A general rule in troubleshooting appliances is to turn it off and then turn it back on when it runs into an unknown error.
This works as a simple but effective refresh method for most electronic devices — your phone, your computer, your dishwasher, you name it!
With Samsung fridges, though, it might be a little trickier. Some models don’t have reset buttons, and sometimes restarting your fridge can delete all the data you have saved.
So, how exactly can you safely reset the control panel of a Samsung fridge?
We wrote this guide to elaborate on the restarting operations you can perform, as well as tips on when you should reset your fridge.
How to Reset the Control Panel of Your Samsung Fridge
The standard way to restart the control panel of a Samsung fridge is to hold down the Power Cool and Power Freeze buttons together for five seconds.
To reset the fridge’s data, you can also unplug the fridge for five minutes then turn it back on, or activate Factory Reset on the Family Hub screen.
Reset methods can be categorized into two: soft reset and hard reset.
Soft reset methods power off your fridge without deleting your saved settings. When your fridge powers back on, it will retain your previous data, such as the temperature settings or scheduled defrost cycles.
Meanwhile, a hard reset will revert all your data to its default settings. Essentially, it will return your fridge to its state when you first purchased it.
For more details on the advantages and risks of these methods, as well as when it’s ideal to reset your fridge, read below.
Soft Reset
A soft reset is just powering off your fridge for a couple of seconds before you get it kicking again. Put simply, it’s the old, reliable “turn it off and then turn it on again” solution — no different than rebooting your phone or laptop, really!
This makes soft resetting your fridge a good option when you need it to cool down from an electric surge. It’s also the first step to every troubleshooting method for any issue.
However, soft resetting isn’t ideal for addressing more complex issues. It might be a good approach for glitches or short-term errors such as a frozen display screen.
But if your issue involves, for example, the compressors in your freezer because of ice buildup, a simple soft reset won’t be enough. In this case, you’ll have to reset all data, which is one of the functions of a hard reset.
Hard Reset
Hard resetting, also known as factory resetting, involves deleting all saved data in your control panel. In doing so, you can reduce your fridge’s electrical load.
Hard resetting is a good fix for a fridge with a lagging screen or a fridge that’s getting too cold. In general, compared to soft resetting, hard resetting can cover a broader range of issues.
However, since this method reboots your entire data storage, remember to manually back up your settings before proceeding with the reboot.
There are three ways to hard reset your refrigerator:
- Power Cycling: First, turn off your refrigerator, then unplug it from its power source. Let it rest for at least 15 minutes up to an hour.
Afterward, turn it back on. This refreshes your fridge’s control panel settings.
- Family Hub Reset Button or Two Buttons at Once: Family Hub refrigerator models come with a red reset button located inside the top of the fridge’s right door.
Simply press this button and let the fridge cool down for at least 15 minutes. Once you power it back on, you’ll find the control panel settings rebooted.
If your refrigerator model doesn’t have this button — or any reset button at all — locate the Power Freeze and Power Cool buttons in the control panel.
Press and hold the buttons simultaneously for at least five seconds or until the lights on your fridge turn off. You may also hear a chime as the fridge shuts off.
- Factory Data Reset Option: If you want to be sure that your data settings are rebooted back to their showroom default, you can go to the Settings menu on your Family Hub’s display.
Select About Family Hub and then Factory data reset. Choose Reset and then Delete all data.
We suggest powering off your fridge afterward and letting it sit for at least 15 minutes before starting it back up.
While hard resetting is a foolproof method, it should be your last restart option. When all other reboot operations fail, make sure you get a screencap of how your settings look like before flushing all that data.
But when exactly do you have to trigger a hard reset, and when is it unnecessary? We’re diving into that part right now, so be sure to keep reading!
When to Reset Your Samsung Fridge’s Control Panel
Resetting is the first step to most troubleshooting methods. In fact, it’s almost always the safest option.
But we get how it can be confusing. For example, when your fridge sends an error code, it doesn’t always mean that it requires a good resetting.
To help you understand better, we’ve prepared an overview of issues from your Samsung fridge where it would be safe to reboot the control panel. They’re as follows:
- Systemic Error Codes
- Temperature Display Errors
- Demo Mode Activated
- Power Outage
- Clean Ups or Repairs
- Network Reset
Now, let’s dive into each one of these issues!
Systemic Error Codes
Samsung appliances are conveniently decked with more than a dozen error codes to signal that they’re experiencing an error. The error codes differ with each type of appliance, but they essentially have the same types of errors.
Your Samsung fridge also incorporates this self-diagnosing feature, and being familiar with these error codes can help you determine when to perform a reboot.
In general, systemic error codes are typically the ones that require a reset of the system. These errors involve your fridge’s control panel as well as the internal systems connected to it — more often, the ice maker or freezer compartment.
Here are examples of error codes that will require a hard reset:
- 5E: Fridge Defrost Sensor Error
- 8E: Ice Maker (Freezer) Sensor Error
- 14E: Ice Maker Sensor Error
- 33E: Ice Piper Heater Error
- 39E, 39C: Ice Maker Function Error
- 40E, 40C: Ice Room Fan Error
- 84C: Compressor Lock
- 22E, 22C: Fridge Fan Error
When you receive any of these codes, the best course of action is to reboot your fridge. If the error persists, call for service.
Temperature Display Error
One of the many glitches that your Samsung fridge may encounter is an erroneous temperature display.
A common tell of this error is when the display screen shows you a different temperature reading than the one you’ve set. When this happens, your fridge will rarely send an error code for it.
Furthermore, this error usually points to a problem with the fridge’s thermostat or temperature sensors as well.
Hard resetting your fridge in this situation would help you narrow down whether the issue lies in the fridge’s control panel or the temperature system.
A common reason for a malfunctioning temperature display is frequent adjustments to the temperature. Leaving the door open for more than five minutes can also contribute to these temperature errors.
Lastly, remember that your fridge automatically turns off the temperature display after a time to save energy. Pressing one of the buttons in the control panel should light up the display if it’s functioning properly.
Demo Mode Activated
When you check out Samsung fridge models at showrooms, you might notice the units on display share one thing in common: they all have “OF” showing on their display.
These letters are an indicator that Demo Mode is activated, which means the buttons on the fridge might work, but its cooling system is effectively turned off.
Your fridge typically comes in this setting when you first purchase it. Demo Mode is also sometimes utilized in troubleshooting methods.
Older models have a dedicated button to cancel this setting, but newer models — specifically 2015 and later — will have to rely on a hard reset to deactivate this mode.
In some models, Demo Mode is also known as Cooling Off mode and can be turned off via the Family Hub screen.
Power Outage
A power outage can trip several errors in your Samsung fridge. Sometimes your fridge will send you error codes for this — like 8888 to signal a voltage or power error, or 1E or SE.
Other times, though, your Samsung fridge will just activate one of the modes that can save energy, such as Demo Mode or Cooling Off.
Either way, when a power outage happens, the first thing you should do is restart its settings once the power comes back on.
Your Samsung fridge is made to be durable, but like any other appliance, it’s not built to withstand sudden power surges for so long. For safety measures, always unplug your fridge when a power outage happens.
Clean Ups or Repairs
Your Samsung fridge can inevitably run into complex errors that may require you to replace some of its parts.
In situations like this, a hard reset after the repair and replacement will integrate the new parts into the system better.
The same also applies when you clean out your fridge. After hosing down the fridge body and its shelves, a reset is just the right final touch you need to make your fridge as good as new again!
Network Reset
Network reset is an option exclusive to smart fridges with Wi-Fi capabilities.
With this setting, you won’t have to reset your entire fridge to reboot your network connection data. It works just like clearing out the Wi-Fi networks on your phone!
To perform a network reset on a Family Hub, simply navigate to Settings, then select Wi-Fi. Manually scroll through the list of connections to find the network data you want to delete, and then press Disconnect or Forget.
For some models, you can also press and hold the LOCK button for at least 12 seconds or until a capital letter A or lowercase letter r appears on the screen. This will trigger a network reset.
Resetting the control panel of your Samsung fridge is a commonplace action that you might not be aware you’ve been doing until you read this article — whether it’s soft resetting or hard resetting.
It’s the first step you do when you notice something out of place with your fridge. With this article, though, you can now deliberate what kind of resetting your fridge needs and when it’s safe to reset it.
When issues persist after a round or two of resetting, that means you’ll have to change perspectives. Perhaps the problem lies somewhere else other than the control panel.
