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Robot-vacuum app labels, mapping requirements and features vary by manufacturer and model. In general, you first create and save a usable map, add and save an exclusion zone in the map editor, then set a schedule or routine using the controls your vacuum supports. Check your exact model’s current support information before following any brand-specific menu path.
Before you start: confirm your vacuum supports map controls
No-go zones and room-based schedules depend on the vacuum’s model and app. A robot that does not save a map may not offer app-based exclusion zones, and a schedule that starts a whole-home clean is not necessarily able to target individual rooms.
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- Check the manufacturer’s current support page for your exact model and app version.
- Look for support for saved maps, map editing or no-go zones, and—if needed—room selection in schedules.
- Make sure the robot is connected to the app and has a completed map available.
For example, the Roborock S4 tutorial requires Map Saving to be enabled before adding virtual no-go zones. The cited iRobot Smart Map guidance says Roomba i1, i2, i3, i4 and i5 models do not support Zones. Those are model-specific examples, not rules for every Roborock or Roomba.
Create or complete a saved map
If the app has no usable map, run the mapping or cleaning mission recommended for your model before trying to add zones. iRobot describes a mapping run as the best way to create a Smart Map and requires one complete mission before map customization. Roborock’s S4 instructions likewise require map creation and Map Saving before virtual zones can be added.
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- Place the robot at its home base and clear routes through the rooms it needs to map.
- In the manufacturer’s app, start the mapping run or complete mission specified for your model.
- Wait for the map to appear and save it. For the Roborock S4, enable Map Saving in Vacuum Settings if it is off.
- Review the saved map for obvious errors before placing zones. Correct an inaccurate map using the options provided by your app.
Add and save a no-go or Keep Out Zone
The common pattern is to open the saved map, enter its editing controls, add an exclusion, position and size it, and save. Names and menu paths differ, so treat these brand examples as model-specific instructions.
Roborock S4 in Mi Home
- Open the S4 in the Mi Home app and ensure Map Saving is enabled in Vacuum Settings.
- Return to the map and choose Edit Map, then No Go Zone.
- Add a zone or virtual wall, position it over the area to exclude, and resize it as needed.
- Save the edited map. Roborock’s S4 tutorial states a limit of up to 10 no-go zones; verify the limit for your model rather than applying it to all Roborock vacuums.
iRobot Roomba with supported Smart Map Zones
- Open the customized Smart Map in the iRobot app and select Zones.
- Choose Keep Out Zone.
- Drag and resize the displayed box to cover the full area the robot should avoid, then save the map.
In the cited iRobot guidance, Keep Out Zones cannot be rotated. For an unusual outline, the guidance suggests approximating it with overlapping or stacked boxes. A Keep Out Zone is intended to cover the area to avoid, not merely a doorway; too many zones or blocked paths between rooms can interfere with access.
Choose a schedule or routine
Once the map is ready, find the schedule or routine controls in your manufacturer’s app. Depending on the vacuum, you may be able to choose a start time, cleaning mode, rooms, or a map/floor. Do not assume that every model supports every combination, or that selecting a room prevents the robot from crossing other mapped areas to reach it.
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Roborock multi-floor schedule example
Roborock documents this workflow for the S4 Max and S5 Max: open Settings > Schedule, choose the target map under Clean Position, select rooms, and save the schedule. Selecting the intended map matters when the home has multiple floors. Confirm that your model supports this specific room-and-map schedule flow.
Other schedule and routine controls
Roborock’s app overview describes routines configured with a time, mode and rooms that repeat automatically, but app features and interfaces can change. Other manufacturers may use labels such as Schedule, Routine or a similar control. Check the options presented for your model and save the schedule after selecting the supported cleaning settings.
A room selection controls where a scheduled clean is requested; it is not necessarily a route barrier. iRobot says a robot may traverse another area to reach a selected room. If the robot must not enter a place at all, use a supported Keep Out Zone, compatible physical barrier, or closed door.
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Check the first run and adjust the map
Observe the first clean after setting a zone or schedule. iRobot advises making a Keep Out Zone slightly larger than the area to exclude because the robot’s position can vary by a few centimetres. Keep zones away from the dock and preserve clear routes between rooms the robot needs to reach.
- The robot crosses the boundary: Check the saved map and zone placement, add a small buffer around the excluded area, and start the robot from its home base.
- A scheduled room clean starts on the wrong floor: For the documented Roborock multi-floor workflow, check that the intended map is selected under Clean Position before choosing rooms.
- The robot enters an unselected room: A selected-room schedule may still allow travel through other mapped areas. Use an exclusion zone or other suitable barrier if entry itself must be prevented.
- A zone or map setting disappears: Review whether the saved map changed or became inaccurate. Roborock warns that manually moving the robot or significantly changing the home environment may cause virtual-zone settings to be lost; correct the map and reapply zones if needed.
- The app offers no zone control: Recheck model support and mapping or map-saving prerequisites. Some models do not provide map zones.
For relevant camera-based iRobot models, the support guidance also recommends checking that lighting is adequate and the camera view is unobstructed when troubleshooting map or zone behavior.
App zones and physical barriers serve different needs
| Option | Map required? | Best fit | Important qualification |
|---|---|---|---|
| App-based no-go or Keep Out Zone | Yes; the robot needs a usable saved map and model support. | A persistent mapped-area exclusion managed in the app. | Feature names, limits and placement controls vary by model. iRobot’s cited guidance does not allow Keep Out Zone rotation. |
| Physical Dual Mode Virtual Wall | No map is needed for the physical boundary itself. | A boundary for a compatible Roomba where a physical accessory is appropriate. | iRobot describes Virtual Wall mode for blocking areas and Halo mode for gating designated areas. Compatibility and incompatibility depend on the Roomba model; verify the exact model before using one. |
| Closed door | No. | A simple way to prevent access when the room can be closed off. | It only works where a door can fully block the robot’s route. |
A compatible physical Virtual Wall is an alternative for some Roomba owners, but it is not universal. Map-based zones may make an accessory unnecessary on supported models.
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