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Fix an Instant Pot that shows burn

We'll confirm the burn message, rule out food stuck and low liquid, then isolate the cause—recipe technique, pot condition, or sensor fault—or tell you when to call a pro.

Troubleshooting · Home appliances
10–25 min
What you'll need
  • Wooden or silicone utensil (for scraping)
  • Water or broth (to add liquid and deglaze)
  • Trivet and heatproof dish (optional, for pot-in-pot)
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Steps

Goal: Confirm the burn message, stop safely, then fix the cause—food stuck, low liquid, or recipe technique.

  • When the display shows “burn” or “food burn,” press Cancel. Release pressure (Quick Release or Natural Release) and open the lid when the float valve drops.
  • Good: Burn message confirmed. Proceed to Food and liquid.
  • Bad: Different error—check the owner’s manual for other codes.

Food and liquid

Goal: Clear stuck food and add enough liquid so the pot can build steam without scorching.

  • Look at the bottom of the inner pot. Scrape off any stuck food with a wooden or silicone utensil. Add at least 1 cup of water or broth if the pot is dry.
  • If you used Saute before pressure cooking, deglaze the bottom: add a splash of water or broth and scrape to loosen browned bits. Do not skip this step.
  • For thick sauces (tomato paste, cream, cheese), add liquid to the bottom first, then layer thick ingredients on top. Thick sauces alone can burn.
  • Good: Bottom clear, liquid added, deglazed if you sauteed. Retry the recipe.
  • Bad: Still burning—try pot-in-pot or see When to get help.

Recipe technique

Goal: Adjust technique for recipes that burn easily—thick sauces, saute-then-pressure, or delicate foods.

  • Layer liquid first: add water or broth to the bottom, then add thick ingredients on top. Do not put thick sauce directly on the bottom.
  • Use pot-in-pot: add 1–2 cups water to the inner pot, place the trivet, then set your food in a heatproof dish on the trivet. The water creates steam; the food does not touch the hot bottom.
  • Clean the inner pot and sensor area when cool. A scratched or stained pot can cause hot spots. Replace the inner pot if badly scratched.
  • Good: Technique adjusted. The burn message should not reappear.
  • Bad: Burn still appears with water-only test—sensor fault. See When to get help.

When to get help

Call an appliance technician if:

  • The burn message appears when cooking only water (no food) in the pot.
  • The base feels excessively hot to the touch during normal use.
  • You have adjusted your recipe and technique and the message still appears every time.

Those suggest a faulty temperature sensor or heating element. Do not ignore repeated burn messages with water-only tests.

Verification

  • The burn message does not reappear when you retry with adjusted liquid and technique.
  • The bottom of the inner pot is clear of stuck food before each pressure cycle.
  • For thick-sauce recipes, liquid is layered first or pot-in-pot is used.
  • A water-only test (2 cups water, 5 min high pressure) completes without a burn message—if it fails, the sensor may be faulty.

Escalation ladder

Work from the device outward. Stop when the problem is fixed.

  1. Stop safely Cancel the cycle, release pressure, and open the lid.
  2. Food and liquid Scrape stuck food, add liquid, deglaze after saute.
  3. Recipe technique Layer liquid first, use pot-in-pot for thick recipes.
  4. Pot condition Clean the inner pot and sensor area; replace pot if badly scratched.
  5. Call a pro Burn with water only, base excessively hot, or repeated failures—call a technician.

What to capture if you need help

Before calling support or posting for help, have these ready. It speeds everything up.

  • What was in the pot when burn appeared
  • Whether food was stuck to the bottom
  • Liquid level and recipe type (thick sauce, saute first, etc.)
  • Steps already tried

Did the display show a burn message and stop heating?

The burn message means the pot detected overheating. Cancel the cycle and release pressure before opening.

Press Cancel. Release pressure via Quick Release or Natural Release. When the float valve drops, open the lid. Good: burn message confirmed—proceed to fix. Bad: different error or no message—check the owner's manual for other codes.

Yes No

You can change your answer later.

Is there food stuck to the bottom of the pot?

Stuck food causes hot spots and triggers the burn sensor.

Look at the bottom of the inner pot. Scrape off any stuck food with a wooden or silicone utensil. Add liquid if the pot is dry. Good: bottom clear, liquid added. Bad: bottom clean and enough liquid—check recipe technique.

Yes No

You can change your answer later.

Did you use Saute before pressure cooking?

Saute leaves browned bits that can burn under pressure. Deglaze before pressure cooking.

Add a splash of water or broth and scrape the bottom to deglaze. Add at least 1 cup of liquid. Retry the recipe. Good: deglazed and liquid added—retry. Bad: no saute—check liquid level and layering.

Yes No

You can change your answer later.

Add liquid and retry

Add at least 1 cup of water or broth. For thick sauces, layer liquid first, then add thick ingredients on top. Retry the recipe. The burn message should not reappear if there is enough liquid.

Done

Retry after deglazing

Deglaze the bottom, add liquid, and retry. The burn message should not reappear. If it does, try pot-in-pot for thick recipes.

Done

Does your recipe use thick sauces (tomato, cream) or pot-in-pot?

Thick sauces burn easily. Pot-in-pot keeps food off the hot bottom.

For thick sauces: add liquid to the bottom first, then layer thick ingredients on top. Or use pot-in-pot—water in bottom, trivet, dish with food on top. Good: technique adjusted. Bad: burn still appears with water-only test—sensor fault; call a technician.

Yes (thick sauce) No

You can change your answer later.

Use pot-in-pot or layer liquid first

Add 1–2 cups water to the inner pot. Place the trivet and a heatproof dish with your food. Or layer liquid first, then thick ingredients. Retry. The burn message should not reappear.

Done

Run a water-only test

If burn appears with only water, the sensor or heating may be faulty.

Add 2 cups of water. Run 5 minutes high pressure. If the burn message appears with only water, the temperature sensor or heating element may be faulty. Call a technician. If water test works, the issue was recipe-related.

Done

Call a technician

Call an appliance technician if the burn message appears when cooking only water, if the base feels excessively hot, or if you have adjusted recipe and technique and the message still appears every time. Do not ignore repeated burn messages with water-only tests.

Done

Reviewed by Blackbox Atlas

Frequently asked questions

Why does my Instant Pot show a burn message?
The burn message appears when the pot detects the bottom is too hot—usually from food stuck to the inner pot, too little liquid, or thick sauces that scorch. Saute mode followed by pressure cooking without deglazing is a common trigger. A faulty temperature sensor can also cause it, but that is less common.
Can I fix an Instant Pot burn message myself?
Yes. Most burn messages are recipe-related. Cancel the cycle, release pressure safely, add liquid, deglaze the bottom, and retry with adjusted technique. If the message appears with only water in the pot, the sensor or base may be faulty—call a technician.
When should I call a technician for an Instant Pot burn message?
Call an appliance technician if the burn message appears when cooking only water (no food), if the base feels excessively hot to the touch, or if you have adjusted your recipe and technique and the message still appears every time. Those suggest a sensor or heating fault.

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