Cycles, settings, and features on your Samsung dryer

There are so many cycles and settings available on your dryer, so you're really missing out if you're only using the defaults. We're here to tell you about all of the special cycles, settings, and features on Samsung dryers that can make your clothes and other laundry look and feel their best.

 

Note: Cycles, settings, and features vary by model.

A Samsung dryer next to neatly folded white towels and a laundry basket
A Samsung dryer next to neatly folded white towels and a laundry basket

Cycles, settings, and features on your Samsung dryer

Dryer cycles

A person placing clothes into a Samsung dryer. 
Note
It is always recommended to follow the manufacturer's instructions on the tag for drying that particular item.

Sensor Dry cycles

 

With Sensor Dry, you don't have to worry about that one pair of jeans that doesn't seem to dry with the rest of your laundry, or damp spots on a large comforter. Sensor Dry cycles use a sensor inside the dryer to detect when the laundry is dry, and will automatically stop the cycle when the dryness level has been achieved. This can extend or reduce the length of the cycle as necessary.

  • Active Wear: This cycle is for water-repellant garments, such as exercise wear, outdoor wear, sports jerseys, training pants, jackets, and other performance clothing. Thick fabrics like a zipper or velcro closure, or training socks may not be completely dried. The maximum load size for this cycle is 4 pounds.
  • Bedding PLUS, Bedding: For bulky items such as blankets, sheets, and comforters.
  • Delicates: This cycle is designed to dry heat-sensitive items at a low drying temperature.
  • Downloaded: Connect your dryer to SmartThings to gain access to several additional cycle options beyond what is listed on your dryer's control panel. If you select and run a cycle that is not physically printed on your dryer, the control panel will show that the Downloaded cycle is selected. You can also select which cycle the Downloaded cycle defaults to when not using SmartThings.

  • Eco Normal: This cycle is a Normal cycle with less energy usage to achieve the same drying results. It will dynamically adjust the temperature as well as the time during the cycle.

  • Heavy Duty: This cycle uses high heat for heavy fabrics such as jeans, corduroys, or work clothes.

  • Jeans: This cycle removes moisture from jeans and other denim by changing the temperature automatically during the cycle.

  • Normal: The most common cycle, this is used for regular items such as cotton, undergarments, and linen.

  • Perm Press: This cycle is for wrinkle-free cottons, synthetic fabrics, knits, and permanent press fabrics. It minimizes wrinkling by providing a longer unheated cool-down period at the end of the cycle.

  • Sanitize: This cycle uses extreme heat to sanitize bedding and curtains. Due to extreme heat, it is not recommended for normal laundry.

  • Towels: For bath towels.

  • Very Dry, More Dry, and Damp Dry: On some models, these Sensor Dry cycles are available instead of the Dry Level setting, but otherwise work in the same way. For more details, see the Dry Level setting in the Other Settings section below.

  • Wool: For machine washable and tumble dryable wool only. The maximum load size for this cycle is 3 pounds.

 

Manual Dry cycles

 

Manual Dry cycles run for a predetermined length of time and then stop whether the laundry is dry or not.

  • Time Dry: Runs a cycle for a customizable length of time.

  • Quick Dry: Runs a cycle for 30 minutes (although this can be adjusted).

  • Wrinkle Release: This cycle will release small amounts of wrinkles from clothes that are already clean and dry, such as items from a crowded closet, a suitcase, or items that have sat in the dryer for a while after the previous cycle ended.

  • Air Fluff: This cycle uses no heat and simply tumbles the load in the drum while blowing room temperature air.

 

Steam cycles

 

These cycles spray water during the cycle to achieve a steam effect while heating the laundry. With the exception of Steam Sanitize, Steam cycles are intended for laundry that is already dry. Laundry may be damp at the end of a steam dry cycle; if so, the laundry will need to lay flat or be hung to dry, or finish drying on a different cycle.

 

Note: Do not use dryer sheets during a Steam cycle. To use Steam, a water line must be connected to the dryer.

  • Refresh: This cycle is meant for smoothing out wrinkles and reducing odors from loads consisting of 1 to 4 already dry items.

  • Wrinkle Away, Wrinkle Care: This cycle is similar to Wrinkle Release on other models, but will spray water during the cycle since it is a Steam cycle. This cycle will remove wrinkles from clothes that are already clean and dry, such as items from a crowded closet, or a suitcase, etc. For best results, do not load more than three items.

  • Steam Sanitize: This cycle is meant for sanitizing items by applying steam and high-temperature heat to the fabric. This cycle can make items soft and reduce odors, and is intended for laundry that is still at least partially wet. Due to extreme heat, it is not recommended for normal laundry.
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Dryer settings and features

A person tapping the icons on a Samsung dryer. 
Note
For a list of icons and their meanings, see our guide for icons showing on your dryer.

These are other settings that will affect the drying cycle. These settings may be limited or restricted depending on the currently selected cycle. A full chart of which settings work with which cycles is available in the appendix near the end of your model’s user manual.

  • Dry Level: This setting adjusts Sensor Dry (and on some models, Steam Dry) cycles to determine how dry the laundry will get before ending the cycle.
    • Larger or bulkier loads may require higher dry levels.

    • Lower dry levels are best suited for lightweight fabrics.

    • Lower dry levels can also be used to leave clothes damp at the end of the cycle, or for items that must lay flat or hang to dry.

  • Temperature Selection: This setting adjusts the overall level of heat to be used during the cycle.
    • High temperature (approximately 140-145°F) can be used for sturdy cottons or those labeled Tumble Dry.

    • Medium temperature (approximately 130-133°F) can be used for permanent press, synthetics, lightweight cottons, or items labeled Tumble Dry Medium.

    • Medium Low temperature can be used for lower heat than the Medium setting to dry synthetic or washable knit fabrics.

    • Low temperature (approximately 120-122°F) can be used for heat sensitive items labeled Tumble Dry Low or Tumble Dry Warm.

    • Extra Low (approximately 100-110°F) can be used for the lowest heated dry temperature possible.
  • Anti Static: Only available on certain steam models, this will add a steam effect to non-steam cycles such as Normal, Heavy Duty, etc.
  • Dryness: Changes the dry level. You can select from 5 different levels, but the available levels will depend upon the selected cycle.

    Note
    : This is only available on the Bespoke AI Laundry Combo model.
  • Dry Time: Change the cycle time. You can set the drying time between 20 minutes and 240 minutes. The available drying time may depend on the selected cycle, and some cycles may not support the setting.

    Note
    : This is only available on the Bespoke AI Laundry Combo model.
  • Dry Prep: After the washing process is complete and before the drying process begins, the washer will display a pop-up, allowing you to remove items that are unsuitable for drying. If the pop-up message is not tapped within the waiting period, the drying process will begin automatically. Dry Prep is only available for cycles that include both washing and drying.

    Note
    : This is only available on the Bespoke AI Laundry Combo model.
  • Eco Dry: This setting will reduce the power consumption of certain other cycles, but will extend the length of the cycle, potentially up to 3 times as long. This will depend on the load size and temperature setting. One of the ways it does this is beginning the cycle without using heat. Eco Dry is enabled by default on Normal and Time Dry cycles, for models that have the feature.
  • Mixed Load Bell, Damp Alert: Enabling this option on higher dry settings on a Sensor Dry cycle will cause the dryer to signal when the drying cycle is approximately 80 percent complete. You can then pause the cycle and remove the lighter (and probably dry) items in the load, while leaving the heavier items to continue drying. The cycle will still continue to run as normal unless manually paused. If you do not remove lighter items like this when drying mixed loads on Sensor Dry cycles, heavier items may not get as dry since the dryer will detect the dryness of the lighter items and finish the cycle.

  • My Cycle: Choose a cycle and the settings you use frequently and save them, so they can be easily selected again in the future with the touch of a button.

  • Rack Dry: Some models will include a rack for drying items that need to be dried without tumbling. You can choose this option when using the provided rack.

  • Small Load Care: This option is used for extremely small loads when using certain Sensor Dry cycles. It cannot be selected or canceled after a cycle has already started, and it allows the drum to be paused during operation.

  • Smart Care: This will display a code on the dryer that can be viewed using the camera on a phone with the Samsung Smart Washer/Dryer app. The app will then interpret the code and indicate the current status of the dryer and potential troubleshooting steps to resolve any issues. This function does not use Wi-Fi. Check out more information about Smart Care in our guide.

  • Smart Control, Smart Monitor: Allows remote controlling or monitoring over Wi-Fi using a phone. Gas models can only be monitored. This option requires the SmartThings app, the Samsung Smart Home app, or on older models, the Samsung Smart Washer/Dryer app.

  • Time Selection: Only available when using Manual Dry cycles which allow time adjusting. This will adjust the length of the cycle.
  • Wrinkle Prevent: This option will continue to spin the drum (with no heat) after the cycle is done, so the laundry does not sit still and wrinkle. It will spin for a few minutes after the cycle, and then intermittently tumble the clothes. This is not part of the cycle, and the laundry can be removed at any time. On many models, a scrolling rectangle will appear on the display while Wrinkle Prevent is active.

    Note
    : Wrinkle Prevent will stop as soon as the door is opened. If the door is not opened, it will run up to 90 or 180 minutes, depending on the model.
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