To turn off refrigerator demo mode, you usually press and hold a specific pair of buttons for several seconds until the fridge chimes or beeps, and the manual for your model lists the exact pair. Demo mode, also called showroom, display or Cooling Off mode, keeps the lights and control panel working while cooling stays switched off.
Quick diagnosis
| Symptom | Likely cause | First thing to try |
|---|---|---|
| Lights and display on, inside warm, compressor silent | Demo mode | Look for a demo readout and check the manual |
| Display reads "OF OF" or "O FF" (many Samsung models) | Samsung's Cooling Off (demo) mode | Hold the button pair your manual lists until it chimes |
| Display reads "O F F" (many LG models) | LG's Display (demo) mode | Hold the button pair your manual lists until it beeps |
| Normal temperatures back on the display | Demo mode is off | Give the fridge the cool-down time the manual lists |
| No demo readout and still warm | A different fault | Check the temperature settings, then call |
Display readouts vary by model and series, so treat these as examples and confirm with your manual.
A closer look
What demo mode does
Stores want shoppers to see the lights, the display and the dispenser without the noise and power draw of a running compressor. Demo mode does exactly that. The fridge looks alive, but cooling is disabled in both compartments, so it isn't safe for storing food.
How it gets turned on by accident
The mode is usually reached by holding a specific button pair for several seconds. That's easy to do without meaning to: wiping down a touch panel, a child pressing buttons, or a floor model that left the store with the mode still on.
Turning it off
Find your model number on the label inside the fresh food section, then pull up the manual for that model. The exit sequence is often the combination that turned it on, though some newer models add extra presses. We don't list combinations here because they differ by model and year, and the wrong ones can change other settings. When it works, the fridge usually chimes and the normal temperature readout returns. Some connected models also let you switch the mode off from the door screen or app.
When it isn't demo mode
If there's no demo readout, make sure the temperature hasn't been set to its warmest point or turned off. Listen near the bottom back for the compressor. A silent compressor and a warm fridge with no demo mode usually means a real fault.
Who runs into this most
New homeowners, people who just had a fridge delivered, families with young kids, and anyone who recently deep-cleaned a touch control panel.
Prevention checklist
- •Turn on the control lock if your model has one
- •Wipe touch panels with the lock engaged
- •Keep the manual or note the model number somewhere handy
- •After delivery, confirm the fridge is cooling within the time the manual gives
Time to call a pro
- •The manual's sequence doesn't clear the mode
- •Demo mode is off but the compressor still won't start
- •The display shows a fault code you can't clear (codes vary by model)
- •The fridge cools briefly and then warms again
Travis's rule of thumb: A fridge that's lit up and warm is often doing exactly what someone told it to. Check the mode before you check the parts.
Demo mode cleared and still no cold air? Start with our Samsung appliance repair page or call ProFix Houston at (832) 552-1615. Just had a French door model delivered? It may also need its doors leveled and lined up.