How to Reset an Ice Maker: Brand-by-Brand Steps for Samsung, LG, Whirlpool, GE, Frigidaire and Opal (2026)

Quick Answer: There’s no universal ice maker reset, so use your brand’s own method. On a Samsung, hold the Test button on the ice maker until it chimes (up to 10 seconds). On an LG, hold the TEST/FILL button on the ice maker for 3 to 5 seconds. On Whirlpool, Maytag, KitchenAid, Amana and JennAir, press the reset button on the ice maker for about 5 seconds, or unplug the fridge for about 5 minutes if there’s no button. On a GE fridge, switch the icemaker off and back on, then expect a delay of about 45 minutes. Then give it up to 24 hours before you judge the result. A reset fixes interrupted cycles. It won’t fix a warm freezer, a closed water valve or a raised shutoff arm, so check those first.

We put this together from each manufacturer’s own support pages and owner’s manuals, read in November 2026. We didn’t reset or test these refrigerators ourselves. Where a brand doesn’t publish a reset procedure, we say so rather than fill the gap with forum folklore. If you already know your brand, jump to its section or to our brand-specific guides: Samsung, LG, Whirlpool, GE Profile and Frigidaire.

Reset methods by brand at a glance

Sources: Samsung US support (TSG10002387), LG US help library (“Tray Will Not Turn Upright” and its ice maker test-mode video), Whirlpool’s “How to reset an ice maker” and product help pages, Amana product help, GE refrigerator owner’s manuals (automatic icemaker section), GE Appliances Opal support articles, and Frigidaire owner support articles, all read November 5, 2026.

Before you reset: 3 checks that make a reset pointless

A reset clears a stuck cycle. It can’t fix a condition that stops the ice maker on purpose. Rule these out first, or the ice maker will stop again as soon as it restarts.

1. The shutoff arm or switch is off. On wire-arm ice makers, arm up means off. Whirlpool’s product help page puts it plainly: lower the wire shutoff arm to turn the ice maker on and lift it to turn it off, and ice in the bin pushes the arm up to stop production. A bag of frozen peas can do the same. Frigidaire’s top-freezer arm clicks and locks in the up (OFF) position, so it won’t drop on its own.
2. The freezer is too warm. Samsung says the freezer must be at 0°F or lower to make ice, even on models whose ice maker sits in the fridge compartment. Whirlpool also names 0°F (-18°C) as the recommended setting. Frigidaire says to set the freezer colder and allow 24 hours for the temperature to stabilize.
3. No water is reaching it. Check the supply valve behind the fridge and the line for kinks. LG lists “water supply turned ON, no kinks in the lines” as step 1 of its reset. An overdue filter can starve the ice maker too: Samsung rates its filters at 300 gallons, about 6 months in an average home, and asks for at least 20 psi of water pressure. Our ice maker water line guide covers the supply side.

Samsung: hold the Test button until it chimes

Samsung’s US support page calls this step “Reset the ice maker,” and the tool is the Test button on the ice maker. On most models you have to take the ice bucket out to see it.

• Press and hold Test until you hear a chime. Samsung says that can take up to 10 seconds.
• No chime? Power-cycle the fridge for 2 minutes, unplugged or off at the circuit breaker, then try again.
• The test takes about 6 minutes on an ice maker in the fridge compartment and about 30 seconds on one in the freezer. At the end, the water valve should hum and pour water into the tray.
• If an error code shows after the power cycle, or the ice maker doesn’t move or make any sound, Samsung says to request service.

After a successful test, Samsung says normal production should start within 3 hours and can take a full 24 hours to return to normal amounts. It puts normal output at about 2 trays every 3 hours. Samsung also warns against the classic DIY fix for a frozen ice maker: don’t defrost it yourself and don’t use a hair dryer, because it can damage the unit. Our Samsung ice maker not working guide covers the rest of Samsung’s checklist.

LG: the TEST/FILL button is on the ice maker, not the panel

LG’s help library is specific about which button to use: the TEST/FILL button “will be on the ice maker itself. It is not the cubed ice selection button on the control panel.” The procedure:

• Make sure the water supply is on and the lines aren’t kinked.
• Clear any ice on the tray or arm that stops the tray returning upright.
• Press and hold the test button for 3 to 5 seconds, or until the ice maker starts to move. On some LG ice makers it’s a small hole you press with a paperclip or toothpick.

Two LG details save a lot of confusion. First, a tilted tray is often normal: depending on the model, LG says the tray tilts about an hour after filling or about 5 minutes before harvest, and you should reset only if it stays tilted for more than 1 hour or 30 minutes respectively. Second, on one ice maker style, the test can only run once in the first 2 hours after the fridge is plugged in. To rerun it sooner, LG says to unplug the fridge for about 30 seconds. LG’s test-mode video also notes that the tray holds only about 4 to 5 ounces of water, so a towel underneath is enough. If you find the ice maker switched off, LG says to turn it on and allow 24 hours for ice production to begin. More LG-specific causes are in our LG ice maker not working guide.

Whirlpool, Maytag, KitchenAid, Amana and JennAir

These brands are all made by Whirlpool Corporation, and Whirlpool’s own reset article lays out the shared method:

1. Open the freezer, find the ice maker and confirm its power switch or control arm is in the on position.
2. Switch the ice maker off, wait a few seconds and switch it back on. Remove the ice bin and put paper towels under the dispenser first. On models without a power switch, Whirlpool says to unplug the refrigerator for about five minutes.
3. If your model has a reset button, it’s usually on the underside or back panel of the ice maker. Press and hold it with a pencil eraser for about five seconds.
4. Wait for a full cycle. Whirlpool says it can take up to 24 hours to resume full production, with first cubes often within a few hours, and recommends discarding the first one or two batches.

Whirlpool also says not all ice makers have a reset button. On some models, the press-and-hold reset is done on the bail arm or control arm instead. Amana’s product help pages use a shorter power cycle, about 1 minute unplugged, then a couple of hours before you check for ice. Brand pages: Whirlpool, Maytag, KitchenAid, Amana.

GE and GE Profile refrigerators: switch it off, then wait 45 minutes

GE’s refrigerator owner’s manuals describe two icemaker types: power switch models and feeler arm models. The manuals don’t describe a reset button. The documented restart is on the power-switch models. If cubes get stuck, the green power light blinks. Set the switch to O (off), remove the cubes, then set it back to I (on). GE’s manual then warns that there will be “a delay of about 45 minutes before the icemaker resumes operation.” On feeler-arm models, the arm must be down (ON). The same manuals say a newly installed refrigerator can take 12 to 24 hours to begin making ice.

That 45-minute delay matters. Many owners switch the icemaker off and on, see nothing happen and assume it’s broken. Give it the full 45 minutes, then a few hours for the first harvest. Third-party repair guides describe a service test you trigger by moving the feeler arm several times in a short window. GE’s consumer manuals don’t document it, so treat it as a technician’s tool. More in our GE Profile ice maker not working guide.

Frigidaire: there is no published reset, just on/off and 24 hours

Frigidaire’s owner support articles don’t describe a reset button or a reset sequence for refrigerator ice makers. What they do document:

• On/Off: on newer models, the ice maker LED on the display is lit when the ice maker is on. On top-freezer models, lower the wire signal arm to turn it on; lift it until it clicks and locks to turn it off.
• New install: the ice maker ships turned on. Air in new plumbing can cause 2 or 3 empty cycles, and the ice maker can produce ice within 24 hours once the fridge has cooled for several hours.
• Normal output: Frigidaire puts it at 2 to 3 pounds of ice per 24 hours, about 8 cubes every 80 to 160 minutes on top-freezer models. The bin holds about 4 pounds.
• Slow ice: replace a filter older than 6 months, check the line isn’t kinked behind the fridge, set the freezer colder and allow 24 hours.

If your Frigidaire still won’t cycle after those checks, unplugging the fridge for a few minutes is the general fallback the other brands document, but Frigidaire itself doesn’t specify a time. See our Frigidaire ice maker not working guide for the countertop models.

Kenmore, Sub-Zero and Bosch

• Kenmore doesn’t build its own refrigerators. The first three digits of the model number tell you who did: 106 generally means Whirlpool, 253 Frigidaire/Electrolux and 795 LG. Use that maker’s reset. Details in our Kenmore ice maker not working guide.
• Sub-Zero doesn’t document a universal reset button for its UC-15I undercounter line. Its support guidance is to restore the water supply and allow about an hour, then try removing the water filter to increase flow, and to book Factory Certified Service if that fails. See our Sub-Zero ice maker not working guide.
• Bosch refrigerator ice makers are a replaceable assembly. Our Bosch ice maker guide covers the part numbers if a reset doesn’t bring yours back.

Countertop and nugget ice makers

Countertop machines don’t have a freezer, a water line or a feeler arm, so “reset” usually just means a full power cycle: switch off, unplug, drain the reservoir and empty the basket, then restart. Most makers of budget countertop units don’t publish a reset procedure at all, and the waits owners report vary by brand. Our Euhomy, Silonn and Insignia guides collect what’s known for those models.

The GE Profile Opal is the exception, because GE publishes its own steps. When the Opal isn’t making ice, GE’s support article says to make sure the ice bin is pushed in all the way and to “try to reset the Ice Maker by unplugging the unit for 3 to 4 hours.” For the original Opal’s blinking green light, GE says to disable the schedule in the app and unplug it for 3 minutes. GE also notes that the original Opal turns itself off after about 5 minutes if the bin isn’t fully seated, which can look like a fault that needs a reset. On the Opal 2.0 (XPIO13 and XPIO23 models), the display tells you whether it’s Making Ice, needs water, or is Cleaning or Defrosting; it won’t make ice in the last two modes. Our GE Opal not working guide explains the lights.

How long to wait after a reset

The practical rule: don’t reset again after 20 or 30 minutes. Most refrigerator ice makers need the freezer cold and a full fill-freeze-harvest cycle before anything drops, and a second reset just restarts the clock.

When a reset won’t help

A reset is a first step, not a repair. These are the signs you’re past it:

• The same error code returns. Whirlpool says that points to a component such as the water inlet valve, ice maker motor or temperature sensor.
• The ice maker doesn’t move at all in test mode. LG says its test answers two questions: did the motor run, and was there water or ice in the tray? A “no” to either usually means the fridge needs service. Samsung says the same if its ice maker doesn’t move or make a sound.
• The ice maker is frozen over. Samsung treats a sheet of ice over the ice maker as a service call because its automatic defrost should prevent it. Whirlpool’s tip for a frozen fill tube is to check the freezer isn’t set too cold and let the tube thaw.
• You’re resetting it every week. Whirlpool says frequent resets suggest an underlying fault and that resetting is not a routine maintenance task.

From there, our ice maker troubleshooting guide sorts problems by symptom, and our replacement parts guide covers what a module, valve or board costs. If the problem is a slow, scaled-up machine rather than a stuck one, start with ice maker maintenance.

The bottom line

Find your brand’s reset control before you start pressing things. Samsung and LG put a Test button on the ice maker itself. Whirlpool-built fridges use a reset button on some models and a 5-minute unplug on the rest. GE fridges restart from the icemaker’s own switch, with a delay of about 45 minutes, and the countertop Opal wants 3 to 4 hours unplugged. Check the arm, the 0°F freezer and the water supply first, then give any reset up to 24 hours. If the same fault or error code comes back, the reset has done its job by telling you it’s a parts problem.