The power goes out. How many hours will a closed refrigerator keep food safe to eat?

Drag to get close · ▲▼ to fine-tune

You have about four hours before perishable food enters the danger zone, and that is only if the door stays completely shut. Every time you peek inside, cold air dumps out and shrinks that window. The freezer gives you far more time: packed full, it holds safe sub-freezing temperatures for 48 hours, or about 24 hours if it is half empty.

When the power goes out, an unopened fridge stays food-safe for only 4 hours. A packed freezer can hold out for 48.

Source: FoodSafety.gov (USDA/FDA/CDC) · checked Sep 2026