What Should the Temperature Be Inside a Refrigerator?

Aim for 37°F and check the actual temperature

The number on your fridge's dial or screen can leave you wondering how cold your groceries actually are. We'd check a separate thermometer first, because many refrigerators have temperature controls without a thermometer that confirms the temperature inside. That reading gives you a useful starting point for any adjustment.

You're aiming for enough cooling to slow harmful bacterial growth without freezing fresh food or using extra energy through excessive cooling. Insufficient cooling can make food spoil prematurely.

What your thermometer reading means

About 37°F is a useful everyday target. The actual refrigerator temperature should stay at or below 40°F. Use the reading, rather than the number on the control, to decide what to do next.

Different measurement methods have their own comparison ranges. If you use the GE food-or-liquid check below, compare that morning reading with its 32–40°F range. Its recommended fresh-food control setting remains 37°F.

Check warm food before changing the setting

If your thermometer reads 45°F or 50°F, the fridge is too warm for ordinary refrigerated perishables. Check how long the food has been warm before adjusting the control.

Food should be safe if the fridge is still at or below 40°F, or the food has been above 40°F for two hours or less. Use the temperature history when deciding what to keep, even if the fridge has since cooled.

Food can make you ill while looking, smelling and tasting normal, because illness-causing bacteria differ from the bacteria that cause obvious spoilage. Use the FDA's food-safety advice (opens in a new tab) when deciding what to keep after a cooling problem.

Keep the food-safety clock separate from the fridge's adjustment time. The hours you allow the appliance to respond are for judging its cooling, and food that's been too warm still needs the decision above.

Give a shelf thermometer time to settle

For routine monitoring, use a freestanding refrigerator thermometer. You can find them at most hardware stores, and most can stand on a shelf or hang from a wire rack.

1. Place the thermometer in a spacious area on a shelf or rack. This gives it room to register the compartment temperature.
2. Leave it for 5–8 hours, avoiding frequent door openings because they make the temperature fluctuate. You can check the placement instructions (opens in a new tab) for this method.
3. Read it and write down the result. A reading of 35–40°F is within this method's range. If it's above 40°F, deal with warm food first; if it's below 33°F or food is icing, check vent clearance before adjusting.

On a GE refrigerator, use the food-or-liquid check described next, which has its own placement requirements.

On a GE fridge, measure food or liquid

For a GE refrigerator temperature check, measure food or liquid, never the compartment air. Air temperature fluctuates during defrost cycles and door openings, so the measurement needs a different approach.

1. Use a bulb-type or candy thermometer capable of reading below-zero temperatures.
2. Put it directly into a container of food or liquid that has already been refrigerated for at least 24 hours.
3. Measure in the center of the fresh-food compartment. On GE Bottom Freezer models, use the bottom fresh-food shelf or the top of the vegetable pans instead.
4. Take the reading first thing in the morning. The normal fresh-food range for this check is 32–40°F; if the reading is above 40°F, assess the food's exposure before changing the setting.

The 24-hour requirement applies to how long the food or liquid has already been refrigerated. Insert the thermometer into those already-chilled contents when you're ready to measure.

You can check the thermometer requirements (opens in a new tab) before taking this measurement.

Make room for cold air around your groceries

Before changing the setting, look at how you've packed the shelves. Move anything blocking an air vent and leave room around food, because cold air needs to circulate to chill it properly. Blocked vents can contribute to either warm temperatures or food freezing.

Get what you need and close the door promptly. Repeated opening and closing causes more temperature fluctuation, including while you're trying to get a settled thermometer reading.

Give a garage or basement fridge the same attention as the one in your kitchen. These extra refrigerators may face bigger temperature swings and get checked less often. Changes in the surrounding temperature and humidity may mean the setting needs adjustment, so keep watching the thermometer.

Make a small change, then let it respond

Some controls show degrees, while others use numbers for general temperature ranges. Check your model's directions for the control location and which way to adjust it. A numbered dial needs those directions because its numbers aren't Fahrenheit temperatures.

1. Write down the measured temperature before touching the control. Start with the setting recommended in your fridge's owner's manual. If the reading is above 40°F, address food safety and clear blocked vents before choosing more cooling.
2. Make a small adjustment if the measured temperature still calls for one. If food is icing or the reading is below 33°F, check the vents before choosing less cooling.
3. Let the fridge respond, then recheck using the same measurement method and record the result. On GE, KitchenAid and Whirlpool refrigerators, allow about 24 hours after a change before deciding on another adjustment. A 12-hour reading can be recorded as an earlier check, while you still allow the full model-specific interval between changes.

Help newly added food cool safely

A fridge at the right temperature still needs food put away on time. Refrigerate or freeze leftovers within two hours. Hot food can go into the refrigerator without harming the appliance, and dividing a large amount into smaller, shallow containers helps it cool faster.

Put refrigerated groceries away as soon as you get home. Raw meat, poultry, seafood, eggs and produce that needs refrigeration must not sit at room temperature for more than two hours. That limit drops to one hour when the air temperature is above 90°F.

Wipe up spills promptly, especially drips from thawing meat, to help prevent bacteria spreading from one food to another. Keep refrigerated food in covered containers or sealed storage bags. Reaching the right temperature is one part of safe storage, alongside how you handle the food.

Other temperature questions

A separate thermometer also helps when you're trying to interpret a display or check food after a power interruption.

Use the next reading to choose what to do

After the applicable wait, compare the new reading with the one you recorded. If the temperature is still outside the target range, use that result to decide whether another small adjustment is needed.

If fresh food is icing over, the setting may be too low. On Whirlpool refrigerators, an emptier fridge can also let cold air sink to the bottom instead of being absorbed by items throughout. Check the measured temperature and vent clearance before deciding how to adjust the control.

If the temperature still won't settle, check the soft seal around the door. Dirt or wear may prevent it from sealing properly. Clean the gasket and door frame with a sponge and warm, soapy water, and arrange replacement if the gasket is warped, torn or loose.

If you've noticed the refrigerator door isn't sealing, work through the closure checks before making another temperature adjustment.

If your refrigerator still isn't cooling, work through the remaining owner checks and contact a refrigerator repair service if the temperature problem persists. Keep perishables at 40°F or below while you arrange repair, and apply the discard rule above to food that has been too warm. Check your warranty terms before booking paid work, and ask for the diagnostic charge and an estimate. Give the technician your before-and-after readings, setting changes and waiting times.

Once the temperature is where it should be, leave the refrigerator thermometer in place and check it regularly. That lets you spot a change in the actual temperature and adjust when necessary.