Most air fryers come with a row of preset buttons and symbols that can look baffling. Here's what they actually do — and why you can mostly ignore them once you're confident.
Key takeaways
Q: What do air fryer settings mean?
A: Presets are just shortcuts that set a time and temperature for common foods — you can always override them with manual mode.
Q: Do you need to use them?
A: No — they're handy guides, but manual time and temperature give you full control.
Common presets
- Chips / Fries — high heat (around 200°C) for crisping.
- Chicken / Meat — a longer cook at a high temperature.
- Fish / Seafood — a gentler, shorter cook.
- Bake — a moderate temperature for cakes and bakes.
- Reheat — a gentle warm-through to refresh leftovers.
- Dehydrate — a very low temperature over a long time, for drying.
Manual mode
The presets simply punch in a suggested time and temperature — they're a starting point, not a rule. Once you know your air fryer, manual mode (set your own temperature and time) is more reliable, because you can match the exact recipe and adjust for your model. Treat presets as helpful guides, then fine-tune.
Just getting started? See our beginner's guide to using an air fryer.
Frequently asked questions
What do the settings on an air fryer mean?
They're presets that automatically set a time and temperature for common foods like chips, chicken, fish or baking — convenient shortcuts you can always override manually.
Do you have to use the preset buttons?
No — they're handy starting points, but manual mode, where you set your own temperature and time, gives you full control and is often more reliable.
What does the dehydrate setting do?
It runs the air fryer at a very low temperature over several hours to slowly dry food like fruit, vegetables or jerky, rather than cook it.