If you just got a new Instant Pot and are looking for Instant Pot directions, this beginner’s guide will help you learn how to use your Instant Pot electric pressure cooker. With these Instant Pot pressure cooker instructions, you’ll learn about the parts of the Instant Pot, setup, safety features, pressure release, and the water test. [Video included.]
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Table of Contents
✏️ IMPORTANT NOTE
There are numerous Instant Pot models, each with its own design. Use this Instant Pot instruction manual to get a basic understanding of the functions. It has everything a beginner needs to get started. If you have questions about how to use another model, try my Instant Pot instructions for beginners with videos:
Instant Pot Parts and Accessories
Make sure all the parts are included. The guide that came with your Instant Pot will tell you what’s included. Here are the common parts of the Instant Pot:
➡ Is your Instant Pot clicking? This is pretty normal!
- Base unit/Outer Pot – stainless steel exterior that houses the heating element, control panel, and detachable power cord.
- Lid – closes the Instapot and seals it under pressure.
- Inner pot – removable stainless steel pot, also known as a liner or insert.
- Condensation Collector – catches drips from condensation on the lid.
- Power cord – the 3-prong detachable power cord is plugged into the back of some models. Other models have a permanently attached cord.
- Accessories – may include rice paddle, ladle, measuring cup, and trivet. Some models come with an extra sealing ring.
Instant Pot Lid
Every Insta Pot model will look slightly different, but the basics are the same. Some lids will have a handle, while others will have a knob or switch to release pressure.
Lid Exterior Parts
- Lid Handle is used to put on and take off the lid. Some models have a switch, while others have a teardrop-shaped button.
- Lid Fin is placed in the lid fin slot of the base unit to prop the lid open.
- Steam Release Handle is sometimes called the pressure valve, and it fits over the steam release pipe and releases pressure. On some models, the steam release valve has a plastic diffuser that fits over the valve to help the steam release with less force.
- Float Valve seals in the steam, pressurizing the Instant Pot.
Lid Interior Parts
- Silicone Cap for Float Valve covers the instant pot valve and keeps it in place
- Lid Locking Pin is a safety mechanism that prevents the lid from opening under pressure
- Anti-Block Shield prevents food from coming out of the stainless steel inner pot through the steam release pipe
- Sealing Ring Rack – holds the sealing ring in place
- Silicone Sealing Ring allows the Instant Pot to seal
Setting Up
Now that you are familiar with the parts of your Instant Pot, you’re ready to begin setting it up so you can run a water test.
1. Unbox
I regularly hear from people who purchased or got the Instant Pot as a gift and leave it unopened because they’re too intimidated.
If you have a defective unit, you might miss the warranty period if you don’t get it out of the box and try it out!
Place the Instant Pot base unit on a stable surface, away from any open flame. Place it so that the steam won’t blow up onto any cabinets.
2. Place the inner pot in the base unit
- Make sure the base unit is empty and clean.
- Place the stainless steel inner pot inside the Instant Pot base unit.
3. Attach the condensation collector
The condensation collector catches any moisture that builds up on the rim. This usually comes from moisture dripping from inside the lid into the rim of the Instant Pot base when the lid is opened.
- Line up the condensation collector with the notches on the back of the Instant Pot base unit.
- Slide in the condensation collector until it’s pushed in all the way.
4. Plug in the Instant Pot
If you have a detachable cord, plug it into the base unit. Plug the cord into an electrical outlet.
Essential Tips Before You Use an Instant Pot Pressure Cooker
Important Information
- There are so many buttons on the Instant Pot, and it can seem overwhelming. You can get by using just a handful of buttons: Pressure Cook, Cancel, Start, and Saute.
- Many buttons or functions on the Instant Pot are presets for pressure cooking various foods, similar to those on a microwave. You can use these shortcuts (e.g., Meat, Soup, Rice) or the Pressure Cook function, which is the same thing.
- Before using the Instant Pot, always have the inner pot (aka liner or insert) in the base unit. Don’t put food or liquid into the Instant Pot base unit! I like to leave a trivet in the base unit when the inner pot is being washed to remind myself and others in the household not to forget the liner.
- The pressure release handle, button, or switch must be in the Sealing position, not Venting.
- The Instant Pot needs a minimum quantity of clear liquid (e.g. water, broth) for pressure cooking. (3 quart – 1 cup, 6 quart 1.5 cups, 8 quart – 2 cups). Some foods, such as vegetables and meats, release liquid during the cooking process, allowing you to use slightly less liquid.
- After using Saute mode, deglaze the inner pot. This involves pouring a small amount of liquid and scraping the bottom of the inner pot to make sure nothing is stuck to the bottom.
- Most Instant Pot recipes require High pressure unless otherwise noted. Low pressure is used in some rice recipes and for quick-cooking vegetables or fish.
- When cooking with dense or starchy ingredients, use the layering technique. Put meat, vegetables, and clear liquid at the bottom of the pot. Add pasta, rice, tomato sauce, and other thick sauces on top, and don’t stir them in. This helps prevent sealing issues and the Food Burn message. Another option is to use a trivet for the pot-in-pot method.
- There are multiple ways to release pressure. The most common methods are the natural release and quick-release methods. In general, use natural pressure release for meats, beans, and foods that need to rest after cooking. Use quick release for foods that will overcook if you let them sit, such as vegetables.
- The total time required to pressure cook is the time the Instant Pot comes to pressure, the time it takes to cook, and the time it takes to release the pressure. If you allow the pressure to release naturally, it can take 10 to 45 minutes, depending on the quantity of food inside the pot. Take this into account when planning how long a recipe will take!
➡ Are you getting an error code? Head over to my post about Instant Pot error codes and how to solve them!
How to open Instant Pot lid
- If the lid is on, turn the lid counterclockwise until you hear a chime.
- The arrow on the lid will be lined up with the open lock icon on the base unit.
- Lift the lid to remove it.
- If you’ve just finished pressure cooking something and feel a slight resistance, wiggle the lid back and forth, and the suction should release.
How to close the lid
- Here’s how to put the lid on the Instant Pot: place the lid onto the Instant Pot base unit with the arrow mark on the lid lined up with the open lock icon above the right corner of the control panel.
- You will hear a chime (if the volume is turned on).
- Turn the lid clockwise until you hear another chime.
- The lid will be closed.
Float valve positions
- In some models, the float valve is above the lid level when under pressure and at the lid level when not under pressure.
- In other models, the float valve is at the lid level when under pressure and below the lid level when not under pressure.
Safety Precautions
There are many built-in safety features, including automatic pressure sensors. However, as a user, you need to follow essential safety guidelines, including:
- Don’t touch the hot surfaces, particularly the stainless steel parts. Use the handles to move the Instant Pot and gloves to remove the inner pot.
- Keep hands and face away from the steam and pressure release mechanism.
- Don’t move the Instant Pot when it’s under pressure.
- Don’t fill over ⅔ full. However, when cooking foods that expand, e.g., rice, beans, and pasta, don’t fill over ½ full.
- Don’t open the Instant Pot until the float valve is down, i.e., the Instant Pot is depressurized.
- Don’t obstruct the steam release valve when pressure is released.
Instant Pot Water Test Instructions
What is the Water Test?
A water test is done by pressure cooking water for a few minutes. This allows you to familiarize yourself with the basic operations and ensure your new Instant Pot works.
You should do a water test before the first use, but you can also do it when you have problems with the Instant Pot pressurizing. The water test will pinpoint whether something about a particular recipe is causing your sealing issues.
How to do the Initial Test Run / Water Test
- Pour water into the inner pot. (1 cup for 3 qt, 1.5 cups for 6 qt, 2 cups for 8 qt).
- Close the lid and put the steam release valve, button, or switch into the Sealing position.
- Select the Manual or Pressure Cook button. Some models have buttons, while others have a knob.
- Change the cook time to 5 minutes using the + or – buttons or knob.
- On models with a Start button, press Start. On models without Start, it will automatically start in a couple of seconds.
- The display will change to On.
- Soon, you’ll hear and see small amounts of steam coming from the top of the lid. This is normal and safe! Just keep your hands and face away from the steam. You might also notice a plastic smell. Don’t worry – it will go away and shouldn’t happen again after the first use.
- Once pressure has built up, the float valve will come up.
- After the float valve comes up, the display will change from On to 5 (or 00:05), which can take a few minutes.
- The display will count down from 5 to 0 or (00:05 to 00:00).
- When pressure cooking is complete, you’ll hear a series of beeps, and the display shows L0:00, which means it’s in Keep Warm mode (if the Keep Warm function is turned on.)
- Press the Cancel button. The display will say Off.
- Do a quick release or manual pressure release by moving the steam release knob, button, or switch from sealing position to venting position. Keep hands and face away from the flow of steam. Once all the pressure inside the pot has been released, the float valve goes down, and the Instant Pot is de-pressurized. This can take a few minutes. You can also let the pressure release naturally, which takes 10 to 15 minutes.
- Once the pressure has been released, it’s safe to open and prop the lid.
What to do if the water test fails
If the water test is successful, you can use your new Instant Pot. If it fails and you’re not able to get the Instant Pot to come to pressure, use the following articles to troubleshoot the issue:
Instant Pot Buttons
- Each Instant Pot model has different buttons. Some buttons are cooking modes or programs (e.g. Rice, Bean) while others are operational (e.g. Cancel, Start).
- On some models, pressing a cooking mode button toggles between Less, Normal, and More, which have customizable default cooking times. You can adjust the time by pressing + or – and set High or Low pressure by pressing Pressure Level.
- On other models, pressing a button lets you customize the pressure level and cooking time using the display panel.
Programs and Default Times
| Button | Less | Normal | More |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bean/Chili | 25 minutes | 30 minutes | 40 minutes |
| Cake | 25 minutes | 40 minutes | 50 minutes |
| Egg | 3 minutes | 4 minutes | 5 minutes |
| Meat/Stew | 20 minutes | 35 minutes | 45 minutes |
| Multigrain (Soaks for 45 minutes first) | 20 minutes | 40 minutes | 60 minutes |
| Poultry | 5 minutes | 15 minutes | 30 minutes |
| Porridge/Oatmeal | 15 minutes | 20 minutes | 30 minutes |
| Pressure Cook | 20 minutes | 35 minutes | 45 minutes |
| Rice | – | 12 minutes (Low Pressure) | – |
| Soup/Broth | 20 minutes | 30 minutes | 40 minutes |
| Steam | 3 minutes | 10 minutes | 15 minutes |
| Slow Cook | 180–190°F (similar to keep warm on slow cooker) | 190–200°F (similar to low on slow cooker) | 200–210°F (similar to high on slow cooker) |
| Yogurt | 106°F to 113°F (for Chinese fermented rice) | 110°F to 115°F (for incubating yogurt) | 160°F to 180°F (for boiling milk before incubating) |
Other Button Functions
| Button | Function |
|---|---|
| Start | Begin the current program |
| Cancel | Cancels the current program |
| Delay Start | Start the cooking at a later time |
| Fav | Saves custom presets (on some models) |
| Keep Warm | Keeps food warm after pressure cooking; tracks time since cooking completed |
| Pressure Cook | Primary pressure cooking function; adjust pressure level and time |
| Pressure Level | Toggles between High and Low pressure |
| Saute | Allows sautéing before pressure cooking |
| Sous Vide | Cooks food using the sous vide method. You can set the cooking time and temperature |
| Temp | Adjusts temperature (use + or – buttons) |
| Time | Adjusts cooking time (use + or – buttons) |
| Ultra | Customizes temperature, pressure level, and cooking time (Ultra model only) |
Air Fryer Functions (on applicable models)
Some Instant Pot models have an air fryer lid and a pressure cooker lid. These models have pressure cooker and air fryer settings. These are some of the common air fryer modes:
- Air Fry
- Roast
- Broil
- Bake
- Dehydrate
- Proofing
FAQs
The Instant Pot turns on as soon as it’s plugged in. Attach the cord to the Instant Pot (if it’s detachable) and plug the cord into an outlet. The Instant Pot will say Off.
– The Instant Pot first needs to be plugged in.
– If the display is blank, press any button to turn on the Instant Pot.
– Choose the program and set the cook time.
– To start pressure cooking, some models have a Start button. Press Start.
– Other models automatically start. A few seconds after you program it, the Instant Pot display changes to On, which means it has started cooking.
On older models of the Instant Pot, the Pressure Cook button is called Manual. If you see a recipe that tells you to use the Manual setting, use the Pressure Cook function.
On some models, to set the Instant Pot to high pressure, press the Pressure Level button. It allows you to toggle between High and Low pressure. On other models, select the Pressure Cook function, and you’ll be able to program the pressure level and cooking time on the display panel using the knob.
The amount of time it takes to reach pressure and the float valve to go up depends on the amount of liquid inside the cooker and the temperature of the food. The more liquid in the pot and the colder the food, the longer it takes the Instant Pot pressure cooker to reach pressure.
If the Instant Pot has about 2 cups of liquid, it may take 10 minutes for the Instant Pot to reach pressure if the food isn’t frozen. The Instant Pot can take 15 to 30 minutes if it has more liquid.
A trivet and a small dish are useful for Pot in Pot cooking. An extra sealing ring is also a handy accessory. A tempered glass lid is convenient for sauteing, using the Instant Pot as a slow cooker, or for Yogurt mode.
Recipes for the Instant Pot
I hope these Instant Pot directions have helped you get comfortable with your new pressure cooker. Now you’re ready to try your first recipe!
Don’t try to improvise or wing it with your first recipe. Select a recipe from a trusted Instant Pot or Pressure Cooker cookbook or blog and follow it as written.
If you want to make changes or adjustments, you might want to contact the blogger or ask for advice from an experienced Instant Pot user.
Try an easy chicken recipe like Instant Pot Chicken Stew, Instant Pot Chicken Curry Soup, or Instant Pot Thai Red Curry; a dump and start Instant Pot Pork Carnitas or Instant Pot Mac and Cheese; or Indian restaurant vegetarian favorite Instant Pot Chana Masala.
Related Articles
I hope you’ve found these Instant Pot pressure cooker instructions useful. Here are some more articles that are helpful to beginners and intermediate Instant Pot users.
If you found this article to be helpful, please share it on social media using the social media share buttons at the top and bottom of this post. Thank you so much!
Shannon Gee says
I’ve been trying to cook chicken in my insta pot I have the big one I did not have enough water the 1st
Time ok no problem put more water now i have water and set everything up yet it stays on and never goes to the timer
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Shannon, the amount of time it takes to come to pressure depends on the amount of liquid, amount of food, and temperature of food (e.g. frozen food takes a lot longer). It’s possible you just need to wait a bit longer but if it never comes up, then I would do a water test.
Constance says
So far everything I’ve made in the Instant Pot has been delicious. I’m having trouble with timing – for example, the stuffed pepper recipes requires 15 minutes at full pressure. How long would that process take from start to finish?
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Constance, not including prep time I would give it about 10 minutes to come to pressure + pressure cook time + less than 5 minutes to depressurize if you’re doing quick release. If you were making a recipe that calls for natural release, it will take 15 to 30 minutes to depressurize – depending on the quantity of food/liquid.
Katherine Kelley says
Help! New to this. I cannot see in Instant Pot manuals what the timer settings equal. Trying to set it to 5 minutes & it was actually set to 5 hours! For instance is 05.00 on timer 5 minutes or 5 hours??? Thanks for your help.
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Katherine, the format is HH:MM (H=hours M=minutes). Good luck, you got this.
Angeline says
I also gave the same problem! Very unclear
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Angeline – hope you figured out that it’s hours:minutes.
Andrea says
Hello!
What is that silver accessory that comes with the spoons used for? I can’t find it , thank you so much
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Andrea – are you talking about the steam rack (trivet)? See my post on Pot in Pot cooking to see how it’s used. You place containers on the rack and cook food in the container with water in the main liner/inner pot.
Susan Shipman says
Do I use the slow cook like a crock pot? Also what is the difference between slow cook and soup button?
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Susan, yes the slow cook function is the equivalent of the crock pot slow cook. Keep in mind that the lowest setting is the equivalent of ‘Warm’ setting on the crock pot. Soup setting is a preset for pressure cooking soup. It’s just an easy one-touch way to pressure cook soup but is essentially the equivalent of the pressure cook function.
Sherri giffin says
I started to cook my chicken on pressure cook it says on then food burn why is that thank you
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Sherri, please read this article on the burn message and let me know if you have any questions. You probably need more water or need to layer your ingredients.
Hedda Roflo says
We have an instant pot and it’s just new
then suddenly the steam release knob
doesn’t hold anymore it falling down
Can it still be fixed thanks
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Hedda, the steam release handle is supposed to be loose. Are you referring to the handle?
Wayne Crauder says
Where the manual button is, it says “delay start”. I cannot find a manual nor a pressure cook button. I tried one of the buttons and did the high pressure and time. The beef ribs came out very tender and good. But I would like to know how I can do manual or which button I should use. Also that timer not being in seconds and minutes sure was confusing. Although I saw how slow it was counting down and realized it was not like my microwave timer. Had to unplug and start over since. Seems like that would be an important thing to know.
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Hi Wayne, the manual button has been replaced by the pressure cook button in newer models. What model do you have? You can also use the preset program buttons too based on what food you’re cooking.
Patricia Madigan says
I too am confused by the time set for the “manual button” on mine……..4 spaces. — — so is the left side for hours or minutes or is it the right side……….no where in my manual does it state how to set………..mine is an Instant Pot 6quart.
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Hi there Patricia, the time is HH:MM (hours:minutes). You will use the plus and minus button to set the time and the Instant Pot will automatically to to “On”. Hope that helps.
Allison says
My instant pot never went to the minute count down while doing the water test. Is this fixable or do I take it back??
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Allison, I would need more information. Did the float valve come up? Did it say ‘On’ the whole time? I’ve heard of people who’ve recently purchased Instant Pots say that their Instant Pot stays on ‘On’ the whole time and never counts down even though the float valve is up. I would contact the company if that’s the case or return it and get another unit. If your float valve did not come up then you’re Instant Pot never sealed. That could be user error. Hope that helps.
Daniel says
Hi
Can i program the unit to cook at several stages like first high temp for 1 hour then low temp for 5 hours?
thanks
Daniel
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Unfortunately not. You can do ‘pressure cook’ and then have it go into ‘keep warm’ mode but that’s it. That would be a great feature, though!
Masoud Khajevandi says
Hi
I don’t have pressurized in my instant Duo pot and shows this OUHE can help me to use my pot please.
Tnx
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Masoud, I’m not sure what you’re cooking but it looks like you might have received the Ovht error – which is ‘overheat’. Make sure you have enough liquid in the Instant Pot, that you aren’t using flour or starchy ingredients, and that you have deglazed the Instant Pot i.e. you made sure that there’s no burnt or stuck-on food at the bottom. I suggest you do the water test first to make sure that you Instant Pot is working fine. Then start with a recipe that has plenty of liquid. Best of luck.
Marlene says
I have accidently poured the water into the instant pot without its liner pot I a
Have the pot draining
Can I still use the pot
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Marlene, please read this post on common instant pot problems.
Amanda Gilbertson says
This really helped thanks so much!!
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Amanda, you’re most welcome – I’m glad it got you going with your Instant Pot!
He4m II says
A great article for beginners and even a good refresher article for those instant pot connoisseur’s well done thanks
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Thank you! Glad to be of help.
Allie says
Thank you so much for putting this together! I got a new Instant Pot for Christmas and couldn’t believe how many questions I still had after reading the manuals! This and you Tips/FAQ article put all the missing pieces together for me 🙂
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Thanks, Allie – I’m glad you found it to be helpful!
Katherine says
Your tutorials are phenomenal and I am in the middle of my water test! One comment – I am disappointed that my LUX Mini does not have slotted handles to prop the lid. That would have been so convenient! And one question – I want to also use mine as a slow cooker. Do you have a tutorial on this process as well as pressure cooking?
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Katherine, I’m glad you like the tutorials. I don’t have a slow cooker tutorial but please note that Less = warm, Normal = low, More = high. Let me know how it works for you – I’ve had mixed results with slow cooking. Thanks for your comment.
Barbara Rinus says
thank You Thank You Thank You Still afraid of the IP but starting to get better thanks to you Just made hard boil eggs and Chicken breasts My next project will be ribs Baby steps I am 68 yrs old and don’t like change but got it for Christmas
Paint the Kitchen Red says
You’re welcome, Barbara. Definitely, baby steps is a good strategy. Once you’re comfortable with the Instant Pot, you will be able to attempt more complex recipes.
Marilyn Stephen says
Help, how do I turn it off? I want to slow cook on high and I pressed slow cook, then pressed adjust tried to adjust to add more time and it’s not working for me. Any thoughts?
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Marilyn, you press + and – to set the time. So you would press Slow Cook and then + or – and the display will change to ‘On’.
Diane Badget says
I got my Instant Pot for Christmas. I confess it was a bit intimidating until I found your well- written instructions. I am not new to using digital multi-use pots, having used my Cooks’s essentials and Nesco models for several years now. But while the CE and Nesco pots had virtually the same control panels on them for browning, pressure cooking, slow cooking, etc, the Instant Pot controls baffled me a bit. I got it all figured out but didn’t find this blog until dinner was over and the dishes washed! You cleared up a couple of details about the controls for me. Tonight we had a wonderful pot roast, carrots and potatoes, and despite some 8nitial uncertainty about the “meat” program and the + or – button for adjusting the time, my results were consistent with previous meals. One thing I think that should be pointed out in more detail is storing the unit. The lid should be placed UPSIDE DOWN on the unit, not gasket side down and never, ever locked. Storing this way might save a little space, but puts undue pressure on the gasket, not to mention that airing the gasket can reduce residual odors. I usually put a bit of plastic wrap over just the inside widgets to protect them from dust, but otherwise the lid is exposed to the air and not sealed up tight. Hope this helps somebody as your blog helped me.
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Thank you, Diane, for sharing your tips! I’m very glad you found my blog and wish you happy cooking adventures with your Instant Pot.
Beth says
Thank you so much for your step by step. You showed me how to use it. Just got one for Christmas and had no clue how to use it. You have the best tutorial. Will be checking out your receipes.
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Thank you for commenting, Beth. I hope you have a successful first recipe with the IP. And hope you like my recipes 🙂