Your robovac is a privacy nightmare, but these open-source exploits can make it fully offline and private

Published Oct 10, 2026, 8:30 AM EDT Adam has a degree in Engineering and has a life-long interest in technology. He has been writing for over a decade for various print and online publications, with a focus on consumer tech. He joined How-To Geek in 2024 while working at Pocket-lint. As well as being a long-term fan of Apple products, he also has a strong interest in smart home tech, running a Home Assistant server at home to automate all his smart home devices. He believes that the ideal smart home should work with minimal interaction from the user, with automations running as if by magic rather than requiring you to push buttons on a control panel. You can find more of his work on Muck Rack. Cloud-connected robot vacuums can be convenient, but they aren't always great for your privacy. They can collect detailed information about your home, including floor plans, cleaning habits, and even camera footage, and send it to third-party servers. The good news is that open-source projects can help you use your robot vacuum without relying on the cloud. Valetudo removes the manufacturer's cloud entirely Cloud software is replaced with a fully local alternative Valetudo is one of the most popular ways to liberate robot vacuums from the manufacturer's cloud services. It's free, open-source software that can replace the cloud functionality of compatible models. It doesn't replace your robovac's original operating system, which continues to handle things such as navigation and cleaning. Instead, Valetudo runs alongside that firmware, removing the need to communicate with the cloud. You need to root the robot vacuum first to gain administrator-level access to the operating system. The process varies by model but works with many robot vacuum models, including popular brands such as Dreame, Roborock, Xiaomi, and more. Valetudo then gives you a web-based interface to view maps, start cleaning, select rooms, and more, all of which work completely offline. It also supports MQTT, so you can use smart home software such as Home Assistant to control your robot vacuum. Roborock Local Server replaces the cloud without rooting Trick your Roborock into using your own server If you have a supported Roborock robot vacuum, you can use Roborock Local Server without having to root your device. It's an open-source replacement for Roborock's cloud services that you can run on your own hardware. It works by redirecting the vacuum's cloud requests to your own server instead. By connecting your robot to Roborock Local Server, you get fully local control, including cleaning controls, live map streaming, room-based cleaning, and more. The entire setup can work without access to the internet at all, and you can connect your robot to Home Assistant or use an alternative local mobile app called LocalRock for control. Confirmed supported models include the Roborock S5 Max, S7, S7 MaxV, S8 MaxV Ultra, Saros 10R, Qrevo MaxV, and Qrevo Master. However, not all models are supported, such as some entry-level Q-series models. Bumper lets Ecovacs robots use a local server Host your own Ecovacs server The first robot vacuum I ever owned. If you're using an Ecovacs model, you may be able to use the free, open-source Bumper to replace the cloud servers used by Ecovacs robots. Normally, your robot vacuum talks to the Ecovacs servers to share information and receive commands. Bumper recreates that functionality with a server you run on your own hardware, eliminating the need for cloud services. Using Bumper, you get supported remote cleaning controls without the same privacy concerns. You can send cleaning commands and connect your vacuum to Home Assistant to control your robot with a dashboard or automations. Bumper doesn't work with all Ecovacs robots, but supported models include the Deebot 600, Deebot Ozmo 930, Deebot Ozmo 950, and Deebot M81 Pro. Other Wi-Fi models may work, but may not have been tested and verified. Bumper is still an experimental project, so use it at your own discretion. OpenNeato brings abandoned robovacs back to life An ESP32 gives Neato robots a local interface Credit: Neato Robotics Sometimes, removing a robot vacuum's reliance on cloud services isn't just preferable; it's a necessity. Neato Robotics became well-known for its D-shaped robot vacuums, but the company was shut down in 2023, and by 2025, its cloud services started to be phased out, removing cloud-connected features such as remote control and app-based schedules. OpenNeato is an open-source project that was created to restore those missing features. Instead of trying to modify or replace the firmware, it uses an ESP32 microcontroller that connects to the robot's diagnostic port. The ESP32 hosts a local web interface that you can access in a browser, restoring remote control and other features without the need for Neato's cloud. It's not the simplest project to do yourself, with some soldering required, but the parts cost less than $20. OpenNeato works with several Neato models, including the D3, D4, D5, D6, and D7. Give a Roomba local control with dorita980 Bypass iRobot's servers and communicate directly Roomba is one of the best-known robot vacuum brands. iRobot's models use cloud services for remote control and other features, but some also support MQTT over TLS, meaning the robots can accept commands from other devices on the same network. The dorita980 Node.js library can take advantage of this feature by establishing an encrypted connection with the robot and sending commands in a format that the Roomba understands. It's then possible to integrate the Roomba with software such as Home Assistant for local control and automation. Using dorita980 doesn't stop your Roomba from connecting to the cloud, so to make it fully offline, you'll need to block its internet access. Supported Roomba models include selected models from the 600, 800/900, e, i, and j series, as well as some Combo and Braava models. Newer models that use a different protocol may not be supported. A robot vacuum shouldn't need to phone home Cloud services add convenience, but your robot vacuum shouldn't lose features just because the internet is down. These projects help your robot stay off the cloud so you can control it locally without sharing your data with third parties.