How to reset a Roomba

How do you reset a Roomba?

iRobot Roombas are some of the most popular robot vacuums because they feature powerful suction, advanced navigation and high-quality construction that can take all the hassle out of cleaning your floors. But even these premium robots can run into issues that keep them from cleaning as they should.

Whether your Roomba is experiencing problems with Wi-Fi connectivity, charging or reduced performance, you may need to reboot or factory reset it from time to time. Both processes are pretty simple as long as you know the proper procedure for your particular Roomba model. You should also understand the difference between what rebooting and resetting do to your robot, so you don’t lose any data you still need.     

Reboot vs. factory reset

Rebooting an iRobot Roomba essentially turns the robot off and restarts it to clear common problems and error messages. You never have to worry when rebooting your Roomba because it won’t lose any data or information, like its maps, schedules and cleaning preferences. A reboot may help if your Roomba is experiencing Wi-Fi issues, isn’t charging properly or has an error message you need to clear. 

On the other hand, a factory reset restores all of your Roomba’s factory default settings. That means all your user data, including maps, schedules and cleaning preferences, are removed from the robot and the connected iRobot app. 

Because it’s such an extreme measure, you should only factory reset your Roomba when it doesn’t turn on, isn’t cleaning as effectively as it once did, is getting stuck on obstacles around the house or is experiencing other issues that a reset hasn’t corrected. You should also do a factory reset if you’re giving your Roomba away or have just received a previously used robot from someone else.

How to reboot a Roomba

The process for rebooting a Roomba is similar across models, but you’ll need to know the exact procedure for your model to ensure that it successfully reboots.  

Roomba reboot guide for every model

• Reboot a j series Roomba: Press and hold the “Clean” button on top of your robot for nine seconds. The ring around the button will illuminate during the process, and a brief musical chime sounds when it’s finished. 
• How to reboot an i and s series Roomba: Press and hold the “Clean” button on your robot for 20 seconds. The light around the button illuminates as it reboots, and a brief chime sounds when the process is done. 
• How to reboot a 400, 500, 600 and e Series Roomba: Press and hold the “Home” and “Spot” buttons on top of your robot for approximately 10 seconds. Once you release the buttons, the reboot chime will play. 
• How to reboot a 700, 800 and 900 series Roomba: Press and hold the “Clean” button on top of the robot for 10 seconds. The reboot chimes once the process is done.

How to factory reset a Roomba

For more serious issues with your Roomba, you can do a factory reset through the iRobot app or manually reset it from the robot. It’s important to understand the difference between the two reset methods and how to trigger each reset for your Roomba model. 

Resetting from the iRobot Home App vs. manually resetting

Resetting a Roomba from the iRobot Home App is also known as a “hard reset” because it deletes all your personal data and settings from the vacuum. It also removes the robot from your account in the app. 

When you manually reset a Roomba, it is also known as a “soft reset” because your cloud and app information, as well as your account association, are maintained. iRobot recommends resetting your Roomba through the app because a soft reset may not correct the issues your robot is having. 

Factory reset guide for every Roomba model

• Perform a factory reset with the iRobot Home App: Make sure your iRobot Roomba is connected to the same Wi-Fi network your mobile device uses. Go to your robot’s Product Settings at the bottom of the screen, and choose Remove Device from Account. If your robot has created an Imprint Smart Map, you’ll have the option to save the map before you reset the Roomba. That prevents the robot from having to relearn your home after the reset. If you want to save the map, enable the “Save maps during factory reset” toggle before resetting. 
• J series Roomba manual factory reset: Start by removing the robot’s dustbin, and then press and hold the “Clean” button for seven seconds or until you hear a chime. Press the “Clean” button again to confirm the reset. 
• I and s series Roomba manual factory reset: Press and hold the “Home,” “Spot Clean” and “Clean” buttons at the same time until you see the light around the “Clean” button swirl. 
• E series Roomba manual factory reset: Press and hold the “Home,” “Spot Clean” and “Clean” buttons for 20 seconds. 
• 900 series Roomba manual factory reset: Press and hold the “Dock,” “Spot Clean” and “Clean” buttons until the LED lights on the robot all illuminate. 
• 600 and 800 series Roomba manual factory reset: Press and hold the “Dock,” “Spot Clean” and “Clean” buttons until the robot chimes. 
• 400, 500 and 700 series Roomba manual factory reset: Press and hold the “Clean,” Dock” and Spot Clean” buttons for 10 seconds. The robot will chime when the process is done. 

Conclusion

Rebooting or resetting your iRobot Roomba can help correct many frustrating issues that keep the robot from cleaning or charging as it should. The procedure for each process varies across models, so you need to know the correct method for your particular Roomba series. Always start with a reboot because it won’t affect your Roomba’s data or settings. However, if all your other troubleshooting efforts have failed, a factory reset may be able to get your Roomba going again.

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Jennifer Blair writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.