Investing in an air conditioning system is one thing, using it is another. One of the biggest challenges most people face when buying a new air conditioning unit is using the remote controls. That’s because manufacturers use symbols for remote controls.

So you need to understand the symbols on your air conditioner remote control to operate the unit and get the most out of it.

So what do you do if you just bought a new air conditioner? Well, unless your air conditioner installer has taken the time to explain to you what the air conditioner symbols on the remote control mean, you’re going to have a problem using the unit efficiently. One of the key things to look out for is the owner’s manual provided by the manufacturer. These usually provide all the information you need to know about the air conditioning mode symbols.

If you’re having trouble understanding what your remote control’s symbols mean, we’ve got you covered. We’ve rounded up some of the common air conditioning symbols used by all the major air conditioning brands on the market. Whether your air conditioning system comes from Germany, China, Japan or Italy, or is a ducted or split system, we’ve rounded up some of the standard symbols and what they mean.

Meaning of air conditioning symbols

Here are some common air conditioning symbols and what they mean. These are AC symbols that are common to all major brands of air conditioners on the market. So they are more like the universal symbols that almost every air conditioner remote has:

Turn the symbol off or on

This is one of the most common remote control symbols in all air conditioning systems. It is easy to identify and especially among the last symbol to the end as you point the AC unit. The symbol is a capital letter i “I” that is circled. Press it once and it will turn off the AC unit if it was on. Also press the button when the unit is turned off and it will turn it on.

Plus and Minus buttons

These are two buttons that every air conditioning system must have. They are usually placed side by side on the remote control. Their major use of symbols is to regulate the room temperature. So if you want to increase the temperature in the room, just press the plus button. But in hot summers, you can press the minus button to make the room cooler.

Snowflake symbols

This is one of the new air conditioning symbols that comes with most advanced air conditioning models. Modern air conditioners can cool and heat the room at the same time. So you can use them in the summer to cool the room and use them in the winter to heat the house at the touch of a button. So by pressing the snowflake symbols, you turn your air conditioning unit into a room heater.

Sun Symbol

The sun symbol is the opposite of snowflakes. Once you come out of winter, you can switch your AC unit back to cooling mode. So, the sun symbolizes that the unit is in a heating mode, blasting warm air. So if your unit has been heating the room in the winter, press the symbol before entering summer.

Fan symbol

The fan symbol indicates that the air conditioning system is in fan mode. It is one of the most energy efficient modes to use in both cooling and heating mode. In this state, the air conditioner only uses the fans to maintain the ambient room temperature. So no heating or cooling; therefore less energy is used.

Internal fan speed

These are usually in the form of bars. The faster the fan, the faster the room is cooled or heated. So, if you haven’t been indoors for a while in the summer and find it extremely hot, you can increase the fan speed to cool it down quickly. The fan speed is indicated by the bars. The more bars, the higher the speed.

Automatic function symbol

Modern air conditioning systems come with automatic functions. That’s why new air conditioners coming on the market have the automation function symbol. Therefore, by pressing these air conditioner symbols, the machine works automatically to maintain the desired room temperature. The function works for both cooling and heating modes.

Vertical air swing

Direct airflow is crucial when it comes to cooling and heating the room. That’s why manufacturers design machines that can control the direction in which the air flows. For ‘vertical air swing’ symbols, these show that air is being blown in a vertical direction.

Horizontal air balancing symbol

Like the vertical air balance symbols, these symbols indicate that the direction in which the fan is blowing air is horizontal. So, if you want the air to flow horizontally in the room, then you need to press the Horizontal air balance symbol.

Turbo button

When you need to power up your air conditioner for more cooling, that’s when you have the turbo button on your remotes. It is one of the air conditioner symbols to look out for when buying these machines. Imagine walking into your house in the winter, it’s cold? Well, this is the function you need to activate to warm up the room.

Dry mode symbol

The air conditioning system not only maintains the room temperature but also eliminates unpleasant humidity. That’s why you’ll find the dry mode air conditioning symbol on the remote control. So when you press the dry mode symbol, it removes all the unpleasant humidity in the room.

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