How-to
Roomba going in circles, beeping or a red light: what it means and how to fix it
A solid red light means an error: press CLEAN to hear the message and look it up in the table below. If the robot circles without a message, clean its wheels, cliff sensors and bumper. If that does not help, reboot it.
What does your Roomba’s light mean?
The robot talks through its light ring, sounds and the app. Red is always a problem, but the pattern says which. This applies to the smart models (i, e, s, m and j Series), and these are the red patterns according to iRobot. A 600 series reports an error with an "uh-oh" sound and a voice.
| Light | Meaning | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Solid red | There is an error. | Press CLEAN and the robot repeats the message. Look the error up below. |
| Pulsing red | The robot is charging and too low to start. | Leave it on the dock. If it is not full after 3 hours, read the charging guide. |
| Red sweep toward the rear | The dust bin is full. | Empty the bin. See How to empty a Roomba. |
Blue and white are not problems. A blue ping, for example, means the robot sees a Virtual Wall or a Keep Out Zone.
Hearing the error and looking it up
With a solid red light the robot speaks a message. Press the CLEAN button to repeat it. If the robot is on, pressing the bumper works too, and on a Wi-Fi model the error also shows in the app. If the message will not clear, contact iRobot Customer Care and have the serial number ready.
Each series has its own list, and a number can mean something different in another series: the s Series, the j Series and Combo 10 Max and the 600 series. A selection of the messages on the s and j Series:
| Error | Start of the message | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| 1, 3, 13 | "Uneven ground. Place on a flat surface." | A wheel is hanging down or the robot is stuck. Put it on a flat floor. |
| 2 | "Clear the brushes." | The brushes cannot spin. Remove hair and debris. |
| 4, 5 | "Clear the wheels." | The left or right wheel is jammed. Free the wheel. |
| 6, 12 | "Drop off detected." | The cliff sensors see a drop. Check they are free of debris and move the robot. |
| 9 | "Tap the bumper to unstick." | The bumper is jammed. Tap it and remove debris if there is any. |
| 14 | "Reinstall the bin." | The robot cannot see the bin. Put the bin back and check the filter is in it. |
| 26 | "Vacuum problem. See the app." | Suction drops, possibly from a clogged filter. Check the filter and see the app. |
| 36 | "Empty the bin." | The bin full sensor did not clear. Empty the bin. |
| 46 | "Low Battery. Please charge." | The robot stopped with a flat battery off the dock. Put it on the dock. |
A message that says "see the app", such as error 21, 25 or 1003, points to an internal error. For many of them iRobot says to reboot the robot, as described below.
My Roomba goes in circles or backs up
A Roomba backs up when it senses an obstacle or a cliff. If it does so with nothing there, its sensors may be dirty, says iRobot. That is iRobot’s page for the 400 series, and the advice for the 600 series is below:
- Turn the robot off and place it on its back.
- Blow out the four cliff sensors, the rectangular openings just inside the edge of the bumper, with compressed air, or wipe them with a clean dry microfiber cloth.
- Briskly tap the bumper 15 to 20 times, alternating left and right, to shake debris out of the bumper sensor.
- Push the front wheel up out of its housing, remove the debris and hair and snap the wheel back in firmly.
On a dark floor the robot can mistake the surface for a cliff. Block such areas off with a Virtual Wall.
If a 600 series circles and there is no voice message, iRobot says the bumper is not registering obstacles and the robot may be stuck in one place. Tap the bumper to check it works and clean the wheels of hair and debris. In a very large room a Virtual Wall makes a smaller cleaning area.
My Roomba beeps
On a 600 series a two-tone "uh-oh" followed by a voice means it has stopped because of an error, per iRobot. The voice gives the number ("Error nine") and that series’ table says what to do. If the robot plays a four-tone song and says "Please charge Roomba", the battery is flat. Put it on the dock.
If it beeps while charging or keeps doing so, see the charging guide, which explains charging errors and the lights of the dock.
When nothing helps: reboot the robot
A reboot clears many problems and is always safe, per iRobot: maps, schedules and preferences are kept. Take the robot off the dock and hold the CLEAN or power button. That takes about 20 seconds on an i or s Series, 9 seconds on a j Series or Combo 10 Max, and on a 600 series without Wi-Fi you hold HOME and SPOT together for about 10 seconds. If a 600 series has a green dot under the bin, take the battery out and wait 30 seconds before putting it back. Rebooting can take up to a minute and a half. All the steps are in How to reset a Roomba.
Is it time for a new robot?
If the same error keeps coming back after cleaning and a reboot, something may be faulty and Customer Care can help, under warranty too. If you would rather replace it, see what iRobot costs today, October 18, 2026. Models on sale: 12.
| Model | Station | Today's lowest price | Ranking |
|---|---|---|---|
| iRobot Roomba 105 Combo | charging dock only | $179 at iRobot (brand store) | not ranked |
| iRobot Roomba 105 Vac+ | self-emptying station | $279 at iRobot (brand store) | number 129 in our ranking |
| iRobot Roomba 105 Combo+ | self-emptying station | $299 at iRobot (brand store) | not ranked |
| iRobot Roomba Max 715 Vac+ | self-emptying station | $499 at iRobot (brand store) | not ranked |
| iRobot Roomba Plus 415 Combo | all-in-one station | $599 at iRobot (brand store) | not ranked |
| iRobot Roomba Plus 515 Combo | all-in-one station | $699 at iRobot (brand store) | not ranked |
| iRobot Roomba Plus 4020 Combo | all-in-one station | $749 at iRobot (brand store) | not ranked |
| iRobot Roomba Max 775 Combo | all-in-one station | $799 at iRobot (brand store) | not ranked |
| iRobot Roomba Plus 575 Combo | all-in-one station | $799 at iRobot (brand store) | not ranked |
| iRobot Roomba Plus 678 Combo | all-in-one station | $899 at iRobot (brand store) | not ranked |
| iRobot Roomba Plus 507 Combo | all-in-one station | $999 at iRobot (brand store) | not ranked |
| iRobot Roomba Max 875 Combo | all-in-one station | $1,199 at iRobot (brand store) | not ranked |
The advisor finds the robot that fits your home in seven questions.
Frequently asked questions
What does a red light on a Roomba mean?
Solid red is an error, and pulsing red means the robot is charging and too low to start. A red sweep toward the rear says the dust bin is full.
How do I hear the error message again?
Press the CLEAN button. If the robot is on, pressing the bumper works too. On a Wi-Fi model the error also shows in the app.
Why does my Roomba go in circles?
The cliff sensors, the bumper or the front wheel may be dirty. Clean them and use a Virtual Wall on a dark floor.
Is rebooting safe?
Yes. iRobot says a reboot is always safe and does not delete maps, schedules or preferences.
Sources
- iRobot: What do the lights on the light ring mean?
- iRobot: The Roomba s Series error messages chart
- iRobot: Roomba j Series and Roomba Combo 10 Max error messages chart
- iRobot: The Roomba 600 series error messages chart
- iRobot: What do I do if Roomba 400 series is circling, spinning or backing up?
- iRobot: Rebooting your robot, all Roomba and Braava models
The prices, the ranking and the counts on this page are today’s: from our own daily price check and our score from lab tests and owners’ ratings. Method →