LG 1F fault codewhat it means and how to fix it
The lint filter is not in the machine. Note this is not a dirty filter — LG have no code for that — and note it is one transposition away from a completely different fault.
Take care
What 1F means
LG label this NONE LINT FILTER ERROR, give the cause as "The lint filter is not in the appliance", and the instruction as "Insert the lint filter." It is one of the very few LG codes with a genuine owner fix rather than an instruction to unplug and call. Two things make it worth a page. The first is the near-collision. F1 and 1F are different codes for unrelated faults — one is a sudden rise in drum temperature, the other is a missing filter — and they are one transposition apart on a small display.
If you have written the code down and are now unsure, the practical test is easy: look in the door and see whether the filter is there. The second is what LG do not have. LG have no code that detects a blocked filter — their only filter code detects one that is absent. What they have instead is a reminder that does not look at the filter at all: on these machines a filter symbol "lights up when the lint filter should be cleaned", and LG’s definition of when is "Cleaning notice: When you press the Power button, the icon will become displayed" — every time, regardless of state.
The premium phrase-display machines say it in words, "Clean the filter to start the cycle" or "Clean inner and outer filters to start cycle", before and after every cycle. So the machine will nag you at every start whether the filter is clean or not, and it will run happily with a filter thick enough to double your drying times if you ignore it. That is worth knowing, because the prompt carries no information about the filter’s state; the cleaning is your responsibility, and LG’s own instruction is to remove the lint before every cycle and hold the filter up to a light to see whether it is clogged.
What causes it
| Cause | What is actually happening | How likely |
|---|---|---|
| The filter was left out after cleaning | Overwhelmingly the usual reason, and the code exists precisely to catch it. Running a dryer without its lint filter sends fibre straight into the machine, which is why LG detect it rather than letting you. | Common |
| The filter is in but not seated properly | Pushed in at an angle or not all the way down, it does not register as present. From the front it can look entirely normal. | Common |
| The filter is damaged or a part of it is missing | A filter that has cracked, or lost a section of its frame, may not sit where the detection expects it. It also filters poorly, so it is worth replacing rather than persevering with. | Occasional |
| The detection has failed | Where a sound filter is demonstrably fitted correctly and the code persists. Uncommon, and the only version that needs an engineer. | Rare |
What to try yourself
Take the washing out and spread it, then open the door and look for the lint filter in the door opening.
If it is not there, find it — it is usually next to the machine after a cleaning session — and clean it before refitting.
Push it fully into position until it seats. Seated and resting in the opening look the same from the front and the machine can tell the difference.
Check the filter itself for cracks or a missing section of frame, which can stop it sitting where the detection expects.
While you are there, clean it properly. LG have no code that detects a dirty filter — the filter symbol that lights when you press Power is a reminder shown every time, not a reading — so do it before every cycle, and hold the filter up to a light to check it is not clogged, as LG’s manuals say.
Restart. If the code persists with a sound filter correctly fitted, the detection is the remaining explanation and it is worth a call.
Get a qualified appliance engineer to look at your LG 1F
We do not pass enquiries to a repair firm, so there is no form here. When you book a qualified appliance 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–£120
Time on site
5 minutes
Free almost always, since it is a filter that needs putting back. A replacement filter is an inexpensive part and a failed detection sensor is the only chargeable outcome.
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
- F1Stop — call an engineerThe drum temperature has risen suddenly, and LG say unplug it and call. One LG manual also assigns this same code to a compressor failure, which is a documentation error worth knowing about.Related: same brand
- OEGet it checkedThe drain pump. But LG publish a second cause that no third-party site carries, and it explains why a dryer in a cold garage throws this code in January.Related: same brand
- LE1Get it checkedThe motor stopped suddenly. LG give one owner check before their usual instruction, and it is worth doing because it is free.Related: same brand
- CCUsually simple to fixThe inner condenser cover is not fitted. This is a code that only appears after you have cleaned something, which makes it good news dressed as a fault.Related: same brand
Own a LG tumble dryer? Save it and its codes come first next time.
Related guides
Common questions about LG 1F
My filter is definitely in there.
Then check it is fully seated rather than resting in the opening, and check the filter itself for damage — a cracked frame can hold it a few millimetres out of position. If it is sound and properly fitted and the code stays, the detection has failed and that needs an engineer.
Is this the same as F1?
No, and this is worth being careful about. F1 is a sudden rise in drum temperature and LG tell you to unplug and call for service. 1F is a missing lint filter and you fix it yourself in thirty seconds. They are one transposition apart, so read the code twice.
How do I know when to clean the filter?
Before every cycle, which is LG’s own instruction. The filter symbol that lights when you press Power is a reminder shown every time rather than a measurement, and the phrase-display machines say "Clean the filter to start the cycle" before and after each cycle in the same spirit. Neither tells you the filter is actually blocked — LG have no code that does — so clean it after every load and hold it up to a light now and then to see whether the mesh is clogged.
What happens if I run it without a filter?
The machine stops, which is the point of this code. If it did not, fibre would go straight into the heat exchanger and the ducting, where you cannot easily get it out and where it sits next to a heat source. Do not defeat this one.
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 technical and service documentation
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.