Instant Pot Duo Evo Plus Buttons and Smart Programs

Learn more about all the smart programs, presets, buttons and capabilities of the Instant Pot Duo Evo Plus. This advanced user guide will give you detailed instructions on how to use the various buttons, functions and presets.

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If you’re brand new to the Instant Pot Duo Evo Plus and just want to get started using it, I recommend that you read my Instant Pot Duo Evo Plus Quick Start Guide for Beginners first. It gives you the basics on how to use the Evo model of Instant Pot.

This user manual will give you detailed instructions on how to use the advanced features of the Instant Pot Duo Evo Plus buttons and smart programs.

[Learn more about other Instant Pot models: Instant Pot Duo Quick Start Guide or Instant Pot Ultra Quick Start Guide]

Instant Pot Duo Evo Plus Display Panel

The display panel shows you default settings and cooking progress. It also shows you information about cooking time, pressure level, temperature and presets for each smart program.

1. Sound
   The sound icon is displayed when sound is turned on. If the sound is off, the icon will have a line through it.
2. Delay timer
   This icon is displayed when the Delay Start button has been pressed.
3. Keep warm
   The icon shows up when the Keep Warm button has been pressed.
4. Unit of Temperature
   Shows whether the temperature is displayed in Fahrenheit or Celsius.
5. Progress Bar
   Shows Pre-heating, Cooking and Keep Warm progress.
6. Numerical Display
   Shows the time, pressure, or temperature depending on what option is currently selected.
7. Temperature
   Shows whether temperature setting is custom, low or high.
8. Pressure
   Shows whether the pressure level is set to none, low or high pressure.
9. Presets
   Different presets are displayed depending on the function that was chosen.

How to Turn Sound On and Off

If the sound is on, you’ll hear a chime when you open and close the lid. You’ll also hear a beep when you press the Instant Pot Duo Evo Plus buttons or knob, when the Instant Pot reaches pressure and when cooking is complete.

When sound is turned off, you won’t hear any chimes or beeps.

• Press Cancel. The display should say Off, press and hold the knob for 5 seconds.
• When the sound icon (microphone) starts blinking, turn the knob to toggle between sound On and Off.
• Press and hold the knob for 5 seconds to confirm your selection.

How to Change the Temperature Unit

The temperature unit will either default to F (Fahrenheit) or C (Celsius). The default setting for my Instant Pot Duo Evo Plus is F. I would assume that the default setting for temperature is based on country of purchase.

• When the display says Off, press and hold the knob for 5 seconds.
• The sound icon will blink.
• Press the knob once and F or C next to the temperature icon will blink.
• Turn the knob to toggle between Fahrenheit and Celsius.
• Press and hold the knob for 5 seconds to confirm your selection.

Display Panel Controls

1. How to Set a Timer to Delay the Start of Cooking

• After selecting your desired cooking program (e.g. Pressure Cook, Rice/Grain) and time, press the Delay Start button.
• The time will blink.
• Turn the knob to set the number of hours before cooking should start.
• Press Start.
• Cooking will automatically begin after the timer has counted down to 00:00.
• The Delay Start light is on when the functionality is enabled.
• Be careful when setting the delay start timer when cooking meats. Follow proper food safety guidelines.

2. How to Keep Food Warm After Cooking

• Press the Keep Warm button to enable the Keep Warm functionality.
• The Keep Warm light is on when the functionality is enabled.
• This feature is most often used in conjunction with pressure cooking. If the Keep Warm light is on, the Instant Pot will keep food warm for up to 24 hours after pressure cooking is complete.
• You can press the Keep Warm button before or during the cooking process.

3. How to Cancel

• Press Cancel to end the selected function.
• The display will say Off.
• After some time, the display will go dark.

4. How to Start Cooking

• Press the Start button to initiate the selected function or preset. e.g. press Saute and press Start.
• The Instant Pot Display will say On.

Instant Pot Duo Evo Plus Smart Program Buttons and Presets

Each Instant Pot Duo Evo Plus smart program has presets (time and pressure levels) that have been pre-programmed for a particular food. Included in each of the presets is a Custom option and it’s used when you want to program the Instant Pot on your own and not use a preset.

1. How to Use the Pressure Cook Button

Presets
Custom, Soup, Bean, Egg, Rib, Poultry, Chili, Stew, Beef, Pork, Seafood, Broth, Sterilize, Potato, Broccoli

Use
Pressure cook food on low or high pressure.

1. Press the Pressure Cook button.
2. Custom will blink.
3. Turn the knob to desired preset e.g. Custom, Soup, Bean.
4. Press the knob to confirm preset.
5. The time will blink.
6. Turn the knob to change the time to the desired time.
7. Press the knob to confirm time.
8. High or Low will blink.
9. Turn the knob to change the pressure level.
10. Press the knob to confirm pressure level.
11. Press Start.

2. How to Use the Rice/Grain Button

Presets
Custom, White Rice, Oatmeal, Quinoa, Brown Rice, Risotto, Multigrain, Porridge

Use
Pressure cook rice and grains on low or high pressure.

1. Press the Rice/Grain button.
2. Custom will blink.
3. Turn the knob to desired preset e.g. Custom, White Rice, Oatmeal, Quinoa.
4. Press the knob to confirm preset.
5. The time will blink.
6. Turn the knob to change the time to the desired time.
7. Press the knob to confirm time.
8. High or Low will blink.
9. Turn the knob to change the pressure level.
10. Press the knob to confirm pressure level.
11. Press Start

3. How to Use the Steam Button

Presets
Custom, Sterilize, Potato, Broccoli

Use
No-pressure steaming for fish or vegetables. Great for reheating foods.

1. Press the Steam button.
2. Custom will blink.
3. Turn the knob to desired preset e.g. Custom, Sterilize, Potato
4. Press the knob to confirm preset.
5. The time will blink.
6. Turn the knob to change the time to the desired time.
7. Press the knob to confirm time.
8. Press Start

4. How to Use the Saute Button

Presets
Custom

Use
Sear, brown, stir-fry, simmer or reduce food. Use the Low temperature setting for simmering and the High temperature setting for searing. For anything in between, use the Custom temperature setting. Make sure the display says ‘hot’ before you begin searing or browning. Use this function with the lid off. There is no pressure.

How to Saute with Low or High Temperature Setting

1. Press the Saute button.
2. The time (e.g. 00:30) will blink.
3. Turn the knob to change the time, if desired.
4. Press the knob to confirm the time.
5. Custom, Low or High will blink.
6. Turn the knob to change the saute level to Low or High.
7. Press the knob to confirm selection.
8. Press Start.

How to Saute with a Custom Temperature Setting

1. Press the Saute button.
2. The time (e.g. 00:30) will blink.
3. Turn the knob to change the time, if desired.
4. Press the knob to confirm the time.
5. Custom, Low or High will blink.
6. If Custom is not the default, turn the knob to change the saute level to Custom.
7. Press the knob to select Custom.
8. Saute level (LE 1 through LE 6) will blink. Level 1 is the coolest setting and level 6 is the hottest.
9. Turn the knob to change the saute level.
10. Press the knob to confirm the saute level.
11. Press Start.

5. How to Use the Slow Cook Button

Presets
Custom, Rib, Poultry, Chili, Stew, Beef, Pork

Use
Slow cook food on low or high temperature. Instant Pot is not pressurized, so set the steam release switch to Vent.

1. Press the Slow Cook button.
2. Custom will blink.
3. Turn the knob to desired preset e.g. Custom, Rib, Poultry.
4. Press the knob to confirm preset.
5. Time will blink.
6. Turn the knob to change the time to the desired time.
7. Press the knob to confirm time.
8. High or Low will blink.
9. Turn the knob to change the slow cook level.
10. Press the knob to confirm slow cook level.
11. Press Start

6. How to Use the Sous Vide Button

[Read More: Detailed instructions on how to use the Instant Pot Sous Vide smart program.]

Presets
Custom, Egg, Poultry, Beef, Pork, Seafood

Use
Cook food (usually meats and seafood) in a plastic bag in a water bath for a prolonged duration.

1. Press the Sous Vide button.
2. Custom will blink.
3. Turn the knob to desired preset e.g. Custom, Egg, Poultry, Beef.
4. Press the knob to confirm preset.
5. Temperature will blink.
6. Turn the knob to change the temperature.
7. Press the knob to confirm temperature.
8. Time will blink.
9. Turn the knob to change the time.
10. Press the knob to confirm the time.
11. Press Start.

7. How to Use the Yogurt Button

Presets
Custom, Pasteurize, Ferment

Use
In two stages, pasteurize and then ferment milk to make homemade yogurt. After pasteurizing, allow yogurt to cool to 110 degrees and add yogurt culture.

Pasteurize Yogurt

1. Press the Yogurt button.
2. Custom will blink.
3. Turn the knob until Pasteurize is blinking.
4. Press Start.

Ferment Yogurt

1. Press the Yogurt button.
2. Custom will blink.
3. Turn the knob until Ferment is blinking.
4. Press Start.

Note: if you want to customize the yogurt settings, select the Custom option and change the temperature and time.

8. How to Use the Bake Button

Presets
Custom, Cake, Cheesecake, Pudding, Proofing

Use
Bake under low, high or no pressure for up to 4 hours.

Bake with Pressure

1. Press the Bake button.
2. Custom will blink.
3. Turn the knob to the desired preset e.g. Cake, Cheesecake, Pudding.
4. Press the knob to confirm preset.
5. Time will blink.
6. Turn the knob to change the time to the desired time.
7. Press the knob to confirm the time.
8. High or Low will blink.
9. Turn the knob to change the pressure level.
10. Press the knob to confirm the pressure level.
11. Press Start.

Bake with No Pressure

1. Press the Bake button.
2. Custom will blink.
3. Press the knob to select Custom.
4. Time will blink.
5. Turn the knob to change the time to the desired time.
6. Press the knob to confirm the time.
7. None, High, or Low will blink.
8. Turn the knob to change the pressure level to None.
9. Press the knob to confirm the pressure level.
10. Temperature will blink.
11. Turn the knob to change the temperature. (349 degrees Fahrenheit is the highest.)
12. Press the knob to confirm the temperature.
13. Press Start.

How to Best Use the Smart Program Presets

If you’re like most Instant Pot owners, you probably use the Pressure Cook –Custom setting and nothing else. You’ve probably noticed that most recipes in cookbooks and on the internet say something like “pressure cook on high for 10 minutes”. You may be wondering why they don’t say “use the poultry preset” or “use the oatmeal preset”.

The most likely reason is that the recipe writer is writing for a varied audience. People own all kinds of pressure cooker brands and models and they may not have a particular feature.

That doesn’t mean you can’t use the presets. If the default time and pressure level for a preset don’t meet your needs, you can change them.

For example, the preset for Egg (in the Pressure Cook smart program) is 5 minutes on high pressure. I generally like to make Instant Pot Eggs by pressure cooking for 2 minutes on high.

Another example is rice. The Rice preset defaults to 12 minutes on low pressure. I like to cook Instant Pot Jasmine rice very often, so I have changed the Rice preset time to 4 minutes on high pressure. Every time I select the Rice preset, it will remember my settings.

Here’s how I change the default Egg preset:

How to Change the Egg Preset Default Setting

• Press Pressure Cook button
• Turn knob till Egg is blinking
• Press knob to select Egg

• Turn knob to change time to 00:02
• Press knob to select 2 minutes
• The display will change to On.

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Next Steps:

Between the Instant Pot Duo Evo Plus Quick Start Beginner’s Manual and this Advanced User Guide, you should be in a position to take advantage of all of the Instant Pot Duo Evo Plus buttons and smart programs.

The next time you make a recipe, try to use one of the presets. And don’t be afraid to change the time and pressure level if it doesn’t meet your needs!

[Read More: Instant Tips and FAQs, Instant Pot Common Problems or visit the Instant Pot website.]

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