How to Unlock Samsung Refrigerator Control Panel? Easy Solutions

Discover how to unlock Samsung refrigerator control panel and fix damaged and unresponsive control board with our easy step-by-step troubleshooting guide.

Can’t figure out how to unlock Samsung refrigerator control panel after your naughty mischievous kids pushed the lock buttons on your appliance by accident?

Well, you can unlock the control panel on your Samsung fridge by pressing and holding several buttons – such as the door alarm key, fridge temperature key or the energy saver button for 5 seconds or until you hear your fridge chime.

Although locking is far more simple and easy, unlocking the control panel back may prove to be challenging. If you want a detailed step-by-step guide for all the different ways to unlock the control panel, you better keep scrolling. And who knows? You may also find a bonus troubleshooting guide for dealing with unresponsive control panels. 

How to Unlock Samsung Refrigerator Control Panel? Step-by-step Guide

Common Locks Found in Samsung Refrigerators

In order to understand the different ways of unlocking the control board, you must acquaint yourself with some of its neighbor locks that are scattered nearby to the control lock. However, note that all of these features may not be present in each and every Samsung refrigerator model. Let’s dive in!

Dispenser Lock: This feature allows you to lock the water and ice dispenser to prevent accidental or unauthorized use, especially helpful if you have young children who might play with the dispenser.
Child Lock: Child lock is a more comprehensive lock that can restrict access to the entire refrigerator, including doors and controls. It’s particularly useful to prevent children from opening the fridge, changing settings, or taking out items without permission.
Alarm Lock: Some Samsung refrigerators have an alarm lock that can trigger an alert if the door is left open for an extended period. This helps to maintain proper temperature levels and prevent food spoilage.
Temperature Lock: This lock allows you to lock the temperature settings for both the refrigerator and freezer compartments, preventing unintended changes that could affect the freshness of your stored items.
Smart Lock: In more advanced models, Samsung refrigerators might offer smart lock features, allowing you to control locks remotely through a connected smartphone app. This can be useful for managing your fridge while you’re away from home.
Ice Maker Lock: Similar to the dispenser lock, an ice maker lock can prevent the ice maker from producing ice. This is useful if you want to conserve energy or avoid ice production for a specific period.
Control Panel Lock: This lock restricts access to the control panel on the front of the refrigerator, preventing accidental button presses or changes to settings.

Why Samsung Refrigerator Panel Not Responding?

Why Samsung Refrigerator Panel Not Responding?

It’s not like every time your fridge control panel seems unresponsive, it’s because of Sabbath mode or the Child Lock button is on. The unresponsiveness could also be caused by technical issues. Let’s discuss the possibilities one by one. 

1. Control Panel Encountered a Glitch

Samsung refrigerators have a hard time processing several commands at once. When you try to save numerous changes in the settings within the same couple of minutes, your fridge’s control panel may have run into a glitch or froze up.

Moreover, the control panel may also face a glitch right after a power outage, particularly if you did not unplug your fridge before the power comes back.

How to Fix: If your fridge control panel just only froze and not showing any error codes, you can fix the glitch with a simple restart. A power cycle should do the magic. Pull out the power cord of your fridge for 60 seconds before switching it back on and it should be good to go!

You may also want to go for a harder rese. It’s similar to how you defrost a Samsung fridge. You need to take everything out from your fridge and keep it unplugged for at least 20 – 30 minutes.

This will reset all previous temperature settings and decrease the appliance’s electrical load. After plugging back in, you need to redo all settings from scratch and then wait for 24 hours before putting foods back in.

Nevertheless, if you see error codes  on the screen that won’t stop coming even after a reset, perhaps you should contact an expert technician for a thorough diagnosis.

2. Fridge Isn’t Receiving Enough Power

Power issues in the fridge are very common no matter if your refrigerator is new or old. Multiple power surges can wear out your fridge’s power cord and trip the circuit breaker. Worst Case Scenario – the entire control board may get burnt and damaged. 

If you’re lucky, you may get a burning smell coming from the back unit. However, it will be hard to troubleshoot if your power cord and incompatible adapter are damaged as your appliance will keep running but not function properly. As a result, your control board will malfunction.

How to Fix: First off, search for any damage or loose connections in the wire harnesses. You can check the wiring for damage now that the display panel has been partially removed.

Moreover, you must replace or repair the wires and power cables if you notice any kind of fraying or physical damage to them. 

In the case of burning or melting due to frequent power surges or overheating, you don’t have much to do on your own, the only solution is to replace the display panel as a whole. Or, if your fridge still has warranty left, you may contact Samsung Customer Service to book a free servicing.

3. Touchpad Has Gone Bad

An unresponsive control panel could also be caused by a defective touchpad. If that’s the case, no matter how hard you push the buttons and locks, nothing will work. The touchpad may have worn out because of electrical issues such as frequent power surges and short-circuiting. 

How to Fix: The only solution is to get it repaired or replaced by a new one by a professional. But before you call a repairman, you should be sure whether your touchpad has actually become damaged or just froze. Do a factory reset. If the touchpad is still unresponsive, then seek expert help.

Read More –

How To Reset Samsung Refrigerator? Solve Common Errors

How to Unlock Samsung Refrigerator Control Panel?

All set to put your Samsung refrigerator to use and unlock its control panel? Let’s begin!

Unlock samsung fridge control lock
Before you attempt any of these suggested techniques below, make sure that your fridge is standing upright and is connected to a power source.
Use The Energy Saver Button
Simply press and hold the Energy Saver button for 5 seconds. This simple action will unlock the control lock of your Samsung refrigerator. The button will be labeled on the control panel, hence you’ll have no troubles locating it.
Use The Door-Alarm Button
Press and hold the door alarm button on your refrigerator’s control board for 5 seconds or until you hear a sharp chime from your fridge. This is another sure way of unlocking its control lock.
Press Child Lock Buttons
You can also push and hold the child lock buttons for 3-5 seconds to unlock the control instantly.
However, some Samsung fridge models may not feature these child lock buttons. What you can do in that case is press and hold a combination of the ‘Temperature’ button and the ‘Power Fridge’ key. 

You may also find a ‘Vacation’ button depending on what model you have. You can press that key simultaneously with the ‘Fridge Temperature’ button for a successful unlock. 

If you tried out pressing and holding some of the key buttons of the control panel listed above, perhaps your Samsung fridge is in Sabbath Mode, demo mode or someone has turned on Parental Control navigation.

How to Turn Off Sabbath Mode?

To manually disconnect from Sabbath mode, start with pressing the door alarm and water/ice buttons for at least 3-5 seconds. 

More better, if you have the SmartThings app on your smartphone, you can also deactivate the Sabbath mode digitally via the app. Just locate your refrigerator unit on the app, go to the Menu section, and then go to Refrigerator Options, and tap on Sabbath Mode. If it shows that it’s turned on, flick it off.

(P.S – Not all Samsung refrigerator models may feature Sabbath mode. Check your User Manual to verify if your model features this setting.)

How to Turn Off Parental Control Settings? 

Now again, not all Samsung refrigerators may have Parental Hub navigation but if yours does, then:

  • Go to the ‘Settings’ menu on the Hub home screen.
  • Next, select Security or Parental Controls.
  • Click on ‘Toggle Disable Parental Controls’ on top of the screen.
  • You may also be asked to input your 4-digit PIN to make sure it’s the parent that’s turning it off, not some naughty brats.

How to Turn Off Demo or Cooling Off Mode?

Demo mode is basically an alternative way to turn off your fridge without pulling out the power cord or disconnecting all power sources. If you have accidentally pushed the demo button unintentionally, your refrigerator’s cooling system has shut off.

To remedy the situation, you should press the Freezer, Alarm and Fridge Temperature buttons simultaneously and hold that way until a chime resounds. And voila! The Cooling Off mode should be switched off now.

Before you worry about how to unlock the control lock of your Samsung fridge, be sure if you had locked it properly. If you did not lock the controls of your fridge the right way, the unlocking process will become complicated.

How To Lock Samsung Fridge Control Panel?

Knowing how to lock your fridge’s controls properly will make the unlocking process a breeze. Likewise, if you push random buttons for trying to lock the panel, it will do more harm than good. This is how you lock correctly:

Step 1: Press and hold the energy saver key for about 5 seconds.
Step 2: Next, you’ll notice that the control lock icon has popped up, which indicates you’re doing a great job.
Step 3: The control lock will deactivate the display and the dispenser buttons. Now, your refrigerator’s control is locked.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I Unlock the Control Panel Using the Smartphone App?
Many high-end Samsung refrigerator models come with smart features that allow you to unlock the control panel through the connected app. Consult with your refrigerator’s manual guide and check the app’s instructions for more clear assurance.
Is There a Default Unlock Code For Samsung Refrigerator Control Panels?
No, not really. Although Samsung fridges don’t come with a default unlock code, you will be required to set up your own PIN unlock code during or after installation setup. Even if you forget the PIN code, you’ll be able to reset it. The guidelines for resetting PIN code are outlined in the User Manual booklet. 
Why Does My Refrigerator’s Control Panel Keep Locking Automatically?
Well, some Samsung refrigerators do have an auto lock feature that automatically activates the control lock after a long period of inactivity. If you’re sick of it, there’s an option to disable this setting on the Menu bar.
How Do I Disable the Child Lock on My Refrigerator?
It’s super easy and only takes 5 seconds. Simply press and hold the “Child Lock” button until the lock indicator turns off.
Can I Unlock the Control Panel During a Power Outage?
It’s not recommended. The control panel lock status should be kept as it is during a power outage. Once power comes back, the panel should still be locked or unlocked as it was previously set. 

Wrapping Up

Now that you’re familiar with the different locking mechanisms of your fridge, you can make use of this knowledge at your convenience from now on – especially when guests bring little brats with them to your house.

Anyways, that’s the end of our troubleshooting guide on what to do if your Samsung fridge control panel is unresponsive and locked.

If your mind is too puzzled with which buttons to press at the same time to unlock which button or lock which button, you can simply perform a hard reset. It will make your fridge forget all the previously configured data and settings so you’ll have to lock/unlock certain buttons from the beginning.

Don’t forget to take help from the user manual which has really detailed instructions when it comes to locking and unlocking.

Author

Grace R. Rose

Meet Grace, our Refrigerator expert. Her industry knowledge and passion make her a reliable source for refrigerator advice. She stays informed on current trends and shares her expertise through articles and product reviews. Grace focuses on helping people find their ideal refrigerator, no matter their living situation. She prides herself on providing honest, unbiased reviews to guide consumer purchases.