Microwave Buttons Not Working? Here’s How to Fix It

You’re ready to relax and enjoy movie night at home with a bowl of popcorn, but in the ultimate plot twist, the buttons on your microwave have stopped responding. After the credits roll, you’ll have to figure out what to do about your faulty appliance. There are a few common causes for microwave buttons not working. This guide will help you diagnose the problem and decide on a solution.

Buttons Not Working on Microwave: DIY Fixes

It’s alarming for any appliance to stop working, especially one you use daily, like your microwave. As a first step, try these simple DIY troubleshooting steps.

Check the Child Lock Feature

You’ve probably been reheating leftovers and popping popcorn on autopilot for years now, and it’s possible you’ve hit the wrong button without realizing it and engaged the child lock feature.

Find the owner’s manual for your microwave—you can always look it up on the internet if you can’t—and see if there is a way to engage/disengage any protective features like a child lock, which would render the microwave unusable at the touch of curious little fingers. Follow the instructions and see if that rectifies the issue. If it does, write the unlock procedure on a sticky note or in the notes app on your phone in case there’s a repeat performance in the future. 

Unplug It and Plug It Back In

If there’s nothing to unlock on your microwave and it’s a freestanding model that’s not built into your cabinets, try this: Unplug the microwave, wait a moment, then plug it back in.

Hey, if this is good enough for your computer when it’s acting wonky, it might be good enough for your microwave. But if you’re still pressing buttons with nothing to show for it, it’s time to bring in a professional to assess the problem.

Buttons Not Working on Microwave: Professional Repairs

If the above DIY steps don’t fix the problem, it’s time to call a microwave pro near you. Here are three likely culprits that can result in microwave buttons not working.

Defective Control Panel

If only a few buttons are acting wonky but others are just fine, then it could be that your control panel is to blame. The bummer is you can’t replace individual buttons on a microwave like you can on a computer keyboard, so that means you’ve got to replace the entire control panel by removing the current faulty touchpad membrane and replacing it with a fresh one.

CAUTION: Opening up an electrical appliance—even one that’s unplugged—can put you at risk for electric shock. Unless you are a licensed electrician, you should probably call a pro before dismantling your microwave to access the interior mechanisms. At the very least, you should unplug your microwave and let the capacitor discharge for 48 hours before poking around. 

Defective Membrane Switch

The membrane switch or touchpad has multiple smaller switches on it that signal the control board to make the microwave perform. When the main membrane switch stops working, it causes the rest of the buttons to become unresponsive.

CAUTION: This repair will require testing of wires and therefore puts you at risk of electric shock. Stay safe and call an electrician or an appliance pro instead.

Defective Main Control Board

A third reason your microwave’s buttons aren’t behaving could be the main control board. This component is what sends power to the membrane switch, which activates the buttons. Replacing the entire control board could revive your microwave’s buttons.

CAUTION: It’s safer to leave the microwave control board replacement to an experienced contractor. But before you call a pro near you, you might consider the age of your microwave. If it’s been more than a few years since you purchased it, a replacement part might not even be available.

Repair vs. Replace

It’s often more cost-effective to attempt to repair an appliance before replacing it. But a microwave is a bit different.

Microwaves cost far less than other kitchen and home appliances, and repairing one can be a bit tricky and time-consuming, assuming there are still compatible parts available to resolve the issue.

Microwave repairs cost an average of $100 to $200. The price of a new microwave varies widely depending on the type and features you want. You can get a budget countertop model for as little as $50 or spend $2,000 and up on a high-end built-in microwave.

Microwaves last an average of seven years, so if yours is getting on in years, we wouldn’t blame you if you simply paid to install a new one without attempting a single repair.