Caroline Blanca
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Quick Answer
The most common reasons an LG microwave won’t turn on are a tripped circuit breaker, a faulty power outlet, a door that isn’t fully closed, or a blown internal fuse. Furthermore, a child lock that has been accidentally activated can make the microwave appear completely dead. Most of these can be diagnosed and fixed at home within minutes.
You press the button, close the door, and nothing happens. No hum, no light, no display. Before you assume the worst, however, know this — an LG microwave that won’t turn on is very often fixable at home without calling a technician or spending money on a replacement.
In this guide, we walk you through 7 proven fixes in order, starting with the simplest. Work through them one by one until your microwave comes back to life.
Before You Begin: Safety First
First and foremost, microwaves store high-voltage electricity inside their capacitors even when unplugged. As a result, you should never open the outer casing or touch internal components unless you are a trained technician. All 7 fixes in this guide, however, are completely safe for any home user to attempt.
⚠️ Important: Do not attempt to open the microwave casing under any circumstances. Internal capacitors hold a dangerous charge even after the appliance is unplugged. If the problem requires internal repair, contact LG support or a certified appliance technician instead.
Fix 1: Check the Power Outlet
This is the most commonly overlooked cause. In many cases, the outlet itself has stopped working — not the microwave.
How to check:
- Unplug the microwave from the wall completely
- Next, plug a different device into the same outlet — a phone charger, lamp, or kettle works well
- If the other device also doesn’t work, the outlet is the problem, not the microwave
- Finally, try plugging the microwave into a completely different outlet in your kitchen
If the microwave works on a different outlet, the original outlet needs to be inspected by an electrician.
Fix 2: Check the Circuit Breaker
Microwaves draw a significant amount of power. As a result, if another high-power appliance was running at the same time, it may have tripped the breaker for that circuit.
How to check:
- Go to your home’s electrical panel — commonly called a fuse box
- Look for any switch that is in the middle position or flipped differently from the others
- Flip it fully to OFF first, then flip it back to ON
- Return to the microwave and try turning it on again
If the breaker trips again immediately after you turn the microwave on, however, the circuit is overloaded or the microwave has an internal fault. In that case, stop using it and contact a technician.
Fix 3: Make Sure the Door Is Fully Closed
LG microwaves have a built-in safety mechanism that prevents operation if the door isn’t properly latched. Consequently, if the door sensor detects that the door is open, the microwave will not respond at all — no lights, no display, nothing.
How to check:
- Open the door fully and close it firmly — you should hear a clear click when it latches
- Inspect the door latch hooks on the door edge — check whether any are broken or bent
- Look inside the door frame for the latch slots — make sure nothing is blocking them
- Additionally, clean around the door seal with a damp cloth, since food debris can prevent a proper seal
Fix 4: Reset the Microwave
Just like any other electronic device, an LG microwave can occasionally freeze or get stuck in an error state. Fortunately, a soft reset usually clears this without losing any of your settings.
How to do it:
- Unplug the microwave from the wall socket completely
- Leave it unplugged for at least 3 full minutes — do not rush this step
- Plug it back in firmly
- Finally, try turning it on again
This fix resolves a surprising number of “won’t turn on” cases, especially after a power surge or outage.
💡 Tip: After a power outage, always unplug your microwave for 3 minutes before plugging it back in. Power surges that occur when electricity returns can lock up the control board entirely.
Fix 5: Check If the Child Lock Is On
The LG child lock feature completely disables the control panel. As a result, if it is active, pressing any button — including the power button — will do nothing. In most cases, the display will show a small “L” or padlock icon as a clue.
How to turn it off:
- Press and hold the STOP/CLEAR button for 3 to 5 seconds
- The “L” or lock icon should then disappear from the display
- Try operating the microwave normally afterwards
Note that different LG models may use a different button combination — check your model’s manual if STOP/CLEAR doesn’t work.
Fix 6: Check for a Blown Internal Fuse
LG microwaves contain a ceramic fuse inside that protects the appliance from power surges. If this fuse has blown, the microwave will appear completely dead — no display, no light, and no response whatsoever.
Signs the fuse may be the cause:
- The microwave was working normally then suddenly stopped with no warning
- There was a recent power surge or electrical storm in your area
- The outlet and circuit breaker are both confirmed to be working fine
- The display is completely dark — no numbers, no clock, nothing at all
⚠️ Warning: Replacing an internal fuse requires opening the microwave casing. This must only be done by a certified technician. Do not attempt this yourself — internal capacitors retain dangerous voltage even when the appliance is unplugged.
Instead, contact LG support at lg.com/support or take the unit to a certified appliance repair shop. In most cases, fuse replacement is inexpensive if that is the only issue.
Fix 7: Check the Control Board or Touchpad
If all the fixes above have failed, the problem may be with the control board or the touchpad membrane. Over time, moisture and general wear can cause individual buttons or the entire panel to stop responding altogether.
Signs this is the issue:
- Some buttons respond but the power button specifically does not
- The display shows numbers or symbols but the microwave still won’t start
- The touchpad feels completely unresponsive or requires unusually hard presses
A control board or keypad replacement is a technician-level repair. That said, check whether your LG microwave is still under warranty first — LG offers a standard 1-year parts and labour warranty on most models.
Quick Diagnosis Table
| Symptom | Most Likely Cause | Fix to Try |
|---|---|---|
| Completely dark — no display at all | No power, blown fuse, or tripped breaker | Fix 1, 2, or 6 |
| Display is on but buttons do nothing | Child lock is active | Fix 5 |
| Worked fine then suddenly stopped | Power surge — soft reset needed | Fix 4 |
| Turns on but won’t start cooking | Door not fully closed or latched | Fix 3 |
| Some buttons work, power button doesn’t | Faulty touchpad or control board | Fix 7 |
When to Call a Technician
If you have worked through all 7 fixes and the microwave still won’t turn on, the problem is internal and will require professional repair. Before booking a technician, however, consider these points:
- Is it still under warranty? LG’s standard warranty covers 1 year. Call LG support first — the repair may be completely free
- How old is the microwave? If it is over 7 to 8 years old and requires an expensive repair, replacement is often the smarter financial decision
- What is the repair estimate? As a general rule, if the repair costs more than 50% of a new microwave, replace it instead
The Bottom Line
An LG microwave that won’t turn on is not automatically dead. In most cases, the cause is something simple — a tripped breaker, an activated child lock, a faulty outlet, or a need for a basic soft reset. Work through the 7 fixes above in order and you will either solve the problem yourself or know exactly what to tell a technician when you call.
Was this guide helpful? Check out our full library of LG microwave how-to guides and buying advice at Legit Gadgets.
