Decoding Roomba Blue Light: Meaning & Fixes!

What is the blue light flashing on your Roomba robot vacuum device mean? Is this what bothers you? Don’t worry!

We have researched on all the possible reasons for this and how you can troubleshoot blue light on your Roomba.

In this article, we will discuss the causes behind the blue flashing light appearing on the Roomba vacuum and how you can fix it yourself:

What Does A Blue Light Mean On Roomba?

Generally, a blue ping on Roomba shows that Roomba is busy, maybe connecting with the Wi-Fi. You can also see this light for several reasons; low Wi-Fi strength, the distance between the router and Roomba, and interference from household objects.

Unlike the pulsing red light on Roomba, you don’t have to clean your vacuum cleaner or worry about replacing a broken part with a blue light ring.

Inadequate Wi-Fi Strength

If your router doesn’t send signals of enough strength, Roomba might have difficulty establishing the connection with Wi-Fi. 

Alternatively, if your router sends signals of varying speed or your Wi-Fi strength keeps fluctuating, your connection with the Roomba will be affected, and it will constantly connect and disconnect. 

You can contact your Internet Service Provider to solve such a problem by connecting you to better-speed internet or consult them for a Wi-Fi range extender setup.

I have been using this Wifi externder that can connect upto 45 devices and covers 9000 square feet area.

Wi-Fi router placed too far

Suppose the Wi-Fi router in your home is mounted on the ground floor and you are using Roomba on the first floor; this will create a distance between them that will weaken the Wi-Fi signals. 

Ensure that you install the router in your home at a central location so that all your Wi-Fi-connected home devices do not face any problems connecting to the internet.

Interference from objects

Sometimes, the design and layout of the house can affect the signal strength even if the distance between the router and the Roomba is not much. 

Household materials such as furniture, walls, glass windows, and concrete act as interference on the path of Wi-Fi signals, so you should consider mounting the router machine in an open corridor.

You can open windows and doors to improve connectivity if they act as barriers during wi-fi pairing mode.

Types of Roomba Blue Light

The blue light on Roomba is one of the color indicators which, through different movement patterns, conveys different statuses of the device. 

For instance, there are five motions of the blue light, including spinning in clockwise and anti-clockwiseanti-clockwise directions, blue sweep forward, marching forward, and flashing.

Each of these effects has a different meaning: (1)

1. A blue clockwise spinner on Roomba shows that there is a connectivity error, and the Roomba is trying to connect to the internet.
2. When the motion is similar to the previous but in an anti-clockwise direction, Roomba is on spot cleaning mode.
3. When Roomba battery is low or completes its cleaning duties to return to the charging station, it displays a blue light marching forward.
4. When Roomba detects a wall on its path while cleaning or returning to the charging station, it will display a semi-circle blue light fading and appearing on it. At this point, you will have to intervene and return the device to its dock for it to map the route again.
5. Roomba has a dirt detect feature. You will see a blue light movement on the display when you activate it through the App. The Roomba light will be glimmering in four similar arced shapes.
6. When the dust can of the Roomba gets filled, it returns to the emptying bin for automatic dirt disposal. You will see a blue light sweeping forward on your iRobot Roomba whenever this happens.

Check the below concise table to understand what the different types of blue light mean on iRobot Roomba.

Light Pattern	Blue Light Description	Causes
	Rotating Clockwise	Roomba is connecting to the wi-fi network.
	Rotating Anticlockwise	Roomba is working on spot cleaning.
	Flashing	Dirt detect feature has been activated on Roomba.
	Marching Forward	Roomba is returning to the dock station for charging.
	Sweeping Forward	Roomba is emptying its dust canister in the Clean Base.
	Blue Ping on the Front	Roomba has detected a wall on its path.

Why is My Roomba Flashing Blue While Charging?

Your Roomba may flash blue while charging because it is in the process of updating its firmware. Firmware updates occur periodically to improve the performance and usability of your device.

During this time, you may notice a blinking blue light on your Roomba while it is connected to power.

Once the update has finished, your Roomba should return to normal charging and operation.

What To Do If the Blue Light on Your Roomba Keeps Spinning?

Connectivity issues are the major contributors to such a problem.

Below are a few methods to boost connectivity that you can try to keep the spinning blue light from appearing again and again.

Move Roomba Closer to the Wi-Fi Router

If the blue light is displayed on Roomba frequently, there may be Wi-Fi signal issues at various locations across the house. 

To troubleshoot Wi-Fi connectivity issues, move the robot vacuum cleaners nearer to the Wi-Fi router. 

If you cannot move the router, consider installing a mesh Wi-Fi system that extends your Wi-Fi range by having hotspot points across the home and ensuring that your Roomba works in every corner of your home.

Disconnect and Reconnect Roomba To Wi-Fi

This is a basic step that you can use with other smart electronic devices at your home that are also having connectivity issues. 

To fix this issue for Roomba,

• Go to the iRobot Home App and find your device under “Settings.”
• Disconnect the Wi-Fi connection for your Roomba device, wait for some time, and then try to reconnect. 
• If there aren’t any specific issues, it should help your device gain stable network connectivity and will stop the spinning blue light.

Check the Wi-Fi Password You’re Entering

Many people keep entering the wrong password and then complain that their Roomba is not getting connected to Wi-Fi, so make sure you do not make the same mistake and check your password once before entering it.

Summary

The blue light on iRobot Roomba can glow in different fashions: spin clockwise, spin anti-clockwise, sway upwards, flash, etc. Based on how it moves, one can decipher different meanings behind the glowing blue light. 

Mostly, you will see the blue light rotating clockwise, indicating that the iRobot Roomba is trying to connect to the internet. To troubleshoot blue light, you must ensure that your Wi-Fi strength is adequate and robust. 

Some steps to increase Wi-Fi connectivity are moving the machine closer to the router and ensuring minimum interference between Roomba and the router.

You can eliminate the interference by opening any doors and glass windows, if present, between the router and Roomba.

You can also read our troubleshooting guide on Roomba White Light: Blinking and Spinning