The short version
- 01Take the bin out and remove the filter, then tap the filter out over a bin.
- 02Replace the filter rather than washing it, since a damp filter chokes airflow.
- 03Clear the bin’s inlet and the channel behind it of compacted debris and hair.
- 04Check the impeller opening for anything wrapped around it.
- 05Reseat the bin until it clicks, so the airflow path is sealed.
- 06Read your model’s error chart, because these numbers are i Series specific.
Raw message
Error 26 — Vacuum problem. See the app for help
Likely causes
- A clogged filter, which iRobot names directly as a possible cause of the stall.
- Debris packed into the bin or the airflow path behind it.
- A blocked or damaged impeller in the vacuum motor, which iRobot names under error 27.
- A filter that is wet after washing, which chokes airflow without looking blocked.
- A bin not fully seated, so the airflow path is not sealed.
Five errors, one airflow path
iRobot’s i Series chart gives five errors the same message — “Vacuum problem. See the app for help” — and then distinguishes them by cause. Error 8 is poor suction. Error 11 is the vacuum motor not activating. Error 26 is a vacuum stall, with a filter clog noted as possible. Error 27 is a vacuum motor over-temperature, which iRobot attributes to a clogged filter or a bad impeller. Error 30 is the vacuum failing to start.
Read as a group they describe one path at different stages: air is restricted, the motor labours, it stalls, or it overheats. That is why the same maintenance addresses most of them, and why chasing error 26 specifically is less useful than clearing the whole path.
The two that point away from a simple clog are 11 and 30, where the motor does not activate or start at all. Those are more likely to be electrical than obstructive, and if a thorough clean changes nothing they are the ones to escalate.
The filter, and why not to wash it
iRobot names a clogged filter as a possible cause under both error 26 and error 27, which makes it the first thing to deal with. Take the bin out, remove the filter, and tap it against the inside of a bin to knock the dust out.
Do not wash it. A filter that has been rinsed looks clean and is not dry through, and a damp filter restricts airflow more than a dusty one — which produces exactly the stall you were trying to fix, plus a smell. Filters are consumables and replacing one is cheaper than a service call.
Then look past the filter. Compacted debris and hair in the bin’s inlet and the channel behind it restrict airflow just as effectively, and they are easy to miss because the bin itself looks empty once emptied.
Check which chart applies to your robot
These numbers come from iRobot’s i Series error chart, and the same number does not carry the same meaning across every Roomba generation. The 600 series chart does not use 26 at all, and it assigns some shared numbers — 5, 7 and 10 — to entirely different faults from the i Series.
So before acting on advice for a numbered Roomba error, confirm it was written for your series. That is a real risk with this device family and the single most useful habit when reading about these codes anywhere.
If the message persists after clearing the filter and the airflow path, iRobot’s instruction is to contact Customer Care with the robot charged and to hand, its serial number ready, and proof of purchase for a warranty claim.
Sources and review notes
Checked on . Based on iRobot’s published error message chart for the Roomba i Series, which defines errors 8, 11, 26, 27 and 30 and their causes. The reading of them as stages of one airflow path, and the advice not to wash the filter, are editorial. Codes differ by series — the 600 series chart does not use these numbers the same way. iRobot’s support pages render only in a browser and cannot be checked by automated fetching. Glitchary is independent of iRobot.