Why is my Samsung refrigerator freezing everything? [How to Fix]

Why is my Samsung refrigerator freezing everything [How to Fix]

Whenever your Samsung refrigerator freezes your items, you can’t help but feel annoyed and a little irritated. You start to wonder what’s causing the problem and try to find a solution fast.

Not to worry, this article will help you with what you need to know to prevent your items from freezing again. Soon enough, your food will always be ready and you won’t take your precious time thawing them.

Most of the maintenance can be done by yourself as long as you follow our tips and instructions. Each solution takes 5 steps at most — they’re all straightforward and should only take you less than 30 minutes if followed correctly.

If you find trouble following some instructions, don’t hesitate to seek further help. We’ll list all the solutions you can try yourself, so feel free to start with the ones you find to be the easiest.

What causes my Samsung refrigerator to freeze everything?

What causes my Samsung refrigerator to freeze everything
Frozen food in the freezer. Frozen vegetables, soup, ready meals in the freezer

Your Samsung refrigerator freezes items inside it due to 2 general reasons – inappropriate settings and arrangements and faulty refrigerator components. 

These are easily solvable by taking proper measures in your refrigerator’s maintenance.

Inappropriate settings and arrangements cause freezing to happen inside your refrigerator. Your temperature settings may be too low, Power Freeze might have been on, your refrigerator location is poor, or your food and items are arranged improperly.

These problems are the easier ones to address. It only takes troubleshooting your refrigerator settings and physical rearrangements of the refrigerator and its contents to stop and prevent freezing.

Faulty refrigerator components are the more complex reasons for freezing. The vents could be blocked, the gasket may be defective, the thermostat might be faulty, or the air damper is broken or stuck.

If these are what causes your freezing problems, it’s recommended to carefully take the required steps to fix the refrigerator. We even advise you to seek professional help if you find trouble following the instructions.

Whatever the problem is, don’t worry, we’re here to help and guide you along the way. We’ve listed the causes and solutions for each one of them to help you get started.

Quick Note: 

You should also check if your Samsung refrigerator is freezing up in general. The problem may be the entire refrigerator and not just your food freezing over.
CauseSolution
Low Temperature SettingsYour refrigerator may be freezing food since the temperature is too low.

The ideal temperature setting should be 38°F. Any lower starts to cause freezing.

You can adjust the temperature through the control panel of the refrigerator. Pressing on the “Fridge” indicator will cycle through different temperatures.
Power Cool is Turned OnPower Cool increases the cooling level of the refrigerator to rapidly cool its contents.

Check your refrigerator panel if the Power Cool setting is on. The setting is on if the “Power Cool” indicator is lit up.

This feature should automatically turn off after the temperature hits 34°F.

You can manually turn this feature off through the control panel. Press on “Power Cool” for 3 seconds or until the indicator is not lit up anymore.
Poor Refrigerator LocationMake sure that the refrigerator is in an ideal location.

Areas that are 110°F and higher or 50°F and below cause abnormal cooling.
Inappropriate Item Arrangement Properly arranging your food and other items is crucial to prevent them from freezing.

Avoid placing your food in the back, bottom, and beside the vents of the refrigerator.

Instead, place them inside their designated drawers. These places provide the ideal storage temperatures.
Blocked Cooling VentsAir vents are responsible for blowing cool air inside the refrigerator.

Make sure that there is nothing blocking these vents. Cold air will accumulate near the vents and will lead to freezing.
Damaged GasketCheck for damage in your refrigerator’s door gasket. 

If you don’t find any, simply clean the gasket to free it from any dirt or dust that may cause complications.

If you do find damage in the gasket, replace it with a new one. Don’t hesitate to call for professional help if you find difficulty installing a new gasket.
Broken Thermistor and/or ThermostatThe thermistor and thermostat are what set and regulate the internal temperature of the refrigerator.

Test both for continuity i.e. if the temperature changes, then the settings should adjust to it. If either doesn’t have continuity, replacement is needed.
Broken or Stuck Air Damper Control AssemblyThere is a control panel at the back of the fridge.

Check the air damper and flap it by hand to see if it can move without difficulty.

If it has difficulty moving, then it is due for replacement.

Low Temperature Settings

It is fairly common for items in the refrigerator to freeze if the temperature is too low. The refrigerator’s internal temperature needs to be 38°F to effectively store food. 

Anything lower than the recommended temperature will cause your food to freeze easily. Thankfully it is quick and simple to fix this kind of problem.

Solution: Adjust the temperature of your refrigerator. It only takes 3 simple steps:

  • Step 1: On your refrigerator’s control panel, locate the “Fridge” indicator. This displays the current temperature inside the refrigerator.
  • Step 2: Press on the “Fridge” indicator to cycle through different temperatures.
  • Step 3: Adjust the temperature to the ideal setting of 38°F.

If freezing still occurs after setting the temperature to the recommended number, the problem is caused by something else, so you should troubleshoot and check the other possibilities provided in this guide.

Quick Note:

Make sure to be cautious in increasing the temperature further than the ideal 38°F. Higher temperatures can cause your refrigerator to trigger its High Temperature Alarm as well as make your stored food spoil easier.

Power Cool is Turned On

Samsung refrigerators come with a feature called Power Cool. This is a setting used to instantly chill the contents inside of the fridge, which is useful for quickly cooling items and stabilizing the temperature inside your refrigerator.

However, Power Cool can cause your items to freeze unintentionally. This is largely due to the quick and drastic decrease in temperature which comes naturally when the feature is active.

Solution: Turn off this feature by pressing the Power Cool button for at least 3 seconds or until the light indicator disappears. 

You can also turn this setting off by rebooting the unit or through the Family Hub app if you have a smart Samsung refrigerator.

Poor Refrigerator Location

Your Samsung refrigerator’s location can also influence unwanted freezing. External temperatures can cause it to either drastically increase or decrease its internal temperature.

If your refrigerator is in a place with a temperature of 110°F and higher, it will overwork itself to lower its internal temperature. 

Meanwhile, an area with a temperature of 50°F and below makes the refrigerator colder and susceptible to freezing its contents.

The location of your refrigerator is vital in maintaining its good condition. The vents, condensation coils, and thermostat may wear themselves adjusting to the surroundings.

Solution: Before moving the refrigerator, make sure it is powered off, empty, and the water in its trays is drained.

Take caution in moving the refrigerator as it is heavy, and its parts can be sensitive. Don’t hesitate to get extra help moving it around if you find difficulty doing it yourself.

Relocate your refrigerator somewhere not too warm or cold. Be sure it is not under direct sunlight and is not secluded.

Inappropriate Item Arrangement

How you arrange the contents of your Samsung refrigerator matters in preventing them from freezing. 

There is a proper way to organize your food and items so that they remain fresh and not frozen over.

Solution: Here are 5 tips for arranging the contents inside your refrigerator in the best possible way.

  • Avoid placing items in the back, bottom, and in front of the cooling vents. These places are generally the coldest parts of the refrigerator.
  • Make sure there are no items within 2 inches of the cooling vents. Clear vents allow proper airflow in the refrigerator to avoid overcooling.
  • Items with high water/moisture content (e.g., fresh fruits and vegetables) should be placed inside their respective drawers for optimal storage. Following this will keep your items organized and as fresh as possible.
  • Avoid understocking your refrigerator. A well-stocked refrigerator absorbs the cold air evenly and is less susceptible to freezing its contents.
  • Do not overstock your refrigerator either. This causes poor air circulation inside your refrigerator and will cause some items to freeze while others may perish.

Blocked Cooling Vents

The cooling vents enable proper air circulation inside your refrigerator. Good air circulation is optimal for maintaining internal temperature, which is important for preserving your food items.

If the cooling vents are obstructed, then this will cause problems with your refrigerator’s functions. 

Cold air will only be concentrated near the vents, which will lead to freezing, while your refrigerator will overexert itself to meet the set temperature level.

Solution: Keep the cooling vents inside the refrigerator clear. 

These cooling vents are usually located at the back and the sides of the refrigerator, and there should be no food or items within 2 inches of the vents.

Broken Gasket

Your Samsung refrigerator’s door gasket is essential for keeping your food secure. It is the rubber seal on the door frame which enables the doors to shut tight and allows the refrigerator to operate in the best conditions.

A faulty or broken door gasket prevents proper air circulation inside the refrigerator. Your fridge will overwork itself to maintain its temperature and in most cases, make it far colder than intended.

It’s simple to determine if the door gasket is faulty or not. You can check if it has any tears, cracks, or dirt buildup, or you can test it by observing if your refrigerator’s door alarm will trigger despite being shut.

Solution: Sometimes, dirt and other particles in the gasket cause its faultiness. Try to clean the gasket first with some soap-water formula.

If you’ve cleaned the gasket and the problem still persists, you can now safely assume that the gasket is broken. It’s most likely worn out and at this point, needs to be replaced as soon as possible.

Here are the steps for replacing your old refrigerator gasket with a new one:

  • Step 1: Remove the old gasket from the door frame. You can do this by gently peeling off the old gasket starting from the top corner and then making your way down.
  • Step 2: Fit in the new gasket by simply pressing it into place. Start from the corners and then make your way around the whole door frame.
  • Step 3: Keep pressing the new gasket into place until everything is secured properly into the frame.

If you find trouble installing a new gasket, call a professional to help. 

Broken Thermistor and/or Thermostat

Some Samsung refrigerators come with a control board and use a thermistor and thermostat in their cooling systems to measure and regulate the temperature inside the refrigerator.

The thermistor reacts to small changes in temperature while the thermostat signals whether to initiate cooling or defrosting. 

A defect in either part causes the cooling system to malfunction and create abnormalities in temperature.

Solution: 

Here are the steps to test the thermistor:

  • Step 1: Locate your refrigerator’s thermistor. You can refer to the user manual, but it’s usually found in the back panel of most refrigerators.
  • Step 2: Once you can access the thermistor, run a resistance test using a multimeter.
  • Step 3: Set the multimeter to the ohm setting and touch the probes of the multimeter to the wires on the thermistor. The resistance of the thermistor should be 5,000 ohms at room temperature.

Any abnormalities in the multimeter readings signifies a faulty thermistor. You should replace your current one if this is the case.

But if there is no problem with the thermistor, then you should test the thermostat next. 

Here are the steps to test the thermostat:

  • Step 1: Locate the refrigerator’s thermostat. You can refer to the user manual, but this is typically found near the thermistor.
  • Step 2: Take out the thermostat to test it for continuity. The user manual has electrical specifications for its opening and closing temperatures.
  • Step 3: Run the continuity test. If you’re testing for its closing temperatures (colder) then there should be continuity, while opening temperatures (warmer) do not have continuity.

Replace the thermostat if it fails any of the continuity tests or if you find any damage to its wires and components.

Broken or Stuck Air Damper Control Assembly

The air damper control assembly is part of your Samsung refrigerator’s cooling system. It is also known as the freezer control or ice damper in other models.

This component opens and closes to regulate the amount of cold air that flows into the different compartments of the refrigerator. 

A broken or stuck air damper control assembly will allow cold air to be constantly released until the compartments freeze up.

Solution: Turn off and unplug your refrigerator, and then remove the shelves and bins to clear up the refrigerator compartment. 

The air damper is located in the cooling duct at the back of the refrigerator.

You can test if the damper has difficulty opening and closing by flapping it by hand. If the damper is faulty, replace it and return the cooling duct to its place.


Food freezing inside your Samsung refrigerator is a simple issue, but it can also signify something worse. If you still find it difficult to troubleshoot and fix the problems, then don’t hesitate to ask for professional assistance.

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