How to Reset a Bosch Washing Machine: Cancel, Unlock and Settings

A Bosch washing machine does not have one reset button. When people search for a reset, they usually mean one of five different jobs: cancel the programme that is running, get the door open after a cancel, cut the power and restore it, release the child lock, or restore settings (the factory settings, or the Home Connect network settings). Each has its own steps, and using the wrong one wastes time or, worse, wipes settings you wanted to keep.

This guide takes them one at a time, using Bosch sources only: eight Bosch user manuals, Bosch UK's page on a door that will not open, and Bosch Singapore and Qatar pages on the child lock. We give the model code of every manual we quote, and we call the WGB manuals "newer" because they include Home Connect features, since the text we read carries no dates. We do this because the procedures differ by model and none of the manuals names a series. Regional pages are labelled as regional, because we found no Bosch UAE page on this topic. Where a manual is silent, we write "not covered".

One finding shapes the whole page. The Bosch washing machine manuals we read give no hold time for cancelling a programme. Newer manuals say to press a button. Older ones describe interrupting the programme with Rinse, Spin or Drain. Advice that gives a fixed hold time for cancelling is not what these manuals say, and Bosch's dishwashers work differently, as our dishwasher reset guide explains.

We are an independent Bosch appliance repair company, not the manufacturer, and we are not an authorised Bosch agent. If your washing machine is inside Bosch's warranty, contact Bosch first. For faults, error codes and repair costs, see our Bosch washing machine repair page.

At a glance

• To cancel a programme: on the newer manuals we read, press the Cancel button once. On the older ones, select Rinse (after a hot wash) or Spin or Drain (after a cooler one), then press Start/Pause or Start/Reload.
• To change a programme after it has started: reselect the programme and press Start. The new programme starts from the beginning.
• If the door stays locked: Bosch's newer manuals say to start Rinse if the water is hot, or Spin or a draining programme if the water level is high. Older manuals say to wait about 2 minutes if a safety function is active.
• To clear a fault that looks electronic: switch off, wait 5 seconds, switch on. That is the only wait time Bosch's washing machine manuals give.
• To release the child lock: hold the button for about 3 seconds on newer manuals and about 5 seconds on older ones.
• To restore factory settings or network settings: these are two different "rES" options on newer machines. Do not confuse them.
• When not to reset: water on the floor, a burning smell, a breaker that trips, or a fault that returns.

Which reset do you need?

Match the symptom to the reset. Run one, wait, and see what changed.

If more than one row fits, start with the child lock. It is the cheapest thing to rule out, and it makes a healthy machine look broken.

Cancel a running programme

Bosch's manuals describe cancelling in two different ways, depending on the age and model of the machine.

Newer manuals: press Cancel

The WGB256A1GB manual (section 13.10, "Cancelling the programme"), the WGB256A90 manual (section 13.9) and the WGB254A0SG manual (section 13.8) all describe cancelling as a press. The Start/Reload button appears in the Buttons table with a "Cancel" selection. The text we could read gives no hold time, only "press". The button symbol did not survive in the files we read, so we cannot name the exact button on your panel. Your booklet shows it.

After the cancel, all three manuals say to open the door. If the door stays locked, they refer to temperature and water level, which we cover in the section on the locked door.

Older manuals: interrupt, then finish

The older manuals we read mostly do not use the word "cancel" for this. They describe "Interrupting the programme" (WAB24166SN, WAE24469BY, WAE24261GB, WIS24167EE) or ending it (WAS287B0GB):

None of these gives a hold time. The only hold the WAE24469BY manual gives for its Start/Reload button is the 5 seconds for the child lock.

What this means. Our reading of the manuals: on these machines, "cancelling" is not a reset. It is a way of finishing the cycle early, with a rinse to cool the load or a drain or spin to empty the drum. The machine does the work, and the door unlocks afterwards.

What to do, in order

1. Decide whether the water is hot. If the programme was a hot wash, the older manuals say to choose Rinse to cool the laundry.
2. If the water is not hot, choose Spin or Drain.
3. Press Start/Pause or Start/Reload, as your panel labels it.
4. Wait. The machine will rinse, spin or drain, and then unlock the door.
5. Open the door only when it has unlocked or the display shows the end of the programme.

The WIS24167EE manual adds a warning for the pause: if the Start/Pause light flashes quickly with an audible signal, the water level is too high, and you should close the door immediately and press Start/Pause to continue. We found this in one manual only and do not claim it for every machine.

Pausing is not cancelling

A pause stops the machine and keeps the programme. The WAS287B0GB manual says to press Start/Reload to stop a soak after about 10 minutes and again to continue. Our reading: a pause does not empty the drum, so if you wanted the water out, pause is the wrong tool.

If nothing happens

If the machine does not respond to a press, the child lock may be on. Look for a key or lock symbol on the display. If the display is dead, go to the power reset. If a code is showing, our E17 guide covers a machine that is not filling and our E18 guide covers one that is not draining.

Changing a programme, adding laundry and the "timer"

Changing the programme

Every manual we read gives the same rule. The WAB24166SN, WAE24469BY, WAE24261GB, WIS24167EE and WAS287B0GB manuals say to reselect the programme, then press Start/Pause or Start/Reload, and that "the new programme starts from the beginning". Nothing in the manuals suggests it continues from where the old one stopped.

Our suggestion: if you picked the wrong temperature on a programme that has barely started, the correction costs you only the minutes already run. If the machine is well into the wash, finishing it and rewashing may cost less than restarting.

Adding laundry

Three of the manuals describe it, and they differ.

• WAE24469BY: press Start/Reload. The display shows YES and a plus symbol when reloading is possible. The manual says "do not open the door until both the YES + symbols are lit". If NO is lit, reloading is not possible.
• WAS287B0GB: press Start/Reload. The machine checks whether top-up is possible and you follow the display. The display can show "Top-up not poss." when the water level or temperature is too high. The manual says not to leave the door open too long, as water could leak out.
• WIS24167EE: it says to top up the washing if required and not to leave the door open for a long time.

The manuals for the WAB24166SN, WAE24261GB and the three WGB machines did not cover adding laundry in the sections we read. If you own one of those, use your booklet. Our caution, which is ours and not Bosch's: never force the door. A locked door means the machine has judged it unsafe.

The "Finished in" time and resetting the timer

A search for "how to reset the timer" on a Bosch washing machine usually means the programme end time, which Bosch calls "Finished in" or "Finish in". The manuals say:

• WAE24469BY, WAE24261GB: the time can be set in steps of one hour, up to a maximum of 24 hours. Press the Finished in button until the hours you want show, then press Start.
• WAS287B0GB: the end time can be set up to 24 hours in one-hour steps before starting. "It is not possible to make adjustments once the programme has started."
• WGB256A1GB, WGB256A90, WGB254A0SG: the nearest item is the "Finish in" button, up to 24 hours. The steps beyond "press until the display shows the required setting" were not covered in the text we read.

What this means for a reset. If you set the wrong end time and the programme has not started, press the Finished in button until it shows what you want. If the programme has started, WAS287B0GB says you cannot adjust it. The route is to cancel or interrupt, reselect the programme, set the time and start again.

The programme counter. The WGB manuals list a count of finished programmes in the basic settings. The text we read does not say it can be reset, and we do not suggest trying.

When the door stays locked after a cancel

A locked door after a cancel is normal for a while. The machine locks the door when there is a reason to, and unlocks when the reason has gone. The manuals give the reasons and what to do.

Bosch's rules

Heat and water level. The WGB256A1GB manual (section 13.10) says: "The appliance door remains locked for safety reasons if the temperature and water levels are high." Its two remedies are:

• High temperature: start the Rinse programme.
• High water level: start Spin or a draining programme, then open the door.

The WGB254A0SG manual gives the same remedies in section 13.8. The WAE24469BY manual says the door stays locked when the water level or temperature is high, or during spinning, and that the display shows NO flashing until YES and the plus symbol light up.

A safety function. Two older manuals (WAB24166SN, WAE24261GB) list under "What to do if..." that the door cannot be opened because a safety function is active, and say: "Wait approx. 2 minutes." The WAS287B0GB manual gives no wait time but advises letting hot detergent solution cool if possible.

Water you cannot see. The WAE24261GB manual says that if no water is visible in the drum, the water is below the visible area, and that this is not a fault.

Other reasons the door will not close or open. Bosch UK's page for a door that will not open or close lists four causes: the child lock is on, clothing is trapped between the door and the housing, the drum is overloaded, or the door lock is faulty. It says a faulty lock needs a trained Bosch engineer.

The emergency release

If the power has failed, or the door will not open and the cycle cannot finish, the manuals describe an emergency release. The steps differ slightly by model:

1. Turn the programme selector to Off and pull the mains plug (WAE24469BY, WAS287B0GB, WIS24167EE).
2. Make sure the water has been drained. The newer WGB manuals say the drain pump must be empty. The WGB254A0SG manual warns: "ATTENTION! Escaping water may cause material damage."
3. On the WIS24167EE, remove the base strip first. Its installation instructions show how.
4. Pull the emergency release downwards with a tool and release it. The door can then be opened.
5. On the WGB254A0SG, insert and lock the maintenance flap afterwards. On the WIS24167EE, put the base strip back.

The one rule every manual repeats. The WAE24469BY, WIS24167EE, WAS287B0GB, WGB256A1GB and WGB256A90 manuals all say not to open the door if you can see water through the glass, and the WGB254A0SG warns that escaping water may cause material damage. We repeat it for the same reason: opening a door onto a drum full of water floods the floor.

Where the release is. The manuals refer to a maintenance flap or base strip. We do not describe the position, because it varies by model and the manuals' pictures did not come through. Your booklet shows it for your code.

If the drum has water and the drain is blocked. The release is only part of the job. You must empty the pump first. Our E18 guide walks through draining the machine safely and cleaning the pump, so we do not repeat it here.

If the door will not open at the end of a normal cycle, with an empty drum. The lock may have failed. Our washing machine page covers that symptom. A door lock repair typically runs AED 160 to AED 340, excluding VAT. Our door lock guide covers E16 and F16 and what Bosch's pages say about the lock.

Power reset, and what a power cut does

The power reset

The only wait time Bosch's washing machine manuals give is 5 seconds. The WAB24166SN manual's troubleshooting entry for "Other displays" says: "Switch off the appliance, wait for 5 seconds and switch it back on again." That is a power cycle, and the manual does not describe it as a settings reset.

Bosch's dishwasher pages also mention 30 seconds, and a "few minutes" for a dishwasher that will not stop. Those are for dishwashers. We found no equivalent for washing machines, so we do not apply those figures here.

How to do it safely.

1. Turn the programme selector to Off, if your machine has one, or press the On/Off button.
2. Pull the plug or switch off at the socket. If the machine is connected permanently, use its isolating switch or the breaker for that circuit.
3. Do not touch the plug with wet hands. If there is water around the socket or under the machine, do not go near it. Switch off at the board and message us on WhatsApp.
4. Wait at least 5 seconds, which is the manual's figure.
5. Restore the power, close the door, and select a programme.

What a power reset can and cannot do. Our reading: it restarts the electronics and can clear a one-off glitch. It cannot repair a failed part. Our rule, which is ours and not Bosch's: reset once. If the same fault returns, stop, because each restart asks a failing part to work again.

What a power cut does

The manuals describe what a power cut does, and it differs between older and newer machines.

In practice. If the power drops during a wash and returns, an older machine may carry on by itself, and the drum may still hold water. Do not assume it has finished. Look at the display before you open the door. A newer machine will keep its child lock on, so a panel that does nothing after an outage may be locked and not broken.

If the lights on the panel do not work at all. The WAB24166SN and WIS24167EE manuals ask whether there has been a power failure or a tripped fuse, and say to reset or change the fuses. Check the breaker before anything else. If the breaker trips as soon as you restore it, stop, because water may have reached the electrics.

The child lock

A locked panel looks like a dead one. Check this before any other reset.

Newer machines

The WGB256A1GB, WGB256A90 and WGB254A0SG manuals (section 14) describe the same procedure. To activate it, press and hold the "3 sec." button for about 3 seconds. To deactivate it, do the same with the appliance switched on. The WGB256A1GB manual adds that you should set the programme selector to the initial programme so that the running programme is not cancelled. The lock stays active in standby mode and after a power cut.

Older machines

The WAB24166SN, WAE24469BY, WAE24261GB and WAS287B0GB manuals hold the button for about 5 seconds: the Start/Pause or Start/Reload button on the first three, and the Options button on the WAS287B0GB. The WAB24166SN says to do it after the start or end of the programme. The WAS287B0GB adds that if you change the programme selector after the start, the lock symbol flashes, and you should return it to the original programme first.

Each of these manuals says the lock can stay on after switch-off and must be deactivated before you start a new programme.

The regional pages

Bosch Singapore and Bosch Qatar publish the same three methods for deactivating the lock, which they introduce with "most models" and "particular models". Neither lists model numbers.

1. Start button (most models): look for a key symbol or "CL" on the display, which means the buttons are disabled. Hold the start button for 3 to 5 seconds until you hear a beep and the key symbol goes.
2. "rpm" and "finished in" buttons (particular models): hold both together for about 3 seconds, until the beep.
3. Advanced touch screen models: find the illuminated square button with a key symbol and "3 sec" beneath it, and hold it for 3 seconds. The button darkens and a beep confirms it.

If the symbol stays, Bosch says a service engineer may need to look at it. Bosch Singapore's page covers deactivating only, and refers to the manual for activating.

Which method is yours

We cannot tell you. The hold time is 3 seconds on the newer manuals and about 5 on the older ones, and the regional pages say 3 to 5. Our suggestion: look at the display. A key symbol, "CL" or a flashing lock symbol tells you the lock is on. Hold the button for 3 seconds, and if nothing happens, keep holding to 5. Then check your booklet.

Basic settings and the factory setting

Newer Bosch machines have a basic settings menu. It holds the settings a power cut does not usually change.

The list

The WGB256A1GB manual (section 17.1) lists these basic settings:

The WGB256A90 and WGB254A0SG manuals list similar items with the same factory setting, though item 4 is missing from the text we read, so we cannot confirm it. None of the three lists a water or spin setting in this menu.

Entering it

The WGB256A1GB manual (section 17.2) says to press the Basic Settings button. The button symbol did not extract. The WGB254A0SG manual gives more: show the additional buttons first, then press Basic Settings, use the programme selector to choose a setting, change it with the selection buttons, and press Basic Settings again to exit. The WGB256A1GB manual says the additional buttons must be displayed first (section 5.4).

Restoring the factory settings

To restore the factory settings, the manuals say to press and hold a button for about 3 seconds in the basic settings, and then press the save button to store the settings (WGB256A1GB, section 17.2). The button symbol did not extract, so check your booklet.

Before you do it. Write down your signal volumes and brightness. The factory setting restores changed settings. It does not repair anything. Our reading: it is useful when someone has changed the settings and you do not know to what.

Older machines

The WAB24166SN, WAE24469BY, WAE24261GB, WIS24167EE and WAS287B0GB manuals have no settings reset. They have an "Individual settings" section covering options such as the child lock, signal volume, Rinse Plus and the end time. The WAE24261GB manual notes that if you hold a button down, the machine automatically runs through the setting options. We found no restore-defaults step for these.

Resetting the Home Connect network settings

If your machine has Home Connect, the newer WGB manuals describe a separate reset for the network connection. It is not the factory-settings reset, even though both use "rES".

The steps (WGB256A1GB, WGB256A90 and WGB254A0SG, section 16.6)

1. Hold the Remote Start button for about 3 seconds to open the Home Connect menu (at least 3 seconds in the WGB256A1GB manual).
2. Press Remote Start repeatedly until the display shows "rES". The WGB256A1GB manual says to wait for it to appear.
3. Press and hold the confirm button for at least 3 seconds. The manual says: "The network settings are reset."

What it does and does not do

The manuals describe it as resetting the network settings, and say nothing about it changing anything else. Our suggestion: if your machine has dropped off the app, check the router, the Wi-Fi password and the app first, and confirm the machine runs from its own panel first. Do not use the network reset as a fault fix.

Remote Start

Section 16.7 of the same manuals says Remote Start needs a programme selected, the door closed and the detergent drawer pushed in. It turns off when you open the door, when you press Remote Start again, and after a power cut. If your app cannot start the machine, check those three before blaming the connection.

Machines without Home Connect

The older manuals we read do not mention Home Connect. If your machine has no Remote Start button, there is no network reset to do.

Serie 2, Serie 6, Serie 8 and Maxx 7

Many searches that lead here name a series: "reset Bosch washing machine Serie 2", "Serie 6", "Serie 8", "Maxx 7". We looked for any Bosch page that ties a reset to a series name, and found none. What the manuals show is differences by model code.

What we can say.

• The manuals we read are for the models named above. None says which series it belongs to.
• The three newer manuals (WGB256A1GB, WGB256A90, WGB254A0SG) share their layout. The WGB prefix is shared with the 10 kg Serie 8 WGB2560XGC sold in the UAE, which we cover in our 10 kg guide. No source tells us that those manuals apply to it, so do not assume they do.
• We found no Bosch page that uses the name "Maxx 7" for a reset procedure.

What to do. Find the full model code on the rating plate, which is on the door edge or inside the door frame. Then find the booklet for that code on Bosch's site. If you cannot find it, send us a photo of the plate. Our model codes guide explains how the codes are put together.

Our Serie 4, Serie 6 and Serie 8 guides cover the machines themselves.

When a reset is the wrong move

If a power reset changes nothing on a machine that is dead or will not start, our Bosch washing machine control board guide covers what to check next.

A reset asks the machine to try again. That is fine for a glitch. It is the wrong answer when the machine is telling you something has failed.

Water on the floor. If the machine is leaking, switch it off, turn off the tap and do not run it again until the leak is found. Resetting hides the symptom. If the water is at the front, see our door seal guide for the checks to run before you blame the rubber.

A code that returns. If a code comes back after one reset, the reset did not fix it. Our E17 and E18 guides cover a machine that will not fill and one that will not drain.

A tripping breaker. If the breaker trips as soon as you restore power, stop. Our washing machine page says a tripping RCD usually means water has reached the heater or wiring. Do not keep switching it back on.

A burning smell, smoke or a hot plug. Switch off at the board and message us on WhatsApp. Do not run another cycle to see.

A door that will not close. Bosch UK's list starts with the child lock, trapped clothing and an overloaded drum. If none applies, the lock may not be engaging the latch, which Bosch says needs a trained engineer. A reset does not change that.

Repeated cancels. If you keep cancelling the same programme because it never finishes, our reading is that a fault is being hidden, such as a slow drain, a pump that is struggling or a heater that has failed. Cancelling and restarting does not diagnose it. Our rule of thumb, which is ours and not Bosch's: if you are resetting the same machine more than twice in a month, book an inspection.

After a reset: a short test run

After any reset, check that the machine works before you load it with a full wash.

1. Close the door firmly, with no sock or strap caught in the seal.
2. Select a short programme with no laundry or a small load.
3. Start it and stay in the kitchen for the first few minutes. Listen for water entering, then the drum turning.
4. Look under the machine and round the door for water.
5. At the end, check that the drum has drained before you open the door.

If it fails, do not repeat the reset. Write down what you saw and message us on WhatsApp.

What we do if the reset does not work

An inspection starts with the questions in this guide. We check the child lock, the supply and isolator, the door and its latch, the drain and the settings, so that you do not pay for a visit that a button press would have solved. Then we test the part that matches the symptom. We can release a locked door safely and replace the lock if needed.

Typical ranges, excluding 5% VAT. Door lock work AED 160 to AED 340. A machine that will not start, because of the door lock module or the control board, AED 250 to AED 650. A control module fault AED 320 to AED 750. These are the ranges on our washing machine repair page.

The AED 99 inspection includes the visit, the diagnosis and a written quote. If you approve the repair, the AED 99 comes off the price. If you decline, it is all you pay. Payment is by card, cash or bank transfer, and every visit gets a VAT invoice with the part numbers listed.

If your washing machine is under warranty, contact Bosch first. Our guide to authorised versus independent repair explains how to decide. If the warranty has ended, our 90-day warranty covers the repair we make.

What to tell us when you book

The more precise the booking, the more likely the first visit ends in a finished repair. Have these ready:

• The full model code from the rating plate.
• What you did, in order. For example: "Pressed Cancel, started Spin, waited five minutes, switched off for ten seconds."
• What the display showed at each step, and a photo of it.
• Any code, and whether it returned after the reset.
• Whether water is in the drum, and whether you can see it through the glass.
• Whether the child lock symbol was on.
• Whether there was a power cut before the fault.
• Whether you restored the factory settings or the network settings.
• Whether the app works, if the machine has Home Connect.
• Age and history. How old the machine is and whether it has been repaired.
• Access. Building name, apartment and parking, and any approval your building needs. For an integrated machine, say whether the panel hides the controls.

A short video of the fault, such as a display that flickers or a door that will not release, helps. Send it by WhatsApp.