Instant Pot Functions: Do you feel overwhelmed by all the functions or buttons on your pressure cooker? You are not alone! Learn EVERYTHING you need to know about each function and how to use them! Detailed information of what each function means and how to use it on the different instant pot models.
When my Instant Pot first came in the mail, I was a bit baffled at where to begin.
I had purchased the Instant Pot Duo model and there were SO many buttons!!! Even after completing the initial water test, It took me a bit of time (and a few mistakes) to realize that there is really only a few functions I need to utilize when pressure cooking to make delicious instant pot recipes.
Instant Pot Functions
At first glance at your electric pressure cooker, it looks like you can cook just about anything with a simple touch of a button.
What do all these Buttons Mean?
I only use 7 buttons on my instant pot–manual, pressure, adjust, saute, yogurt, timer, and slow cooker.
The rest of the buttons are really unnecessary in my opinion–and truthfully, unless you want to make yogurt in your instant pot, the yogurt button is not necessary either.
Manual/Pressure Cook Button
Manual function allows you to set the cook time to whatever you would like. This is by far the MOST utilized function on the instant pot.
To Use the Manual Button:
- Hit Manual.
- If you need to adjust pressure, hit the pressure button until high or low pressure is lit up (if you have the Instant Pot Lux–it only cooks on High pressure)
- Hit the plus or minus sign to adjust time
Pressure Button
This function adjusts pressure for high to low–not an option on the Instant Pot Lux.
To use the Pressure Button:
- After you hit manual, hit pressure to adjust to high or low pressure.
- Set your timer on for manual cooking as needed.
Adjust Button
The adjust button is to adjust the temperature of the slow cooking, function of yogurt button, and saute modes between less, normal, and more.
Saute Function
This function is great for browning meat, sauteing veggies or thickening up a sauce at the end of pressure cooking. I use this function for my Instant Pot Mongolian Beef and Instant Pot Chili.
To use Saute Function:
- Press the “Sauté” function key.
- Select a temperature with the “Adjust” key for “Normal”, “More” or “Less”.
- When Instant Pot reaches the given working temperature, it displays “Hot” and you can start sautéing.
- One full “Sauté” session will run for 30 minutes.
- Normal is like medium heat on a stove top and More is like high heat on a stove top and less is like low heat on a stove top.
Yogurt Button
The yogurt function is only used only to make yogurt.
The yogurt button is able to be adjusted by hitting the “adjust” button until it says “boil” or 8:00 or 10:00. These functions are unique to yogurt recipes. Get FULL details on how to make yogurt in your instant pot here.
Timer Button
The timer function is used to Delay Cooking Start Time.
To Use the Timer Function:
- Select either manual (pressure cooking) or slow cooker mode, as these are the only two modes compatible with the timer function.
- Set your cooking time.
- Within 10 seconds of setting the cooking time, press the ‘timer’ button.
- Use the +/- keys to set your delay time.
- Note: You are setting the timer as to when you want your pressure cooker to START cooking. Therefore, if want dinner ready in 2 hours but it takes 20 minutes to come to pressure, 20 minutes to cook and 20 minutes to release pressure set your timer for 1 hour.
Slow Cooker Button
The Instant Pot Slow Cooker function is not equivalent to the temperatures on a slow cooker.
- Low on the Instant Pot Slow Cooker Function is like keep warm on a traditional slow cooker.
- Medium on the Instant Pot Slow Cooker Function is like low on a traditional slow cooker.
- High on the Instant Pot Function is more like medium high on a traditional slow cooker.
To use the slow cooker function on your instant pot:
- Hit your Slow Cooker Function on your Instant Pot.
- Hit the adjust button to change the setting to “low, “normal” or “high.”
Other Instant Pot Buttons
Depending on the instant pot model you have, your electric pressure cooker may have buttons for meat, chicken, rice, cake, eggs, sterilize, steam and/or soup/stew. These are functions that I do not use or recommend. It is much better to cook on high or low pressure and manually adjust the temperature yourself based on what you are cooking.
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(And in case you misplace your Floating Valve, you can get an extra to fit your model on this here.)
Sheila says
Just used my IP for the first time tonight. The “burn” error came on. I took the lid off and stirred it around but not sure if the entire amount of time had to begin over or not. Any help would be appreciated.
Kristen Chidsey says
Hi Sheila! It can be intimidating for sure to start using your instant pot, especially if you get a burn warning. There are so many reasons you can get a burn warning: If you didn’t have enough liquid, if your sauce was too thick, if you used cornstarch or flour–you can check out what NOT to cook in your Instant Pot to help.
Let me know what you were trying to cook and I can help trouble shoot that way too.
Merry says
Hello!
Please help! I am sooo confused about times! For example, if a recipe says the pressure cook time is 30 minutes,, does that include the coming up to pressure time? Does the instant pot automatically come up to pressure and then the 30 minutes timer starts?
Or how do I set the timer for a 30 minutes recipe?
Thank you so much!!
Kristen Chidsey says
Hey there! So a lot of the recipes are not clearly written and that can be tricky. When a recipe states pressure cook time, it means cook time of 30 minutes–so that does not include time coming to pressure, release of pressure etc.
To set 30 minutes for cook time–hit pressure cooker and then adjust time to 30 minutes. That will cook the recipe for 30 minutes under pressure. The instant pot will first come to pressure BEFORE it begins the 30 minute timer. Hope that helps
Cheryl Baker says
Thank you, thank you, thank you for this much-needed information! I am so glad I live in the age of the internet where one can find info on anything — especially when the user manual is practically useless. My Instant Pot arrived yesterday, but I started looking up recipes as soon as I ordered it. I happened across your blog and bookmarked it immediately. Doing so helped me make successful dishes right off the bat. Thank you again for sharing your knowledge with the rest of us.
Kristen Chidsey says
Oh Cheryl, I am so happy that you found my site! The Instant Pot overwhelms so many people and it is my goal to help you be successful at pressure cooking. I am blessed to be able to help you!
Judi Puckett says
Thank you so much for this site. I just got my instant pot ,( it is the small one since there is only two of us), and the directions included were so confusing. I am terrified to use it. After reading your information, I might really be able to use it. I am excited to try it out soon. Again thanks
Kristen Chidsey says
Oh Judi, it makes my heart SO happy to help you conquer your fear of pressure cooking. Please reach out anytime with any questions! xo, Kristen
Rose says
Hi I’m just really confused about one thing and I have not been able to get a direct yes or no answer and I’m hoping you can answer it. Am I supposed to have the steam valve to close on everything I do in this machine including slow cooker,rice, and yogurt programs?
Kristen Chidsey says
Hi Rose! It can be confusing.
You need to keep the steam valve closed for everything BUT yogurt, and slow cooker.
It needs to be closed for the rice function, to clarify as well.
Robert Joyner says
My little red float valve does not pop up. Why not? It did the first time I used the instant pot but not since.
Kristen Chidsey says
Hi Robert, so sorry for your hassle! If your Instant Pot is not sealed or you don’t have enough liquid that can cause your float valve to not float up. I have a list of reasons why the Instant Pot may not seal and how to fix it, and this may help you. https://amindfullmom.com/instant-pot-not-sealing/ If those reasons don’t explain your issue, contact Instant Pot Customer Service, they are great 🙂
Marilyn crain says
I have a instant pot ulta . Looking at a recipe it said hit the manual button only thing this instant pot version did not have a manual button. So if a recipe calls for a manual button what button do I use. Thanks
Kristen Chidsey says
Hi Marilyn, on the Ultra the Pressure Cooker function is the same as the manual button. Hope that helps!
Ruth Hervey says
Have 8 qt Duo and did water test but nothing else. Have thawed chicken breasts and always bake or crockpot using Golden mushroom soup. How do I proceed using this soup? Thanks
Kristen Chidsey says
Hi Ruth! I am do not have experience using canned soup products in the pressure cooker, as that is not something we can eat at our house. However, most dairy products (or products with flour or cornstarch) can not be cooked right inside in the inner pot as they will cause your instant pot to give you a burn warning. Instead, I would place your thawed chicken and golden mushroom soup in an oven safe dish and cook using the pot in pot method. Hope that helps! I cook my chicken for 6-8 minutes on high pressure depending on thickness of chicken breasts–here is my recipe for chicken breasts: https://amindfullmom.com/instant-pot-chicken-breasts/