How to Defrost a Samsung Ice Maker: A Quick Guide

Reset the ice maker.

When you reset or “test” the ice maker, it should defrost on its own. Open the fridge and remove the ice bucket. Then, find the reset button at the top right of the ice maker and push down on it for 5 seconds. You'll hear a chime when the reset starts. Put the ice bucket back in place, so it catches the ice that the maker will quickly dump. The reset button may be labeled "Test." If the reset button on your Samsung ice maker isn't on the top right of the maker, check the bottom. If the ice bucket is frozen or stuck in place, gently wiggle it and look for a bucket release button or lever that your model may have. If the bucket is frozen solid, do not use a hairdryer or try to chip away at the ice—you may void your warranty. Samsung refrigerators have a lot of circuitry that you may accidentally damage.

Wait 24 hours to see if it makes ice.

If the reset worked, your ice maker will be back to normal within a day. If it hasn't made ice within a day or it's not continuing to freeze and dump, then your reset didn't successfully defrost the ice maker. In this case, move on to your next option: a forced defrost. For context, if your Samsung ice maker is operating correctly, it should make 2 trays of ice every 3 hours.

Get into the ice maker's interface if the reset doesn't work.

Hold 2 buttons down, and you can access your options on the interface. If you've got a tabletop model, press the "power freeze" and "fridge" buttons simultaneously for 8 seconds. If you've got a dispenser model, press both the "freezer" and "lighting" buttons for 8 seconds. Release the buttons when the screen goes blank and you hear a beep.

Run a forced freezer defrost.

Press the "lighting" button to cycle through options until you see "FD." Then, select this option (which is short for "forced freezer defrost"). A forced freezer defrost will melt all of the ice that's built up in the ice maker compartment—this might be what's causing the ice maker to stop running correctly. In some Samsung models, you can press any button on the interface in order to cycle through the options. Don't stop on "RD," which is for forced refrigerator defrosts.

Wait 1 hour.

After an hour, you'll be able to tell if your defrost was successful. Remove the ice bucket and lay a small towel in the ice compartment for the entirety of the forced freezer defrost. This absorbs water as the machine defrosts. If you have a Samsung fridge, listen for continuous beeping as the defrost cycle runs. When the beeping stops, the cycle is complete. It should take around half an hour, although some models may take closer to 1 hour. Keep the fridge and freezer doors closed while it's operating.

Check the ice maker for ice buildup.

If you see liquid, the forced freezer defrost worked. Remove the wet towel—pull it out slowly since ice chunks may have fallen on it as the top of the ice compartment defrosted. If you still see ice on the walls of the ice maker, run another forced freezer defrost cycle and check it again. If you've run several forced defrost cycles but it doesn't look like the ice is melting at all, remove the food from your fridge and run a forced fridge defrost—select "RD" on the interface or unplug your refrigerator. This defrosts both the fridge and the freezer compartments.

Wipe down melted ice with a towel.

If you leave water in the bucket, it could freeze and cause ice build-up. Take a towel and quickly wipe the compartment, too. Once everything is dry, put the ice bucket back and operate the ice maker normally.

Request service if the ice maker still doesn't work.

Samsung can offer you professional troubleshooting and updates. If you've reset the ice maker and performed a forced reset but the ice maker still doesn't make ice, call 1-800-SAMSUNG (726-7864). If your ice maker repeatedly stops working, it might require a firmware update, so don't try manually defrosting the ice maker. If you've got a Family Hub refrigerator connected to Samsung's SmartThings, you'll need to connect the fridge to SmartThings and the firmware will update itself. Customer service is available every day from 8 am to 12 am EST. You can also text "HELP" to 62913 to connect with the customer service department.

Prevent future ice build-up.

Do a reset every few months to maintain your Samsung ice maker. If it's producing ice normally, great! If it's not or you notice ice starting to build up in the compartment, push the reset button or run a defrost cycle. You probably only have to do this every 3 months. Wipe up any spills in the compartment before they have a chance to freeze. Cheryl Mendelson Cheryl Mendelson, Homekeeping Expert Samsung refrigerators need occasional ice maker defrosts when frost slows production. Switch off the freezer, carefully aimed a hair dryer to loosen stuck ice off key parts—the tray and blades in particular. Remove any melted water before it refreezes. With electrical precautions followed, the handy process takes under 30 minutes while restoring full chilling power per Samsung’s guidelines. Don’t settle for subpar ice; timely defrosts are the simple trick to abundant frost again.