8 Steps To Reset A Whirlpool Refrigerator in 30 Seconds!

By - Ron Singh

Updated -

You may notice minor errors with your Whirlpool refrigerator, lights beeping on the control panel, or poor cooling.

That can happen when you have a power outage in your home. The power outage can cause your Whirlpool refrigerator to go into protection mode.

The protection mode protects the internal parts of the refrigerator and the control board. But not to worry, resetting your Whirlpool refrigerator can easily get things running again!

Resetting your Whirlpool refrigerator can be as simple as pushing the door switch three times in quick succession. But, you’ll have to find it behind the fridge and freezer doors. Then, push the door switch for the fridge and freezer. But if that doesn’t work, we have a more precise method to help you reset your Whirlpool refrigerator.

How to Reset a Whirlpool Refrigerator Within Seconds?

How to reset whirlpool refrigerator

First, you must locate the door switch to reset your Whirlpool refrigerator. Whirlpool refrigerators usually have a door switch for the fridge and freezer sections.

Once you find the door switches, you can reset your refrigerator. You can start with either the fridge or freezer. In the fridge, push the door switch thrice.

After that, wait for three to five seconds. If the compressor starts running again, then the reset is successful. Next, move to the freezer section.

Push the door switch, and wait for three to five seconds. Then, check to see if the compressor is vibrating or if no lights are beeping on the control panel. Hopefully, pushing the door switches resets your refrigerator.

If it doesn’t, please follow the simple steps below to reset your Whirlpool refrigerator.

#1. Step One – Turn Off Power to the Refrigerator

When you turn off the power supply to your refrigerator, your unit reboots, refreshes its system, and fixes glitches.

You can do that by unplugging the refrigerator’s power cord from the outlet or via the circuit breaker.

If you’d have to use the circuit breaker, find the switch assigned to your refrigerator and flick it off.

#2. Step Two – Wait for Five to Ten Minutes

It’s a good idea to leave the refrigerator longer without a power supply to drain any residual power. Even when you turn off the power supply, some charges remain in the unit for a while.

So, waiting for a few minutes helps to leave your refrigerator free of any power.

#3. Step Three – Return Power to the Refrigerator

Plug the refrigerator’s power cord into the outlet or flick the circuit breaker switch. You should notice the compressors running at this point. You’re 99% through the resetting process now.

#4. Step Four – Press and Hold the “Lock” and “Filter” Buttons Together

Step four ensures that your refrigerator retains its cooling function. Though it should work again, you don’t want to take chances.

Locate the “lock” and “filter” buttons on your refrigerator’s control panel. Push and hold the buttons together for three to five seconds, then release them.

That should return the cooling function to your Whirlpool refrigerator for sure.

#5. Step Five – Assess the Control Panel

Ensure that no lights are beeping on the control panel. You can also press the buttons one after the other to ensure they are working.

#6. Step Six – Check the Lights

Open the fridge and freezer doors, and press the door switches. That’s to ensure the lights stay on when the door opens. Or go off when you close the doors.

#7. Step Seven – Press the Door Switch and Temperature Plus (+) Button

Press the door switch and temperature plus button simultaneously thrice within ten seconds. After that, you’ll notice displays on your unit’s fridge and freezer panels.

You should see an “E” on the fridge panel and an “S” on the freezer panel.

#8. Step Eight – Press the Temperature Plus (+) Button

Press the temperature plus button again, but alone this time. That will put the refrigerator in service mode. Then, you should see “1” show on the freezer panel, then disappear.

That shows the reset process is complete. However, if you notice that your refrigerator doesn’t regain its usual function, please get in touch with Whirlpool Support.

Resetting your refrigerator is a wise option to adjust the temperature or defrost the machine.

Other times, petty internal issues are automatically fixed when you reset your whirlpool refrigerator. 

So, you should try a reset a few times when you notice a glitch in function before calling over an electrician to check out the refrigerator.

How Do You Reset a Whirlpool Side by Side Freezer?

It’s quite basic how to reset your Whirlpool side-by-side refrigerator. However, you can complete the whole reset process in three simple steps!

Please, follow the steps below to reset your Whirlpool side-by-side freezer.

#1. Step One – Turn Off Power to the Refrigerator

Unplug the refrigerator from the power outlet or turn off the power supply via the circuit breaker. Find the switch in the circuit breaker assigned to your refrigerator and flick it off.

#2. Step Two – Wait for Two to Three Minutes

The reset process always works best when your refrigerator is completely void of any electrical charge. So, do well to wait a little while to drain the refrigerator of residual power.

#3. Step Three – Return Power to the Refrigerator

Plug the refrigerator back into the power outlet or return power from the circuit breaker. After that, the refrigerator will take between 30 to 45 seconds to boot fully.

When booting is complete, you’ll notice the indicator lights display on the control panel. Once that happens, you’re done resetting your Whirlpool side-by-side refrigerator.

Resetting your refrigerator is helpful to clear simple errors and glitches that surface due to a power outage. An electrical surge in your circuit can also give the same result.

Once you complete the reset process, check the functions on the refrigerator to ensure that the reset was successful.

How Do You Hard Reset a Whirlpool Refrigerator?

A hard power reset is a great troubleshooting method that can help restore your refrigerator’s usual functions.

The process is as simple as one, two, three, literally! A hard power reset involves only three simple steps. So, it’s similar to resetting a side-by-side refrigerator.

But the difference is how long you wait.

StepDescription
One – Turn Off Power to the RefrigeratorTurning off the power to your refrigerator is the first step. 
Two – Wait for 30 Minutes.Allow any residual power left in the refrigerator will drain. 
Three – Return Power to the Refrigerator.Restore power to your Whirlpool refrigerator after waiting. 

Please, note that you may sometimes have to wait for your Whirlpool refrigerator’s functions to return. You may not get the functions back immediately after the reset process.

So, I suggest waiting a few hours to see if your refrigerator will function as usual.

How Do I Reset My Whirlpool Refrigerator Control Board?

Sometimes, a hard reset doesn’t restore a refrigerator’s cooling functions. So you’d need to go one step further to reset the control board.

That’s because the control board/panel controls all the refrigerator’s cooling functions. Also, you get to see alerts for other errors on the control board. So, resetting the control board can clear any remaining errors after a hard reset.

So, please, follow the steps below to reset your Whirlpool refrigerator control board.

#1. Step One – Find the Door Switch

Open the refrigerator door(s) and find the door switch. The door switch is a flexible switch that sits behind the refrigerator door.

#2. Step Two – Press the Door Switch and Temperature Plus (+) Button Together

Press the door switch and temperature plus button on the refrigerator’s control board. Press them simultaneously thrice within ten seconds.

Next, some displays should pop up on your unit’s fridge and freezer panels. So, the fridge panel will display an “E,” and the freezer panel will display an “S.”

#3. Step Three – Press the Temperature Plus (+) Button

Once the displays are up on the fridge and freezer panels, press only the temperature plus once. That will set your Whirlpool refrigerator in service mode.

Then, the freezer panel of your unit will display “1.” That will pop up and then disappear after some seconds. The reset process is complete once the digit disappears from the freezer panel.

Final Thoughts

Resetting your Whirlpool refrigerator helps to clear glitches and errors. Sometimes, you only have to find and push the door switch thrice.

Sometimes, you must perform a hard reset and reset the control board. That’s usually enough to restore all of a refrigerator’s functions.

But if your Whirlpool refrigerator doesn’t return to its usual functions, you can reach Whirlpool Support.

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