Air con symbols on your remote
Tap a symbol to see what it means and when to use it.
Tap a symbol
Air con remotes share many symbols, though not all of them. Tap the one that looks like yours, to see what it does and when to use it.
Some remotes print words, not symbols, so each tile has the word as well.
Every symbol in one table
Every symbol here comes from the makers’ own manuals, read in October 2026. Names and symbols can differ from one model to the next, so your manual has the final word.
| Symbol | What it means | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Cool | Cool brings the room down to the temperature you set. The symbol is usually a snowflake, and some remotes print the word. | Use it on hot days. Daikin and Panasonic suggest 26 to 28°C to save energy. |
| Heat | Heat warms the room to the temperature you set. The symbol is usually a sun. The fan may wait a few minutes to avoid a cold draught. | Use it in cool weather. Daikin and Panasonic suggest 20 to 24°C to save energy. |
| Dry | Dry takes moisture out of the air, and may cool the room a little. The symbol is a water drop. Many units won't let you set the temperature. | Use it on humid days that aren't very hot. It can't heat a room. |
| Fan | Fan moves the room's air with no heating or cooling. The symbol is a fan with blades. Panasonic's remotes have no Fan mode. | Use it when a room needs moving air, not cooling. Mitsubishi Electric suggests it after cooling, to dry the inside. |
| Auto | Auto lets the unit pick the mode by itself. The symbol is usually a letter A. Mitsubishi Electric draws arrows chasing round a square. | Use it if you'd rather not change modes by hand. Mitsubishi Electric doesn't recommend it on a multi-split. |
| Mode | The Mode button steps through the modes, one press at a time. Most remotes print the word. Hitachi's button is half a snowflake and half a sun. | Press it until the mode you want shows on the remote. |
| Power | The power button starts and stops the unit. The symbol is a circle with a line through the top. | Press it once to start, and again to stop. |
| Temperature | The temperature buttons set the room temperature you want. Most are up and down arrows, and Mitsubishi Electric uses minus and plus. | Set it below the room temperature to cool, and above it to heat. Hitachi says cooling won't start otherwise. |
| Fan speed | The fan speed button sets how much air blows. Rising bars usually show the speed, often with an Auto setting. | Mitsubishi Electric says to use a higher speed to cool or heat faster, then lower it once you're comfortable. |
| Up and down | The up-and-down button swings the main blade, or holds it in place. The symbol is a fan of lines. | Use it to spread the air. Don't move the main blade by hand, because all eight makers warn against it. |
| Left and right | The left-and-right button moves the side blades. Fujitsu KM, Panasonic BZ and Toshiba Seiya remotes have no such button, so you set those by hand. | Use it to aim the air away from a bed or a sofa. |
| Powerful | Powerful runs the unit hard for a short time, then goes back to your setting. Other names are Jet, Hi POWER and MAX. | Use it to cool or heat a room fast. It stops by itself, after 15 to 30 minutes on the makes that give a time. |
| Eco | Eco saves energy, but each make does it its own way. Some limit the power, and others move the set temperature a little. | Use it once the room is comfortable. Expect gentler cooling or heating. |
| Quiet | Quiet slows the indoor fan to cut its noise. Many remotes draw lips or a face with a finger across them. On LG, that symbol means the outdoor unit. | Use it at night or in a quiet room. Fujitsu says to raise the fan if cooling or heating feels weak. |
| Outdoor quiet | Outdoor quiet slows the outdoor unit to lower its noise. LG calls it Silent, and Daikin calls it Quiet. | Use it at night, for you and your neighbours. Fujitsu says it isn't available on a multi-split. |
| Sleep | Sleep eases the temperature while you sleep, and many units then turn off. The symbol is often a crescent moon. | Use it at bedtime. Set how long it runs, if your remote asks. |
| Timer | Timers start or stop the unit at a time you choose. You'll see a clock face, or the words ON and OFF. Weekly timers hold several settings a day. | Set the remote's clock first, because the timers follow it. Samsung's timers run for a set length of time instead. |
| Comfort air | Comfort air keeps the air from blowing straight at you. Names include Comfort, Soft Air, WindFree and HADA Care Flow. | Use it if a draught bothers you. |
| Motion sensor | A motion sensor notices if people are in the room, then saves energy or aims the air. The symbol is often a person with arcs. | Fujitsu says not to use its sensor when a room holds just children, or elderly or sick people. Hitachi warns the same about Auto-Off. |
| Self clean | Self clean dries the inside, or freezes and thaws the coil to wash it. Names include Clean, Auto Clean, Freeze Wash and FrostWash. | Some units do this by themselves, so a fan running after you switch off can be normal. Hitachi says Mold Guard can't remove mould. |
| Filter | The filter sign says the filter needs cleaning. It may be a lamp, or letters such as CF on a Samsung. | Clean the filter as your manual says, then reset the sign. Samsung says every two weeks. |
| Air purifier | Air purifier settings clean the air in the room. Names include Flash Streamer, nanoe X, PURE, PURIFIER and Ionizer. | What it does differs by make, so check your manual. |
| 8 or 10°C heat | Low heat holds a room at about 8 to 10°C, so it doesn't get too cold. Hitachi calls it LeaveHome, and LG calls it Low Heating. | Use it when you're away in winter. |
| Light off | The light setting dims or turns off the lamps on the indoor unit. Samsung's button is a light bulb. | Use it at night in a bedroom. Many remotes need another button held for a few seconds, so check your manual. |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi links the unit to an app on your phone. Each make has its own app. | Use it to run the unit when you're out. Toshiba Seiya units need an adapter, sold as an extra. |
| Reset | Reset is a small hole on many remotes. It resets the remote, not the unit. | Press it with a pen tip if the display looks wrong, or after new batteries if your manual says to. |
| Favourite | A favourite button brings back a saved setting with one press. Hitachi calls it My Mode, Mitsubishi Electric i save, and Toshiba PRESET. | Set the unit how you like it, then save it as your manual says. |
| Power limit | A power limit caps the electricity the unit draws. Hitachi calls it Power Safe, and Toshiba calls it POWER-SEL. | Use it if the unit shares a circuit and the breaker trips. Hitachi says cooling or heating may feel weaker. |
| Low battery | The battery sign shows the remote is running low. Mitsubishi Electric says its remote stops about 7 days later. | Change the batteries soon. Samsung's AR70H remote charges by USB-C instead. |
| Signal | A small triangle or arcs show the remote has sent a signal. | If the unit doesn't respond, check the batteries and point the remote at the unit. |
Sources: makers’ manuals for Daikin Perfera, Fujitsu KM, Hitachi airHome 600, LG H09S1P, Mitsubishi Electric MSZ-AY, Panasonic BZ, Samsung AR70H and Toshiba Seiya S4.
What each make calls the same button
Each make uses its own names for the same buttons, which is why a remote can look so strange. These are the names on the remotes we read.
| Button | What the makes call it |
|---|---|
| Cool | Daikin: Cooling. Fujitsu: COOL. Hitachi: Cool. LG: Cooling. Mitsubishi Electric: COOL. Panasonic: COOL. Samsung: Cool. Toshiba: Cool. |
| Heat | Daikin: Heating. Fujitsu: HEAT. Hitachi: Heat. LG: Heating. Mitsubishi Electric: HEAT. Panasonic: HEAT. Samsung: Heat. Toshiba: Heat. |
| Dry | Daikin: Drying. Fujitsu: DRY. Hitachi: Dry. LG: Dehumidification. Mitsubishi Electric: DRY. Panasonic: DRY. Samsung: Dry. Toshiba: Dry. |
| Fan | Daikin: Fan. Fujitsu: FAN. Hitachi: Fan. LG: Fan. Mitsubishi Electric: FAN. Samsung: Fan. Toshiba: Fan. |
| Auto | Daikin: Automatic. Fujitsu: AUTO. Hitachi: Auto. LG: Auto Changeover. Mitsubishi Electric: AUTO. Panasonic: AUTO. Samsung: AI Auto. Toshiba: Auto. |
| Mode | Daikin: Mode. Fujitsu: MODE. Hitachi: Mode. LG: Mode. Mitsubishi Electric: MODE. Panasonic: MODE. Samsung: Mode. Toshiba: MODE. |
| Power | Daikin: On/Off. Fujitsu: Start/stop. Hitachi: On/Off. LG: Power. Mitsubishi Electric: OFF/ON. Panasonic: OFF/ON. Samsung: Power. Toshiba: Start/Stop. |
| Temperature | Daikin: Temp. Fujitsu: TEMP. Hitachi: Temp. LG: Temp. Mitsubishi Electric: TEMP. Panasonic: TEMP. Samsung: Temperature bar or Temp. Toshiba: TEMP. |
| Fan speed | Daikin: Fan. Fujitsu: FAN. Hitachi: Fan Speed. LG: Fan Speed. Mitsubishi Electric: FAN. Panasonic: FAN SPEED/QUIET. Samsung: Fan. Toshiba: FAN. |
| Up and down | Daikin: Vertical swing. Fujitsu: SWING and SET. Hitachi: Up/Down. LG: Up-Down Swing. Mitsubishi Electric: VANE. Panasonic: AIR SWING. Samsung: Vertical swing. Toshiba: SWING and FIX. |
| Left and right | Daikin: Swing. Fujitsu: set by hand. Hitachi: Left/Right or Wide Reach. LG: Left-Right Swing. Mitsubishi Electric: WIDE VANE. Panasonic: set by hand, or AIR SWING on Etherea. Samsung: Horizontal swing. Toshiba: set by hand, or FIX on Daiseikai 10. |
| Powerful | Daikin: Powerful. Fujitsu: POWERFUL. Hitachi: Powerful. LG: Jet Mode. Mitsubishi Electric: POWERFUL. Panasonic: POWERFUL. Samsung: MAX. Toshiba: Hi POWER. |
| Eco | Daikin: Econo. Fujitsu: ECONOMY. Hitachi: Smart Eco. LG: Energy Control. Mitsubishi Electric: ECONO COOL. Samsung: Eco. Toshiba: ECO. |
| Quiet | Daikin: Indoor unit quiet. Fujitsu: Quiet. Hitachi: Silent. Mitsubishi Electric: Silent. Panasonic: QUIET. Samsung: Quiet. Toshiba: QUIET. |
| Outdoor quiet | Daikin: Quiet. Fujitsu: OUTDOOR UNIT LOW NOISE. LG: Silent. Toshiba: SILENT. |
| Sleep | Daikin: Night set mode. Fujitsu: SLEEP. Hitachi: SleepSense. LG: Sleep. Mitsubishi Electric: NIGHT MODE. Panasonic: SLEEP. Samsung: Good Sleep. Toshiba: COMFORT SLEEP. |
| Timer | Daikin: On, Off and Weekly. Fujitsu: ON, OFF and WEEKLY. Hitachi: On Timer and Off Timer. LG: On Timer and Off Timer. Mitsubishi Electric: ON, OFF and WEEKLY TIMER. Panasonic: TIMER ON and TIMER OFF. Samsung: On Timer and Off Timer. Toshiba: ON and OFF. |
| Comfort air | Daikin: Comfort. LG: Soft Air or Comfort Air. Samsung: WindFree or AI Motion Wind. Toshiba: HADA Care Flow. |
| Motion sensor | Daikin: Intelligent eye. Fujitsu: SENSOR. Hitachi: Auto-Off. LG: Absence Detection. Mitsubishi Electric: i-see. Samsung: Motion Detection. Toshiba: Motion Tracking. |
| Self clean | Fujitsu: Heat Clean. Hitachi: FrostWash or Mold Guard. LG: Auto Clean or All Cleaning. Mitsubishi Electric: CLEAN. Panasonic: nanoe X, held for 3 seconds. Samsung: Auto Clean or Freeze Wash. |
| Filter | Fujitsu: Filter indicator. Hitachi: Filter. Samsung: CF. Toshiba: FILTER. |
| Air purifier | Daikin: Clean. Hitachi: AQtiv-Ion. LG: Air Purify or Ionizer. Mitsubishi Electric: PURIFIER. Panasonic: nanoe X. Toshiba: PURE. |
| 8 or 10°C heat | Fujitsu: 10°C HEAT. Hitachi: LeaveHome. LG: Low Heating. Toshiba: 8°C. |
| Light off | Daikin: hold the clock button. LG: Light Off. Panasonic: hold the up arrow. Samsung: Lighting. Toshiba: hold FAN. |
| Wi-Fi | Daikin: ONECTA app. Fujitsu: hold CANCEL for wireless control. Hitachi: airCloud Go app. LG: LG ThinQ app. Mitsubishi Electric: MELCloud. Panasonic: Comfort Cloud app. Samsung: SmartThings app. Toshiba: Home AC Control app. |
| Reset | Fujitsu: RESET. Hitachi: Reset. LG: Reset. Mitsubishi Electric: RESET. Panasonic: RC RESET. Toshiba: RESET. |
| Favourite | Hitachi: My Mode. Mitsubishi Electric: i save. Toshiba: PRESET. |
| Power limit | Hitachi: Power Safe. Toshiba: POWER-SEL. |
| Low battery | Mitsubishi Electric: Battery replacement indicator. Samsung: Low battery. |
| Signal | Daikin: Signal mark. Fujitsu: Signal mark. Hitachi: Transmission sign. |
A missing make means the manuals we read don’t show that button, not that no model has it.
Which mode should I use?
The right mode depends on the weather and on how the room feels:
| How it feels | Try this |
|---|---|
| Hot | Cool. Daikin and Panasonic suggest 26 to 28°C to save energy. |
| Sticky and humid, but not very hot | Dry. Samsung suggests it for rainy or humid weather. |
| Stuffy | Fan, if your make has it. |
| Chilly | Heat. Daikin and Panasonic suggest 20 to 24°C to save energy. |
| Bedtime | Sleep, with the fan on Quiet. |
No maker’s manual we read says when Auto is best. Mitsubishi Electric doesn’t recommend it on a multi-split. What each hour costs.
The same word can mean different things
The same word can do different jobs on different makes, so check before you rely on it:
- Silent and Quiet: on Hitachi and Mitsubishi Electric, Silent is the indoor fan. On LG, Silent is the outdoor unit.
- Toshiba: QUIET is the indoor fan, and SILENT is the outdoor unit.
- Daikin: Quiet is the outdoor unit, and Indoor unit quiet is the fan setting.
- Eco: Daikin’s Econo limits the power. Toshiba’s ECO moves the set temperature. Hitachi’s Smart Eco uses a sensor.
- The leaf: it means Smart Eco on a Hitachi, and Eco on a Samsung remote.
Sources: makers’ manuals for Daikin Perfera, Fujitsu KM, Hitachi airHome 600, LG H09S1P, Mitsubishi Electric MSZ-AY, Panasonic BZ, Samsung AR70H and Toshiba Seiya S4.
When a unit pauses or blinks
A unit that pauses isn’t always faulty, and two things catch people out:
- Defrost: on Heat, the unit stops blowing warm air to clear ice from the outdoor unit. The makers that give a time say 4 to 20 minutes, and a lamp may blink.
- Drying the inside: some units run the fan after you switch off, to dry the coil. Times vary by make, so check your manual.
A blinking lamp at any other time may be a fault. Look up a fault code, or see what a service covers.
Sources: makers’ manuals for Daikin Perfera, Fujitsu KM, Hitachi airHome 600, LG H09S1P, Mitsubishi Electric MSZ-AY, Panasonic BZ, Samsung AR70H and Toshiba Seiya S4.
Symbol questions
What does the snowflake mean on an air con remote?
The snowflake means Cool. The unit brings the room down to the temperature you set.
What does the sun symbol mean?
The sun means Heat. Most split units heat as well as cool, so the sun warms the room to the temperature you set.
What does the water drop mean?
The water drop means Dry. The unit takes moisture out of the air, and may cool the room a little.
What do the lips or the finger mean?
Lips or a face with a finger across them mean quiet. On most makes that’s the indoor fan, but on LG it’s the outdoor unit.
Why has my remote got no Fan mode?
Panasonic’s remotes list Auto, Heat, Cool and Dry, with no Fan mode. If yours is another make, press Mode until you’ve seen every setting.
Do all remotes have a child lock?
None of the 16 manuals we read shows a child lock. The nearest is Hitachi’s Operation Mode Lock, which fixes the remote to heating or to cooling.
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