What Does It Mean If Your Fridge Says 'Cooling Off'? (And Can You Turn It Back On?)

Though some may consider smart refrigerators a gimmick, they've become so popular with consumers that virtually every major manufacturer makes one these days. But whether your fridge is full-on smart or not, there may come a time when you open the door and find it's not cooling its contents as it should, leaving you to wonder what exactly the issue is.

In some cases, you find that the refrigerator is in "Cooling Off" (or Demo) mode, which may or may not be directly stated on the appliance's digital display. Of course, even if your refrigerator does alert you that it's in said mode, there's a good chance you may not know exactly what it means. Turns out the setting's name is pretty self-explanatory, as "Cooling Off" means that the refrigerator's cooling functions are, in fact, not turned on.

Given that a refrigerator's sole function is to keep things cool, you might be wondering why a fridge might have such a setting available. The reason is simple, as the setting is a demonstration mode used when the appliances are displayed in retail environments. In essence, the setting lets the fridge's lights and fan turn on when the door is opened without the air-cooling condenser functioning. This allows potential buyers to properly inspect the fridge's interior setup without putting undue stress on its cooling mechanism. Thankfully, it's not hard to turn the cooling back on.

It's not uncommon for new refrigerators to be delivered and installed with the cooling turned off. Similarly, some devices may revert to that factory setting when they restart after a power outage. The good news is that it should be easy enough to turn the cooling function back on. It's worth noting that the steps to turn cooling back on will vary depending on the device. Here's how to turn cooling on if you own a fridge from a major brand like Samsung, Whirlpool, or LG. 

Samsung refrigerators will show "OFF" on the display when in demonstration mode. You can turn the cooling function back on by simultaneously pressing and holding the Freezer, Fridge, and Alarm buttons, which are located either on the interior or exterior display. You may need to hold the buttons for up to five seconds to turn off demo mode. 

Whirlpool fridges will alert you to their demonstration mode via a digital warning, showing "Cooling Off" on the display. Just like Samsung fridges, you can turn cooling back on by pressing buttons on the display, though Whirlpool requires that you press Lock and Measured Fill for up to three seconds. If you see the Off warning on an LG refrigerator, press and hold the Refrigerator and Ice Plus buttons simultaneously for five seconds. The fridge will chime and display the internal temperature when the cooling is back on. If you have a fridge from any other brand, consult its instruction manual or online product page for guidance.