All LG refrigerators ship with a default temperature of 37ºF for the refrigerator section and 0ºF for the freezer section. These are the temperatures that have been found to be ideal for storing food without causing ice crystals or frost to form.
However, the temperature that a refrigerator displays may not tell the whole story. Testing by Consumer Reports has shown that some refrigerators can be off by up to 5ºF.
So if you’ve changed your temperature and the refrigerator is too cold or too warm now, resetting it may help to fix any issues you’re having.
To reset your LG refrigerator temperature, press the Refrigerator button until it reaches 37ºF and the Freezer button until it reaches 0ºF. This will return your refrigerator to the default setting. Keep in mind that LG strongly recommends changing your refrigerator’s temperature by no more than 1º per 24 hours.
A single degree may not seem like much, but it can have a big effect on both your food and ice production.
This will also prevent rapid changes in the temperature of your fridge which could spoil or damage the food you have stored.
Temperature Ranges For LG Refrigerators
The temperature ranges available for LG refrigerators varies depending on which model you have. However, in general, here’s what you can expect:
| Compartment | Coldest Setting | Warmest Setting | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| Refrigerator | 37ºF (1ºC) | 43ºF (7ºC) | 37ºF (1ºC) |
| Freezer | -7ºF (-23ºC) | 5ºF (-15ºC) | 0ºF (-18ºC) |
Each time you tap the Refrigerator or Freezer buttons, the temperature setting will change by roughly one degree. I say “roughly” because the displayed temperature may not always be 100% accurate.
But there is an easy way to double check that your refrigerator is set properly!
How To Check The Temperature Of Your Refrigerator
Most of the time you’ll be able to tell if your refrigerator is set too warm or too cold simply by checking the food inside of it.
If your food is forming ice crystals or liquids like milk are partially freezing, then it’s set too cold. If your food is spoiling quickly or turning brown, it’s set too warm.
But you can go a step further by purchasing a refrigerator thermometer that will tell you the exact temperature of your fridge and freezer compartments. These little devices are very affordable and can help you monitor your fridge for any potential problems.
These digital refrigerator thermometers are easy to read and have a magnetic backing so you don't have to take up precious shelf space.
Refrigerator thermometers can help you determine what setting is the right one for your exact refrigerator and the way that you have it configured. (Believe it or not, a refrigerator’s temperature depends partially on how much food you have stored in it.)
If you have an older refrigerator, the Department of Energy recommends placing one thermometer on the top shelf towards the back and one on the bottom shelf towards the front. This will help you determine if there is enough air flow in the refrigerator to maintain a constant temperature without creating any warm spots.
How To Change The Temperature Mode
Most LG refrigerators can display temperature in either Fahrenheit or Celsius.
If you’ve accidentally changed modes or just want to try something different, you can change the mode by following these steps:
- Press and hold both the Refrigerator and Freezer buttons down.
- Wait five seconds or until the temperature indicator switches between modes.
- Release the buttons.
Changing modes won’t affect the way the refrigerator operates and is mostly for your convenience.
Quick Recap
Here is a quick summary of what you need to know when resetting your refrigerator temperature:
- The default refrigerator temperature for LG fridges is 37ºF for the main compartment and 0ºF for the freezer.
- Tap the Refrigerator button to change the main compartment temperature by 1º or the Freezer button to change the freezer temperature by 1º.
- It’s a good idea to pick up a couple of refrigerator thermometers to double check the actual temperature and to catch potential problems more quickly.
- You can switch between Fahrenheit and Celsius by pressing the Refrigerator and Freezer buttons down at the same time and holding them for 5 seconds.
Patrick Ward