Check the site before you lift anything
- Check your model’s required space, power connection and vent route before drilling.
- Fasten the wall plate to at least one stud, prepare the upper cabinet, then lift and bolt the microwave with a helper.
- If the site needs electrical, gas or ductwork, arrange that work before mounting.
You’ve got a new microwave in its box and an empty gap under the cabinet above your range. We’d check the opening, existing services and wall studs first, because those decide whether the mounting job can go ahead.
Open the box and check the mounting kit against the parts list in your model’s installation instructions. Plan on two people and roughly two hours for the mounting job.
If you’re handing the job to an installer, give them the model number, opening measurements, outlet location and planned vent route. Tell them about any cabinet, electrical, gas, duct or mounting work the site needs, and ask what their installation includes, what may cost extra and which warranty terms apply.
Measure the opening and door space
Measure the cabinet opening and available height against your chosen model’s installation instructions before marking the wall. You need its required clearances and enough room for the door to open.
For one point of reference, Whirlpool’s general clearance guidance (opens in a new tab) gives 12 to 13 inches above the range, 66 inches from the floor to the top of the microwave, and at least 6 inches beside a wall on the left. Use your model’s figures for the installation. A Samsung ME19A7041WS, for example, calls for a 30-inch-wide space between cabinets.
The microwave’s own height matters too. Standard models run 12 to 15 inches tall, while a low-profile model is roughly 10¼ inches and can fit spaces that would usually only take a range hood. The same mounting steps work for low-profile models, but the dimensions can differ.
Don’t worry if it sticks out a few inches past the cabinet fronts. That can be normal for over-the-range models, and the extra room lets the door open all the way. Shallower cabinets can leave more of the microwave projecting outward.
You generally won’t need a trim kit either. Those are mostly for countertop microwaves mounted above a range to look built in. If the opening, height or door clearance misses your model’s requirements, sort out the fit before drilling.
Choose the vent route and check the power
An outdoor duct isn’t required for every over-the-range microwave. First identify whether this installation will recirculate air indoors or use an existing wall or roof vent. Then check the blower’s shipped position against your model’s instructions before you mount the unit.
| Vent route | What to check before mounting | Next action |
|---|---|---|
| Recirculation | Check whether the blower is set to send air back into the room. Frigidaire over-the-range models are factory preset this way; an LG LMV1762 needs its shipped roof-vent setting changed. | If the blower needs conversion, arrange that work with an installer before mounting. No outdoor duct is needed for this route. |
| Through the rear wall | Check the existing wall duct and the model’s rear exhaust layout. On GE Appliances models, the rear template is used for outside venting from the back. | If the blower needs conversion, arrange that work with an installer before mounting. Use the model’s specified parts and duct dimensions. Arrange professional help if the wall vent needs changes. |
| Through the roof | Check the existing upper duct, the model’s required clearance and its blower setting. The LG LMV1762 ships set for roof venting. | Follow the model’s roof-vent connection instructions. If blower conversion or new ductwork is needed, arrange it before mounting. |
The blower positions differ by product. The LG LMV1762 ships set for roof venting and needs an adjustment for wall or room venting; give the LG installation instructions (opens in a new tab) to your installer if that setting needs changing. Use the supplied parts specified for your chosen route; if the existing duct does not meet the model’s requirements, get that work resolved before lifting the microwave.
On a Maytag over-the-range microwave vented through the roof, leave at least 3 inches between the top of the microwave and the transition piece. That is a Maytag requirement, so use your own model’s clearance for its vent path.
The microwave also needs the electrical connection specified for its installation. If an outlet must be added or you have a wiring concern, call a licensed electrician before mounting.
Clear the range without pulling its connections
Unplug the range if its plug is accessible, or switch off the range circuit at the breaker or fuse box, then carefully slide it out of the opening with your helper. As it moves, check that its power cord and any gas line are not caught or pulled. If a connection prevents the move, stop and arrange professional help. Changes to a gas supply belong to a qualified service technician.
Lay a drop cloth or towel on the floor to protect it and keep the mess contained. The range should be clear of the work area with its connections free, not under strain. If you’re replacing the range as part of the project, how an induction stove works may help with that separate choice.
Next, find the mounting plate. It may be attached to the back of the microwave or tucked in the foam packaging. If it’s on the back, carefully detach it and set it aside.
Find the studs before you mark the plate
Run a stud finder along the wall under the cabinet. Find the edges of each stud, mark its center, then use a pencil and level to draw a straight vertical line down the wall from each one. Those lines show you which plate holes can fasten into studs.
The plate needs at least one stud, and two are better. If you can’t locate one behind the mounting space, stop here and have the mounting site assessed before drilling.
Mark, drill and fasten the wall plate
Your microwave may come with two cardboard templates, one for the rear wall and one for the bottom of the upper cabinet. Cut out the rear-wall one with scissors and keep the other for later. No rear-wall template in the box? Use the mounting bracket itself on the wall.
- Tape the rear-wall template to the wall, or hold the bracket still against it. Get it level and flush with the bottom edge of the upper cabinet. If it will not sit there as your model requires, check the opening before marking holes.
- Mark the drill holes near the bottom corners, then draw a horizontal line along the bottom edge. Remove the cardboard template if you used one, and line the mounting plate up with those marks.
- Hold the plate in position and mark its specified stud hole at a vertical stud line. Check that the marked fastening point lands on a stud before drilling.
- Before drilling, locate outlets and wiring that could be hidden behind the wall, then disconnect power to any circuits the drilling could affect. If you’re unsure which circuits those are, ask an electrician before proceeding. Drill the marked holes and fasten the plate using the hardware and hole locations in your model’s installation instructions. The stud fastener must go into the stud. Where the instructions specify a toggle for a hole away from a stud, use that specified toggle. Check that the plate is secure before going on.
For a concrete hardware example, one Whirlpool installation guide (opens in a new tab) pairs a lag screw with a toggle bolt when one end hole meets a stud. Use your own model’s fastener sizes and pattern. If the plate shifts or a stud fastener misses the stud, correct the mounting before lifting.
Prepare the cabinet openings
Empty the cabinet above the space. Lay the upper-cabinet template on the cabinet bottom, centered against the rear wall, with its centerlines matching the vertical lines on the wall and any rear-wall arrows pointing at the wall.
Follow your model’s template and instructions for the power-cord opening and the upper mounting bolts. The cord needs a clear route into the cabinet, and the bolt locations must match the microwave. If the cabinet template is missing, use the hole positions and sizes in the model’s installation instructions before cutting.
Lift it in with a helper and bolt it up
Before lifting, take out the turntable plate and anything else loose inside, then tape the door shut so it can’t swing open mid-lift. Keep your helper there through the fastening step.
- Lift the microwave together and position it at the mounting plate. On a Maytag model with support tabs, rest it on the tabs at the plate’s bottom. If the unit does not engage its plate as your model directs, lower it and check the plate position.
- Tilt the microwave toward you and feed the power cord through its cabinet opening. Make sure the cord reaches the cabinet without being trapped.
- Rotate the microwave upward and push it against the mounting plate. Your helper should keep it held there while you check that the upper bolt holes line up.
- With your helper still supporting the microwave, insert the supplied bolts through the cabinet bottom into the microwave. Tighten them as your model directs until the unit is secure. If the holes do not line up or the microwave remains loose, lower it and correct the mounting before use.
A Maytag installation calls for tightening until the microwave sits flush with the cabinet. Follow your own model’s finished position and fastening instructions.
Questions that come up during installation
Does the microwave need an outdoor vent?
No. An over-the-range microwave can be set up to recirculate air indoors if that route is supported by the model.
Can I mount it without a wall stud?
Stop if there is no stud behind the mounting space. The wall plate needs to fasten to at least one stud.
Do I need a trim kit?
Generally, no. Trim kits are more commonly used to give countertop microwaves a built-in look.
Do I need a second person?
Yes. Have a helper for the lift and keep them supporting the microwave while the upper bolts go in.
What if the existing duct or outlet does not suit the new microwave?
Resolve that before mounting. Ask an installer about duct or cabinet work and a licensed electrician about a needed outlet or wiring concern.
Its first real job could be cooking a batch of rice. For another everyday use, you can defrost chicken in the microwave.
Check the mount and try the controls
With the microwave secured, plug it into the existing suitable connection. Check that it remains firmly mounted, then try its fan and, if fitted, its cooktop light. Check for airflow at the outlet used by your vent setup. If a rear-wall-vented unit draws poorly, check the exterior wall-cap damper and the model’s duct requirements before using the vent. If a roof-vented unit draws poorly, check your model’s roof-vent instructions or ask an installer to check the vent.
Check heating using your model’s instructions. As one example, a Whirlpool owner’s manual specifies one cup of water heated for one minute at full power. If a control or heating check fails, stop using the microwave and contact the maker’s service channel.
Clear the workspace once those checks pass. With your helper, slide the range back while keeping its power cord and any gas line free of strain. Check that its rear foot engages the anti-tip bracket as your range instructions direct. If it does not engage, leave the range off and contact a qualified installer. The job is finished when the range is back in place with its rear foot engaged in the anti-tip bracket.
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