In this article
You close the fridge, and one door sits noticeably lower than the other. Or the door drifts open a crack and the light stays on. It looks like a broken hinge, but nine times out of ten it isn’t. Learning how to adjust a fridge door takes about 15 minutes, one small wrench, and no parts at all.
Below you’ll find exactly what to do, in the order a repair tech would do it: check the cabinet is level, then raise or lower the door with the screw in the bottom hinge. We cover side-by-side and French door fridges, which way to turn the screw on the big brands, and the signs that tell you it’s time to stop and call someone.
The short answer
- Take the heavy stuff out of the door shelves.
- Make sure the fridge is level, with the front a touch higher than the back.
- Pop off the grille at the bottom front of the fridge.
- Find the adjustment screw in the bottom hinge of the low (or high) door.
- Turn it a quarter turn at a time until the tops of the doors line up, then put the grille back.
First, What Exactly Is Wrong With Your Door?
Different symptoms point to different fixes. Find yours, then jump to the right part of the guide.
| What you see | Most likely cause | Go to |
|---|---|---|
| One door is lower than the other | Door has dropped on its hinge, or the fridge isn’t level | Adjust the door |
| Doors don’t swing shut by themselves | Front of the fridge is too low | Level the fridge |
| Gap between the door and the cabinet | Door out of line, or a dirty or worn seal | Door won’t seal |
| French doors don’t line up at the top | One door needs raising at the hinge pin | French door fridges |
| Door was fixed but dropped again in days | Worn hinge or bushing | When to call a pro |
Is a Small Height Difference Normal?
Yes, and it’s worth knowing before you start turning screws. On many side-by-side fridges the two doors are set slightly uneven on purpose, by about the thickness of a coin, when the fridge is empty. Once you fill the door shelves with milk, juice and condiments, the heavier door settles and the two even out.
So if the difference is tiny and your fridge is new or freshly emptied, load it up and check again in a day. If one door is clearly lower, or the gap keeps growing, keep reading.
What You’ll Need
Look in your fridge’s manual (or search the model number online) to confirm the tool size. Using the right one stops you from stripping the screw head.
| Tool | What it’s for |
|---|---|
| 5/16″ open-end or adjustable wrench | Turning the door adjustment screw on most side-by-side models |
| Hex key (Allen key), usually 1/8″ or 6 mm | The screw inside the hinge pin on many French door models |
| Bubble level (a phone level app works too) | Checking the fridge is level side to side and front to back |
| Flat screwdriver | Gently prying off the bottom grille |
| Painter’s tape (optional) | Marking a line across the doors so you can see small changes |
Small trick that saves time
Stick a strip of painter’s tape straight across the top of both doors before you start. After each quarter turn you’ll see straight away whether the edges are getting closer or further apart.
Step 1: Level the Fridge First
Most door problems are really leveling problems. If the fridge leans to one side, any adjustment you make at the hinge won’t hold for long. Even Whirlpool’s own door alignment instructions start with leveling the cabinet.
Empty the door shelves
Take out bottles and jars so the door hangs at its real position while you work.
Check side to side
Put the level across the top front edge of the fridge. The bubble should sit in the middle.
Check front to back
Lay the level front to back on top. The front should be slightly higher than the back, so the doors swing closed on their own.
Adjust the feet or rollers
Remove the bottom grille and turn the front leveling legs or roller screws to raise the low side. On many Whirlpool models, clockwise raises the front.
Test it
Open each door halfway and let go. It should close gently by itself. If it does, move on to the doors.
Step 2: How to Adjust a Side-by-Side Fridge Door
This is the method fridge manufacturers show in their own how-to videos for side-by-side models, with the freezer on the left and the fridge on the right.
Look at how far off the doors are
Close both doors and look across the tops. A coin’s thickness on an empty fridge is normal. Anything more is worth fixing.
Remove the base grille
Unclip or unscrew the grille at the bottom front. Behind it you’ll see the lower hinge of each door.
Find the adjustment screw
On the bottom hinge of the door you want to move, there’s a screw (sometimes called the alignment or height screw) that pushes the door up or lets it down.
Turn the screw
With a 5/16″ wrench, turn the screw to the left to raise the door or to the right to lower it. Go a quarter turn at a time.
Check the tops
Close the doors and look again. Keep going in small turns until the top edges line up.
Check the swing and refit the grille
Open both doors to 90 degrees to make sure they don’t rub each other, then clip the grille back on.
Not sure which way to turn?
Brands don’t all agree. On side-by-side fridges like the one above, left raises the door. On Whirlpool’s French door hinge pin, it’s the other way round. Do one quarter turn, close the door and look. Now you know which way yours goes.
Some fridges also have a second screw or nut that locks the height. Frigidaire has you remove a small set screw before turning the 7/16″ adjustment screw, and LG has a locking nut you loosen first. Always tighten it again when you’re done, or the door will slowly drop back.
How to Adjust French Door Fridge Doors
French door fridges have two narrow doors on top and a freezer drawer below. The idea is the same, but the adjustment screw usually sits inside the bottom hinge pin, and you turn it with a hex key from underneath.
Open the freezer drawer
Pull it out, or remove the bottom grille, so you can see underneath the fridge doors.
Fit the hex key
Push the short end of the key into the hinge pin until it sits firmly in the screw.
Raise the lower door
Turn in small steps. On Whirlpool and KitchenAid, right raises the door. On Frigidaire (looking up from below), clockwise raises it.
Line up the tops
Stop when both doors are even. If one door won’t go any lower, raise the other one instead.
Check the middle flap
Close both doors and make sure the folding flap in the middle tucks in and seals without catching.
LG’s guide to uneven doors adds a handy detail: on some models one door has only about 2 mm of hinge adjustment, and the other door can be raised with small clips if you run out of travel.
Which Way to Turn the Screw: Brand Cheat Sheet
| Fridge | Tool | To raise the door | Before you start |
|---|---|---|---|
| Most side-by-side models | 5/16″ wrench | Turn left | Remove the bottom grille |
| Whirlpool / KitchenAid French door | 1/8″ hex key in the hinge pin | Turn right | Level the fridge first |
| Frigidaire side-by-side | 7/16″ wrench | Turn counterclockwise | Remove the small set screw |
| Frigidaire French door | 6 mm Allen key | Clockwise (looking from below) | Open the freezer drawer |
| LG | Wrench that came with the fridge | Counterclockwise | Loosen the locking nut |
Door Still Won’t Close or Seal Properly?
A door can be perfectly straight and still let warm air in. Once the height is right, run through these quick checks.
Do the paper test
Close the door on a sheet of paper or a dollar bill at a few spots around the seal. You should feel it drag as you pull it out. If it slides out easily, that part of the seal isn’t gripping.
Clean the rubber seal
Spilled juice and crumbs stop the magnetic seal from sticking. Wipe it with warm soapy water, dry it, and check inside the folds.
Take weight off the door
Gallon jugs in the door shelves slowly pull the door down. Move the heaviest things onto the main shelves.
Check the temperature
A leaking seal shows up as a fridge that’s warmer than it should be. The FDA’s food safety advice is to keep the fridge at 40°F or below and the freezer at 0°F. A cheap fridge thermometer will tell you if you’re there.
Mistakes That Make the Problem Worse
- Skipping the leveling step. The door looks fine for a day, then drops again.
- Turning too far. A half or full turn usually overshoots. Quarter turns, then check.
- Forcing a stuck screw. If it won’t move with normal pressure, stop. A snapped screw turns a free fix into a repair bill.
- Taking hinge bolts out with nobody holding the door. Doors with an ice maker are heavy and have water lines running through the hinge.
- Forgetting the locking screw or nut. Leave it loose and the door creeps back down.
When It’s Time to Call a Repair Tech
Adjusting a door is an easy job you can do yourself. But some problems need a technician, and it’s cheaper to call one early than to replace spoiled food. Look for fridge repair if:
- The door drops again a few days after you adjusted it.
- The hinge is cracked or bent, or the door wobbles when you lift the handle.
- The seal is torn or flattened and fails the paper test in several places.
- There’s frost on the freezer walls, water under the drawers, or the fridge runs all the time.
- The door has water or ice maker lines through the hinge and needs to come off.
- It’s a restaurant or shop unit. For those, look for commercial refrigeration repair specialists.
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Fridge Door Adjustment: Common Questions
Why is one side of my side-by-side fridge higher than the other?
A small difference, about a coin’s thickness, is normal on an empty fridge because the heavier door settles once it’s loaded. A bigger difference usually means the fridge isn’t level or the door needs adjusting at the bottom hinge.
Which way do I turn the screw to raise a fridge door?
It depends on the brand. Many side-by-side fridges raise the door when you turn the screw left with a 5/16″ wrench, while Whirlpool’s French door hinge pin raises it when you turn right. Do one quarter turn and check.
Do I need to take the door off to adjust it?
No. The height is adjusted at the bottom hinge with the door in place. You only take a door off to replace a hinge or seal, or to get the fridge through a doorway.
Why won’t my fridge door close by itself?
The front of the fridge is probably too low. Raise the front feet or rollers so the front sits a little higher than the back, and the doors will swing shut on their own.
How can I tell if my fridge door seal is bad?
Close the door on a piece of paper. If it slides out with no resistance, that part of the seal isn’t working. Frost, water drips and a fridge that never stops running are other signs.
How long does it take to adjust a fridge door?
Usually 10 to 20 minutes, including leveling the fridge and putting the grille back.
Can a sagging fridge door spoil food?
Yes, if it lets warm air in. Keep the fridge at 40°F or below and the freezer at 0°F, and check with a thermometer after you fix the door.
How much does it cost to fix a fridge door?
Adjusting it yourself is free. If the hinge or seal needs replacing, a technician will charge for the visit plus parts, so it’s worth comparing a few local companies first.
The Short Version
- Level the fridge first, with the front slightly higher than the back.
- Adjust the door at the bottom hinge in quarter turns and check after each one.
- Screw direction depends on the brand, so test before you commit.
- Use the paper test to check the seal and keep the fridge at 40°F or below.
- If the door keeps dropping, the hinge or seal is worn. Compare fridge repair companies near you.
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