How to Use the Buttons on Your Instant Pot

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Whether you just got your Instant Pot or have had it for a while, chances are, some of the buttons on the appliance are confusing you.

With so many different uses, this handy appliance also comes with tons of different buttons! If you’re wondering what all those buttons do, I’m here to help. Here’s how to use each of the buttons on your Instant Pot. 

How Do the Instant Pot Buttons Work? 

No matter which buttons you choose to press, there are a few basic things you need to understand about the buttons on your Instant Pot.

The majority of the Instant Pot buttons are simply preset, suggested cook times for that type of ingredient.

So, while the button labeled “soup” or “beans,” for example, are handy, they can’t actually sense what is in the Instant Pot or whether that ingredient is finished cooking when the cook time is up. 

That’s why it’s important to take those preset buttons with a grain of salt.

Using the preset cook time buttons is a good idea if that cook time is correct for the ingredient or recipe being cooked.

Let’s find out if those preset buttons will work for you, or whether you need to use one of the other Instant Pot buttons available on the appliance. 

Instant Pot Preset Cook Buttons 

Each Instant Pot features eight different preset cook buttons, which automatically sets a cook time for the listed ingredient.

Using these buttons will automatically set the Instant Pot to the suggested cook time and pressure for that ingredient. These cook times can be adjusted using the + and – buttons in the center of the Instant Pot. 

Soup/Broth 

Pushing the soup/broth button will set the Instant Pot to pressure cook on high for 30 minutes.

Pushing the + button will adjust the time to 40 minutes, while pushing the – button will adjust the time to 20 minutes. 

Meat/Stew 

Pushing the meat/stew button will set the Instant Pot to pressure cook on high for 35 minutes.

Pushing the + button will adjust the time to 45 minutes, while pushing the – button will adjust the time to 25 minutes. 

Bean/Chili 

Pushing the bean/chili button will set the Instant Pot to pressure cook on high for 30 minutes.

Pushing the + button will adjust the time to 40 minutes, while pushing the – button will adjust the time to 20 minutes. 

Poultry 

Pushing the poultry button will set the Instant Pot to pressure cook on high for 15 minutes.

Pushing the + button will adjust the time to 30 minutes, while pushing the – button will adjust the time to 5 minutes. 

Rice 

While none of the other preset cooking buttons are automatic, the “rice” button is!

Simply fill your Instant Pot with the amount of rice and water you need to cook, and the Instant Pot will adjust the cook time based on the amount of food in the pot. 

Multigrain 

Pushing the multigrain button will set the Instant Pot to pressure cook on high for 40 minutes.

Pushing the + button will adjust the time to 60 minutes, while pushing the – button will adjust the time to 20 minutes. 

Porridge 

Pushing the porridge button will set the Instant Pot to pressure cook on high for 20 minutes.

Pushing the + button will adjust the time to 30 minutes, while pushing the – button will adjust the time to 15 minutes. 

Steam 

Pushing the steam button will set the Instant Pot to pressure cook on high for 10 minutes.

Pushing the + button will adjust the time to 15 minutes, while pushing the – button will adjust the time to 3 minutes. 

It’s best to use this button with a rack or steamer basket to keep food from touching the bottom of the pot as the Instant Pot comes to pressure. 

+ and – 

Push the + button to increase the cook time, and push the – button to decrease the cook time. 

Other Instant Pot Buttons 

In addition to preset cooking buttons, the Instant Pot also has eight other buttons along the bottom of the appliance. 

Slow Cook 

Push the slow cook button to use your Instant Pot as a slow cooker.

You can adjust the temperature of the Instant Pot to low, normal or high. Pushing the + or – buttons can increase or decrease the cook time. 

Pressure Level 

Switch between high and low pressure by pushing the pressure level button. 

Keep Warm 

Make sure your meal stays warm when it’s finished cooking by pushing the keep warm button. You can also turn the auto keep warm function on or off by pushing this button. 

Yogurt 

This button allows you make your own yogurt.

The normal mode is used to fermenting milk when making the yogurt, and the more mode is for pasteurizing the milk. 

Sauté 

Use the sauté button to sauté ingredients in your Instant Pot.

After pushing the button, wait until the display reads “hot” before adding ingredients. To increase the heat, adjust to more or adjust to less to decrease the heat. 

Delay Start 

The delay start will allow you to delay the cook time of your recipe.

Start by selecting function, then press the delay start button. Use the + or – buttons to set the amount of time to wait before the Instant Pot starts cooking. 

Cancel 

Push the cancel button to cancel cooking at any time. 

Pressure Cook 

Use the pressure cook button to pressure cook. Use the pressure level button to switch between high and low pressure. To adjust the cook time, press the + or – buttons.