At first glance, air conditioner modes and symbols can be quite easy to look at. After all, they usually come in the form of simple water and air illustrations to different variations of snowflake icons. What could be difficult about that, right? The answer is, well, a bit more complicated.

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Apart from these common symbols, figuring out the purpose and function of other less obvious symbols is actually a problem that affects almost every AC owner (and misusing some of the functions can lead to long-term problems for your aircon that may require aircon servicing). So unless your AC seller or installer took the time to explain the meaning of all these symbols, they might as well just look like a bunch of prehistoric cave drawings that are hard to decode and interpret.

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In this guide, we’ll walk you through the different symbols and modes in an air conditioner — and how you can use them to improve your overall AC experience.

Common AC Symbols and Modes

Symbol	Function	Description
	On and Off	Let’s start with the most common of all: the on and off symbol. This symbol is usually represented by a vertical bar.
	Cool Mode	Any snowflake symbol belongs to the cool mode. This function is one of the most widely used modes in an air conditioner and remains as a popular choice for producing instant cool air from the unit.
	Heat Mode	If the symbol appears in the form of a sun, it’s for the heat mode. Often confused with dry mode, the heat mode operates by blowing warm air into a room until the desired temperature is reached.
	Dry Mode	Not to be confused with the cool mode, the dry mode is usually represented by the symbol of a water drop. When using dry mode, you can expect to reduce the humidity in the room while still receiving cool air.
	Fan Mode	If you don’t need power cooling or cool air, then the fan mode should work best for you. This feature is usually represented by a fan symbol and enables the built-in fan of the unit to provide the air, although at the expense of lower cooling capacity. This mode is known to reduce power and electricity consumption.
	Fan Speed	The fan speed symbol is commonly displayed in the remote control through a symbol of signal bars. This helps you indicate the rate that the internal fan speed is currently having. The higher the bars, the faster the fan will operate.
	Auto Function	The auto function is usually represented in the remote control by the letter “A” housed inside different arrows. This function is responsible for maintaining the desired temperature once it has been reached by your unit. It also works in both cooling and heating mode.
	Quiet Function	The aircon mode for the quiet or silent function is usually represented by a human signalling silence. Using this mode will ensure that your unit will operate as quietly as possible to give you a better good night’s sleep.
	Vertical Air Swing	The vertical air swing is commonly represented by a symbol bearing multiple strokes of air. This allows you to direct your air swing vertically and in three common directions: static, oscillating or automatic.
	Horizontal Air Swing	Similar to a vertical air swing symbol, the horizontal counterpart usually displays air strokes albeit in the horizontal setting. Choosing this function allows you to select the horizontal flow of the unit’s air.
	Turbo Cooling	In need of cold air in a flash? Try looking for a human figure in your AC remote or a thunderbolt symbol. The turbo cooling forces your machine to run at its maximum capacity to provide cold air and cool the room between 15 and 30 minutes.

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Common Symbols and Modes Per Brand Explained

Apart from the standard icons found in the remote control, most air conditioner brands have unique symbols and modes that are worth checking out. Here are a few of them:

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Mitsubishi Electric Symbols

Symbol	Function	Description
	Air Purification	If you are a Mitsubishi Electric AC owner and want the option to purify your air, be on the lookout for the air purification feature. Usually represented by sparkling symbols, this allows the unit to activate air purification through the plasma filter.
	Natural Flow	If you’re looking for a whiff of nature, turning on the natural flow function in your unit might help. It imitates a natural breeze by making the unit’s air swing in different directions and at varying ventilation speed. This commonly bears the symbol of an air and a tree.
	i-See Sensor	The i-See Sensor activates the unit’s temperature sensor to determine and control the air direction needed by a room. Try looking for an AC and spotlight symbol to activate this feature.

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For the full list of aircon modes and remote control symbols for Mitsubishi units, check our article here.

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Daikin Aircon Symbols

Symbol	Function	Description
	Comfortable Air Flux	If you’re a Daikin AC owner and happen to see a symbol of an arrow going over a figure’s head, then it might be the comfortable air flux symbol. Enabling this function creates a pleasant and ascending air flux in cold mode. Alternatively, it can also give way to a descending air flux in heat mode.
	Econo Daikin Function	The Econo Daikin function is the power saver mode of the unit that allows for a reduced consumption in power and electricity. This is usually illustrated via a descending arrow symbol.
	Daikin Smart Eye Function	Once activated, the smart eye function will detect for any source of movement in a room. If no movement is detected, it will then automatically direct the unit to save energy. To use this feature, try looking for a symbol of a figure with signal rays.

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Fujitsu General Symbols

Symbol	Function	Description
	Weekly Programming	Fujitsu General air conditioner symbols are commonly self-referential — using text instead of visual representation to illustrate the functions. Such is the case for the weekly programming function: a text symbol that appears when a weekly programming schedule is being done on the unit.
	Low Noise	The low noise symbol is responsible for switching on and off the quiet mode of a unit that reduces the noise it emits while in use.
	Energy Saving	Once activated, the energy saving feature will reduce the unit’s power consumption if a movement isn’t detected by the system within 20 minutes. Once any form of human movement is detected, the unit will then restore back to its normal mode.

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Also read: What is the Dry Mode in Your Aircon and When to Use It?

LG Aircon Symbols

Symbol	Function	Description
	Air Ionizer	If you want to get rid of dust particles inside your room, then try looking for the Air Ionizer in your unit. With a symbol of a pine tree and negative ions, what this function does is to eliminate bacteria in your air using negative ions.
	Internal Unit Automatic Cleaning Function	Once activated, this feature will enable the unit to keep on running in ventilation even after it’s been turned off. This cleaning function, which dries the unit from any solid build-up, usually lasts for 30 minutes after turning the machine off.
	Sleep or Night Mode	By turning this on, the unit will rise by 1-2°C every 30 minutes in order to bring more comfort to your sleep. This is usually represented in the symbol of a sleeping star.

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Samsung Aircon Symbols

Symbol	Function	Description
	Comfort Samsung Function	Activating the Comfort Samsung function will allow the unit to achieve its desired temperature by way of soft cooling or warming. If you’re a Samsung owner and want to try this feature out, look for four strokes of air arranged in different directions.
	Virus Doctor Function	Similar to an air ionizer, Samsung’s virus doctor feature helps eliminate bacteria and harmful particles by discharging negative ions into the air to capture and kill them. This function’s symbol is equally similar to a loading wheel icon.
	Samsung Night Mode	The Samsung night mode allows the unit to run in sleep mode, reducing emitted noise and increasing temperature in gradual increments. To try this function out, just look for a symbol with an “OFF” along with the sun and moon.

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‍Importance of Knowing AC Symbols and Modes

To better maximize your air conditioning unit, you’ll need to be familiar with every symbol and mode there is. This will not only help improve your unit’s overall performance, but it can also help preserve more energy and power. An enhanced AC experience and a lower electricity bill — sounds like a match made in heaven right?