Last Updated on October 4, 2026 by Umar Farooq
A reset clears a state. It does not repair anything — and knowing that difference will save you from doing it six times.
Cutting power to a washing machine drops whatever the control board was holding: a stalled cycle, a latched error, a lock that never released. When the fault was a one-off — a brief power dip, a door that did not register, a sensor reading that made no sense — the state was the entire problem, and clearing it genuinely fixes the machine.
When the fault is real, the reset still works exactly as designed. The machine comes back, runs, meets the same condition, and posts the same code. That is not a failed reset. That is a successful reset telling you the problem is still there. People read it as the reset not working and try again, harder, which is how an afternoon disappears.
So do it once, properly, and then read the result.
Three different things are called a “reset”
Most guides run these together, which is why the instructions you find often do not match what your machine does.
| What people mean | What it actually does | When you want it |
|---|---|---|
| Power reset | Cuts power so the board drops its current state | Almost always. This is the one this page is about |
| Cycle cancel | Ends the running program without cutting power | You picked the wrong cycle, or need the door open |
| Factory reset | Wipes settings and stored calibration | Rarely, and usually only when a technician says so |
The third is worth a warning. A factory reset can clear load-sensing calibration on machines that store it, which means the machine goes back to guessing about your loads until it re-learns. It is not a stronger version of a power reset — it is a different operation with a cost, and it almost never fixes what a power reset could not.
How to reset a washing machine, by brand
All three of these are the manufacturer’s own documented sequence, and they are not identical. The differences are small and they matter.
Whirlpool, Maytag, Amana and Kenmore 110 — the longest wait of the three: “Simply unplug the unit for 5 minutes and then plug the unit back in. If the washer is hard-wired to the power supply, turn the breaker off… for 5 minutes and then turn the breaker back on” (Whirlpool — how to reset a washer). The same page flags the thing worth checking first: if the machine is unresponsive, confirm Control Lock is not simply switched on.
Samsung — shorter: switch off at the outlet or the breaker, wait 1 to 5 minutes for the charge to clear, then restore power (how to reset your Samsung washing machine).
LG — and this is the one that differs in a way that explains a lot. LG’s sequence is: “Power off and unplug the unit,” “Turn off the breaker,” “Hold down START/PAUSE for 5 full seconds,” then “Plug the unit back in, then turn on the circuit breaker,” and power on (LG washing machine — washer powered off mid-cycle).
That START/PAUSE hold is the step nearly every generic guide leaves out, and it is the reason an ordinary unplug-and-wait sometimes does nothing on an LG. Pressing the button while the machine is disconnected discharges current the board is still holding, so the board actually loses its state rather than sitting on a residual charge and waking up in the same condition it went to sleep in.
If your brand is not listed, the safe universal version is the Whirlpool one — five minutes with the power genuinely off. Longer does no harm.
Doing it properly
- Check Control Lock first. A locked panel looks exactly like a dead one, and no amount of resetting clears it. Look for a padlock or key icon — see washer control lock and child lock.
- Note the error code before you clear it. The reset erases your only evidence. Write it down, photograph the display, whatever — a code you cannot remember is a diagnosis you have thrown away.
- Cut the power at the outlet or the breaker. Pressing Power is not a reset; the board stays energised.
- Wait the full interval. Five minutes on Whirlpool, one to five on Samsung. Thirty seconds is not the same thing.
- On LG, hold START/PAUSE for five seconds while it is unplugged.
- Restore power and run a short empty cycle, not a full load. You are testing, not washing.
Stop-use warning: do not reset a machine that tripped a breaker, smells of burning, or has visible water around the outlet. Those are not states to be cleared — see washing machine trips the breaker and burning smell from a washing machine.
Read the result
| What happens after the reset | What it means |
|---|---|
| Runs normally, code gone, stays gone | It was a transient state. Finished |
| Same code returns at the same point | The fault is real. The reset did its job |
| Different code appears | Note both — the sequence is diagnostic information |
| Still completely dead | Not a state problem — see washing machine won’t turn on |
| Powers up but will not start a cycle | A start-permission problem — see power but won’t start |
| Runs but stops partway again | See washing machine stops mid cycle |
What a reset cannot fix
This is the short list, and it is worth reading before the second attempt.
A reset cannot clear a blocked pump filter, a kinked drain hose, an unbalanced load, a closed water valve, or too much detergent. In every one of those the machine is reporting a physical condition accurately, and clearing the report does not change the condition. The code comes back because the blockage is still there.
It also cannot fix a failing component. A worn bearing, a dying pump, a door lock that no longer latches — these produce their symptom every cycle, and a reset just delays meeting it by ten minutes.
The rough test: if the same code returns at the same stage of the cycle twice, stop resetting and start diagnosing. Two identical failures are not bad luck.
FAQ
How long should I leave it unplugged?
Five minutes covers every documented procedure. Samsung allows as little as one.
Will a reset delete my settings?
A power reset, no. A factory reset, yes — including stored calibration on some machines.
My machine has no reset button. Most do not. Cutting power at the outlet or the breaker is how to reset a washing machine.
I have reset it three times and the code keeps coming back. Then the reset is working and the fault is real. Read the code and diagnose it.
Does unplugging clear the error history?
It clears the displayed code. Service-mode fault logs usually survive, which is one reason a technician can still help after you have reset it.
The door is locked and I cannot get my laundry out. Different problem — see washing machine door locked after cycle.
Should I reset after every error?
No. Reset once to see whether the condition was transient. After that you are avoiding the diagnosis, not doing it.
