How to Use Roomba Without Wi-Fi (for All Models)
Cleaners Talk is reader-supported. This post contains affiliate links, we may earn a commission at no additional costs to you. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
Believe it or not, you can use a Roomba without Wi-Fi. Some people do not enjoy the hassle of opening the app from their smartphones and find it convenient to simply use a Roomba by pressing a button.
Here’s how to use a Roomba without Wi-Fi:
Press the “CLEAN” button on the Roomba and it will start to work normally. Press the “SPOT CLEAN” button on the Roomba if you want it to clean a specific area. Once the area is cleaned, press the “HOME” button to tell the Roomba to return to its charging station.
In this post, we will break down the exact commands to operate a Roomba without a Wi-Fi connection. If you do not have Wi-Fi, we will also show you the Roomba model to go for.
Roomba Without Wi-Fi Connection
You can always use a Roomba without any internet connection. However, you will lose some of the convenience features offered through the mobile app if you pass up the Wi-Fi connection.
Just to name a few, you won’t be able to remotely schedule cleanings, customize cleaning features, and receive the robot's mapping reports. Most importantly, you will also give up any voice control functionality, including simple commands provided by Amazon’s Alexa or Google Assistant.
Before using your Roomba, with or without Wi-Fi, it is best to remove excess clutter from floors before cleaning (small objects, clothing, toys, etc.). Use Roomba frequently to maintain well-conditioned floors.
How to use a Roomba without Wi-Fi
A Roomba does not always need an active internet connection to clean your home. Once the Roomba is completely charged, you can simply follow these steps to use a Roomba without Wi-Fi:
- Press the CLEAN button to start, pause, or resume a cleaning job.
- Hold the CLEAN button for 3 seconds, or until Roomba’s indicators turn off, to end a cleaning job.
- To use spot cleaning, place Roomba on top of the localized debris and press the SPOT button (
) on the robot. Roomba will intensely clean the area by spiraling outward about 3 feet (1 meter) in diameter and then spiraling inward to where it started. - To send Roomba back to its Home Base during a cleaning cycle, press CLEAN and then DOCK () on the Roomba. This will end the cleaning cycle.
) on the robot. Roomba will intensely clean the area by spiraling outward about 3 feet (1 meter) in diameter and then spiraling inward to where it started.
) on the Roomba. This will end the cleaning cycle.When using a Roomba without Wi-Fi. make sure to start a cleaning session on the Home Base. Otherwise, Roomba won’t return to its dock. In case the battery drains out, the Roomba will stop at the location.
How to turn off the Wi-Fi on my Roomba?
Some people want absolute privacy and do not want their data to be collected from their Roomba. To do this, you can cut off its connection to the internet altogether.
If you’ve already set up your Roomba's Wi-Fi connection and wish to turn it off, you can perform a factory reset. This will return the Roomba to its out-of-the-box configuration. However, performing a factory reset wipes out any settings you may have entered, including scheduling info.
You can learn how to perform a Roomba reset based on the model, right here.
What Roomba to buy if you don’t have Wi-Fi?
Every single Roomba model can work without Wi-Fi.
You can actually use any Roomba by just pressing "CLEAN" on the robot without ever using Wi-Fi. If you are on a budget, the Roomba 675 is a good entry-level model without a lot of advanced Wi-Fi features. If you want to be totally unconnected, the Roomba 614 has no Wi-Fi capabilities.
Believer it or not, there are plenty of robot vacuums that don't have Wi-Fi but work just as well, if not better. The iRobot Roomba may be a household name, but you'll be surprised at the top 3. Check out the top 4 here.