects involve tools, electronics and sometimes mains voltage — follow the creator’s safety notes.
Videos
De-Clouding a Robot Vacuum with Valetudo! Roborock Q7 Max+
A community video by Cameron Gray (not from the Valetudo project) rooting a Roborock Q7 Max+; there is no official video.
More builds like this
All projectsGallery
Start here
Navigation into the creator’s own docs — we don’t rewrite the guide, we route you to the source.
- 1.Check the supported robots list on valetudo.cloud to confirm your model is rootable. (Do this before you buy a vacuum.)
- 2.Test the robot with its buttons first, then follow the rooting guide for your exact model — Dreames use a breakout PCB and a 3.3V USB-UART adapter. (The docs ask you to do a test run before rooting, because rooting voids the warranty. Some older Roborock/Xiaomi models can be rooted over the air.)
- 3.Flash the Valetudo image and configure Wi-Fi through the web interface.(The vacuum will create its own access point the first time it boots.)
- 4.Add it to Home Assistant or your MQTT broker if you want automation.(Integration instructions are in the Valetudo docs.)
Resources
Documentation, files and community threads for this build — we link straight to the original sources and never rehost the creator’s files.
KNOWN ISSUES
- Buying a vacuum model that is not on the supported list, or one with a firmware version that has locked down the bootloader.
- Skipping the model-specific rooting guide — the process varies significantly between Dreame and Roborock, and even between firmware versions of the same model.
- Using a 5V UART adapter or the wrong connection — the guides call for a 3.3V USB-UART adapter, and a mistake here can damage the robot.
- Expecting OTA rooting to work on your model — only some older Roborock/Xiaomi units support it, and the supported list says which.
- Rooting before checking the robot works — the docs ask for a test run (cleaning, navigation, docking) first, because after rooting the warranty is gone.
- Assuming the vacuum will still work with the manufacturer app after rooting — it will not, that is the point.
Does rooting really void the warranty?
Yes. The Valetudo docs say so plainly and ask you to test that the robot works properly before you root it.
Can I un-root it later?
Do not count on it. The docs do not offer a general un-root procedure, so treat rooting as a one-way step and check your model's rooting instructions before you start.
Which models are easiest to root?
It depends on the model, so check its entry in the supported robots list. All Dreame robots root through a small breakout PCB plugged into the debug connector plus a 3.3V USB-UART adapter, with almost no disassembly and no soldering; some older Roborock/Xiaomi models can be rooted over the air; the Valetudo author suggests a Eureka J15 Max if you want to avoid the PCB route.
Will it still vacuum and mop like it did stock?
Yes — Valetudo does not change the vacuum's motor control or sensors, it only replaces the cloud backend. You get the same cleaning performance with better control.
Do I need to run a server or Raspberry Pi?
No — Valetudo runs on the vacuum itself. You access it through a web browser on your LAN, and optionally integrate it with Home Assistant or MQTT.
Community builds
No community builds yet — be the first, we feature the best ones.
Discussion1
FROM THE COMPAREE TEAM
Nearly 10,000 stars, no cloud account, and your vacuum talks straight to Home Assistant over MQTT. Which second-hand vacuum from the supported list would you free first, and why that one?
Sören Beye
Sören Beye started Valetudo in 2018 to free robot vacuums from manufacturer clouds. He develops it as source-available freeware under Apache-2.0: a local web app that sits on top of the vendor firmware on supported Dreame and Roborock robots.
Keep building — related projects
Same category or platform, picked by how close they are to this build.
NO CAD FILESA home-built see-through coffee roaster, run on free roasting software
HomeFor advanced builders
NO CAD FILESWLED runs addressable LED strips from a cheap board with no app, no account and no cloud
HomeFor beginners
NO CAD FILESTasmota: replace the cloud firmware in a smart plug so it runs entirely on your own network
HomeFor advanced builders
NO CAD FILESTake your router back from its maker
HomeFor beginners
FULL CADGoogle stopped supporting these computers. He turns them into Home Assistant touch panels for about 50 dollars
HomeFor intermediate builders
NO CAD FILESYou can build a Wi-Fi motion sensor that works without a camera
HomeFor beginners
DISCLAIMER
- Comparee is not the author of the projects featured here. All rights to each project belong to its creator — every page links to the original source, and we never host creators’ files.
- Information is provided without warranty and may become outdated as projects evolve. Prices are indicative bands only — always check the creator’s parts list for current costs.
- Building and operating any project is at your own responsibility. Protective equipment, safe workshop practice and compliance with local regulations are the builder’s responsibility.
CompareeTEAM2mo agoedited
Practical notes from our verification: the repository has about 9,700 stars and was last pushed in September 2026, so it is actively maintained, and it is published under Apache-2.0 — though the author describes the governance as freeware with source available rather than a community-driven project. Valetudo is not a custom firmware: it runs alongside the vendor firmware as a cloud replacement, giving you a local web interface, a REST API and MQTT integration with Home Assistant. Support is model-specific, so the single most important step is to read the newcomer guide, the getting-started guide and the supported robots list at valetudo.cloud before you buy — a vacuum that is not on that list is just a vacuum. The README also points to Roborock Local Server as a less opinionated alternative if Valetudo's approach does not suit you.