Create a Roomba Smart Map with a dedicated Mapping Run
Prepare the floor, start from the dock, use the app’s mapping-only mission, and customize rooms only after the robot completes a coherent map.
Direct answer
The shortest reliable path.
For a supported mapping Roomba, open the map area in the iRobot Home app, choose “Create a new Smart Map,” and start a Mapping Run. The robot navigates without vacuuming, which conserves battery and usually builds the map faster than normal cleaning. Start from an accessible Home Base or Clean Base, open the rooms you want included, and remove cables and pet waste. On j series models, PrecisionVision obstacle detection is not active during a Mapping Run.
Official visual references
Match what you see before you act.
These visuals are tied to the cited support pages. Read each model scope and observation before using it as a match.
Create a new map entry point
The official screenshot identifies the map-creation entry point before the dedicated mapping mission begins.
- Look for
- Confirm that Create a new map appears in the Maps area; its absence can indicate an unsupported model or software state.
- Applies to
- Roomba models and app versions covered by iRobot’s Creating a New Smart Map article.
Completed new-map state
Customize rooms and zones only after the app presents a completed New Map card like the official example.
- Look for
- Look for a saved New Map state rather than trying to edit an interrupted or still-running mapping mission.
- Applies to
- The Smart Map completion flow represented in iRobot’s Creating a New Smart Map article.
Create and customize an Imprint Smart Map
Official iRobot video embedded by the Smart Map support article; use it to confirm the app sequence, not model eligibility.
- Look for
- Watch the transition from map creation to room and zone customization and compare it with the current app labels.
- Applies to
- Imprint Smart Map products covered by the linked iRobot support article; app appearance may change after updates.
System view
Check the whole path.
- 01Supported Roomba and current app
- 02Accessible dock
- 03Prepared open floor
- 04Dedicated Mapping Run
- 05Saved and customized Smart Map
Scope before steps.
Roomba models and current iRobot Home app versions that offer Imprint Smart Maps and a Mapping Run option.
Models without Smart Maps, Wi-Fi onboarding, multi-floor dock placement, Combo mop preparation, map recovery, or a robot that cannot navigate or charge.
Procedure
Do this in order.
- 01
Define one map boundary
Decide which level and rooms belong to this map, open those doors, and block areas that should not be entered before the run starts.
- 02
Start from the dock
Place the charged robot on its Home Base or Clean Base and make sure the route around the dock is clear.
- 03
Launch the mapping-only mission
Select the Map icon, choose “Create a new Smart Map,” and start the Mapping Run using the labels shown in the current app.
- 04
Let the mission finish without rearranging rooms
Keep doors and furniture stable, prevent people or pets from moving the robot, and allow it to return or complete the mission on its own.
- 05
Review before customizing
After a complete map appears, compare room shapes and doorways, then set room dividers, names, and supported clean or keep-out zones.
Diagnostic matrix
Read the result, not the guess.
| What you see | Check next | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Robot moves but does not vacuum | Confirm the app shows a Mapping Run rather than a cleaning job. | This is the intended battery-saving mapping behavior. |
| A j series robot approaches a cable or pet waste | Stop the run and clear the floor before restarting. | iRobot says PrecisionVision is not active during a Mapping Run. |
| Part of the home is missing | Check the door, barrier, threshold, lighting, and physical access before another run. | The robot did not traverse that area during the map mission. |
| The app has no Smart Map or Mapping Run option | Verify model support and current app/robot software. | This workflow does not apply to every Roomba generation. |
Stop conditions
Know when not to keep changing things.
- Stop the run if cords, pet waste, liquid, stairs without safe detection, or another entanglement hazard enters the route.
- Do not carry the robot between rooms during the mapping mission.
- Resolve repeated navigation, docking, wheel, bumper, or cliff-sensor errors before trying to build a map.