How to Reverse a Refrigerator Door

Written By: Ula Gantar
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How to Reverse a Refrigerator Door

Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

9

Time Required

15 - 25 minutes

Introduction

Fridge door opening the wrong way and bumping into cabinets? Don’t panic. Most refrigerator doors come with a reversible door design—so you can change the door direction yourself without a technician. Reversing the fridge door swing lets you better position the appliance in a tight kitchen without banging into adjacent cabinets. This guide shows you how to move the hinges and decorative plugs to the opposite side, align the door, and restore a proper seal.
⚠️ Always unplug the appliance before starting.

    • Unplug the refrigerator from the wall outlet before any work.

    • Note which side holds the hinges and which side carries decorative hole plugs.

    • Some models mount hinges on the top surface while others conceal them inside the cabinet.

    • Take out all plastic caps and trims from both sides to avoid breaking them during the swap.

    • Removing these caps now helps prevent damage while you flip the fridge door swing later in the process.

    • Remove the screws securing the top hinge bracket with the appropriate screwdriver.

    • Lift the door straight up and set it aside once the hinge is free.

    • Unscrew the middle and bottom hinge brackets from the cabinet so they are completely free.

    • Use a Torx screwdriver to loosen hinge pins if needed and rotate them toward the new hinge side.

    • Press decorative plugs into the now‑unused holes to keep the cabinet sealed and tidy.

    • Fit the former bottom hinge to the top position on the opposite side and install its screws.

    • Fit the former top hinge to the bottom position on the opposite side to match the new swing direction.

    • Choose either method: mount hinges first and slide the door onto the pins, or attach hinges to the door first and screw them to the cabinet, depending on your model.

    • Ensure decorative caps on the door are also swapped so no holes remain exposed.

    • Rehang the door by screwing back the initial screws.

    • Close the door and listen for the gasket to make a continuous sealing sound along the frame.

    • Open and close the door to confirm smooth movement and even gaps; adjust hinge screws if necessary.

    • Snap all remaining decorative plastics back into place to finish the appearance.

Conclusion

Reconnect the refrigerator to power and monitor that it cools normally. If you do not hear the gasket gripping sound or notice uneven gaps, loosen the hinge screws slightly, realign the door, and retighten until the seal is uniform.

That’s it! You’ve successfully changed your refrigerator door’s direction. Most modern fridges are designed with this kind of reversible door swing in mind—so next time your kitchen layout changes, you’re all set.

Author

Ula Gantar

Member since: 08/01/25

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