LG OFF fault codewhat it means and how to fix it
Shop mode. LG publish how it gets switched on by accident at home, and give two ways out — including a ten second power cycle that does work on LG.
Take care
What OFF means
LG describe this as a special function for displaying the product in the shop before sale, which operates only limited functions such as the power supply and the display without running other parts inside the product. In other words the fridge lights up, responds to buttons and does not cool. What makes LG's material better than anyone else's is that they explain how a fridge in somebody's kitchen ends up in it, and their sentence is worth quoting in full: OFF may be displayed when the temperature control button is pressed and held by mistake in the course of opening the door and taking out food, or during wiping the display with a wet wipe or towel.
So this is not only an ex-display problem. A fridge you have owned for years can go into shop mode because somebody cleaned the front of it with a damp cloth, and the symptom is an appliance that looks perfectly healthy and is quietly at room temperature. LG publish two exits and they are both worth knowing because they suit different situations. The button route is to open the door on the refrigerator side, hold the FRIDGE button and press Express FRZ three times; on some models it is instead holding FRIDGE and Express FRZ together for three seconds.
Note the door has to be open on the fridge side — the sequence will not work otherwise and that step is easy to skip. The other route is simply to pull the plug or trip the breaker, wait ten seconds and restore power, after which LG say OFF will disappear and a normal operating temperature will be displayed. That second route is specific to LG and must not be assumed elsewhere: Samsung publish that their equivalent survives being unplugged on many of their ranges. LG also publish prevention, which is unusual and sensible. Wipe the display with a dry towel rather than a wet one. If you rarely use the lock button, hold it for two to three seconds to lock the panel. And if you take food out through the door on the opposite side to the display, be careful not to press the display with your other hand.
What causes it
| Cause | What is actually happening | How likely |
|---|---|---|
| The temperature control button was held by accident | LG’s own published cause. Reaching into the fridge and leaning on the panel is enough, and nobody registers having done it. | Common |
| The display was wiped with a wet cloth | Also LG’s wording. A damp wipe drags across several touch controls at once and can read as a deliberate press and hold. | Common |
| The appliance was an ex-display model | The original purpose of the mode. If it has never cooled since it arrived, this is the first thing to rule out rather than the last. | Occasional |
What to try yourself
Confirm the symptoms match: the display is lit, the light comes on, the buttons respond, and the appliance is not cold. That combination is shop mode rather than a failure.
Open the door on the refrigerator side. LG’s button sequence requires it and it will not work with the door shut.
Hold the FRIDGE button and press Express FRZ three times. On some models it is holding FRIDGE and Express FRZ together for three seconds instead — LG publish both.
Listen for the sound LG say confirms the setting has been deactivated.
If the buttons do not do it, pull the plug or trip the breaker for ten seconds and restore power. LG publish this as an alternative exit and it works on their appliances.
Prevent a repeat: wipe the display with a dry cloth only, and lock the control panel if you rarely use it. LG recommend a two to three second hold on the lock button.
Get a qualified refrigeration engineer to look at your LG OFF
We do not pass enquiries to a repair firm, so there is no form here. When you book a qualified refrigeration engineer, tell them the make, the model and the exact code or message on the display, and ask whether they carry parts for this make — that is what turns one visit into a repair rather than a quote.
What it costs to fix
Typical repair cost
£0
Time on site
10 minutes
Nothing. This is a setting with a published exit, not a fault.
Typical UK prices including parts and labour, updated September 2026. Your quote may differ.
Own this appliance and had this code? . Nothing is published until a person has read it.
Related LG fault codes
- FFGet it checkedFreezer fan. LG’s master list says request service, but their own dedicated article gives owner steps, and the usual cause is frost around the motor.Related: same brand
- dHGet it checkedThe defrost cycle ran and the temperature did not rise. LG give the exact test it failed, and their own per-code articles give a reset and a long manual defrost before the service call.Related: same brand
- Beeping with the door closedUsually simple to fixLG publish seven causes and a door switch test you can do with a finger. The fridge thinks a door is open, and usually something is holding it.Related: same brand
- FUGet it checkedThe freezer did not get cold enough in the time allowed. LG give real owner steps for this one, including a paper test for the door seals.Related: same brand
- CHGet it checkedLG’s master list calls this a refrigerant leak. Their per-code article is more careful: a cooling-power inspection code that can be temporary in use, with a five minute reset before the service call.Related: same brand
- LoUsually simple to fixNot a fault. LG classify this as a warning that the room is below minus ten degrees, which is why garage fridges misbehave in winter.Related: same brand
Own a LG fridge or freezer? Save it and its codes come first next time.
Related guides
Common questions about LG OFF
Will unplugging it fix this?
On an LG, yes. Their published remedy is to pull out the power plug or shut down the circuit breaker, wait ten seconds, and turn the power back on, after which OFF will disappear and a normal operating temperature will be displayed. Do not carry that across to other brands — Samsung publish that on many of their ranges the equivalent mode remains even when the power is off and on again.
The button sequence does not work.
Check the fridge-side door is open, because LG’s procedure starts with that and it is the step people miss. If it still does not take, try the other published variant — holding FRIDGE and Express FRZ together for three seconds rather than pressing Express FRZ three times — and then fall back on the ten second power cycle.
How do I stop it happening again?
LG give three preventions. Wipe the display with a dry towel rather than a wet one. Lock the control panel by holding the lock button for two to three seconds if you seldom need it. And when reaching into the fridge from the opposite side, be careful not to press the display with your free hand.
Technical review
Not reviewed by an engineer
No engineer has read this page. Severity follows what the manufacturer publishes, and we would rather tell you that than let a byline imply a sign-off.
Sources and how we verified this
We establish the facts from the sources below and then write the explanation ourselves. We do not copy manufacturer wording and we do not host their manuals.
- Manufacturer support portal
This page has not been reviewed by an engineer, and we would rather tell you that than imply otherwise. The severity rating follows what the manufacturer publishes: where they say isolate the appliance and call someone, so do we.