Compatibility & scope
Covers the Filter Check light, Filter button and filter cleaning in TCL's English manuals for: UH window units TWC-06CR/UH to TWC-24CR2/UH; TAW window units TAW05CR19, TAW05CRB19, TAW06CR19, TAW08CR19, TAW08CREB19W, TAW10CR19, TAW12CR19, TAW15CRE19; the 5K-12K and 15K-24K Window AC quick-start guides that TCL posted in 2021 (no model numbers printed, 2019 copyright; TCL's support site links them for 6W3ER1, 8W3ER1, 10W31, 10W3E1, 12W31, 12W3E1, 15W3E1-A and 15W9E1-A, and links an earlier file of the same guides for TAW05CRB0N, TAW05CRW0N, TAW06CRW0N, TAW08CRNW0N, TAW08CRNWB0N, TAW10CRNB0W, TAW10CRNW0W, TAW12CRB19, TAW12CRNW0W and TAW15CRW0W); through-the-wall TTW-08CR/UF to TTW-14CR2/UF and TTW-08ER/UF to TTW-14ER2/UF; and the TTW quick-start guide models W8T9E1-A, W10T9E1-A, W12T9E1-A, W10T9EX1-A, W12T9EX1-A, W14T9X1-A. The filter-cleaning steps come from the full TAW, UH and TTW manuals and the TTW quick-start guide. The 2021 window quick-start guides have no cleaning section; for the 15K-24K guide the filter location comes from an installation drawing, and the 5K-12K guide doesn't show it. The manuals don't give a filter part number, a replacement interval or what to do if the light won't go off. Dial-control models (TWC-05CM/UH, TAW05CM19, TAW05CMW0N) have no Filter Check light and are not covered. Documentation reviewed; no air conditioner was tested for this article.
In this guide
What the Filter Check light means
The Filter Check light is a reminder, not a fault. It comes on after the fan has run for 500 hours in total. To clear it, clean the filter, put it back, then press the Filter button on the unit’s control panel. The remote has no Filter button.
You don’t have to wait for the light. TCL recommends checking the filter at least once a month. Dust trapped in the filter cuts airflow and can make frost build up on the cooling coils.
Before you start
- Switch the unit off and unplug it. TCL’s safety list says to unplug the air conditioner before servicing, and its cabinet-cleaning steps say to unplug it to prevent shock or fire. Our suggestion, not a TCL instruction: leave it unplugged until the dry filter is back in place.
- Leave the unit in the window or wall. In every TCL document that shows the filter, it comes out from the front; nothing in TCL’s cleaning steps involves removing the unit.
- Have ready: liquid dish soap and warm water, or a vacuum cleaner.
Take out the filter
Where the filter sits depends on your model:
| Model | How the filter comes out |
|---|---|
| TAW08CR19, TAW08CREB19W, TAW10CR19, TAW12CR19, TAW15CRE19; UH window units (TWC-…/UH); through-the-wall TTW-…/UF and W…T9…-A | Pull down on the finger indents of the filter door on the front of the unit, then take the filter out. |
| TAW05CR19, TAW05CRB19, TAW06CR19 | Slide the filter out from the front right side of the unit. There is no filter door. |
| 15K–24K quick-start models: TAW15CRW0W, 15W3E1-A, 15W9E1-A | The guide has no cleaning section. Its installation drawing shows the filter behind the front panel, which pulls down and lifts off. |
| 5K–12K quick-start models: TAW05CRB0N, TAW05CRW0N, TAW06CRW0N, TAW08CRNW0N, TAW08CRNWB0N, TAW10CRNB0W, TAW10CRNW0W, TAW12CRB19, TAW12CRNW0W; 6W3ER1, 8W3ER1, 10W31, 10W3E1, 12W31, 12W3E1 | The guide doesn’t show the filter. Our suggestion: look on the front of the unit for a filter door with finger indents, or a filter edge at the side. |
Clean and dry the filter
- Wash the filter in warm water with a little liquid dish soap.
- Rinse it thoroughly, then shake it gently to get rid of excess water.
- Let it dry completely before you put it back.
If you’d rather not wash it, vacuum the filter to remove dust instead.
While the filter is drying, you can clean the outside. Wipe the cabinet and front panel with an oil-free cloth, or with a cloth dampened in warm water and mild liquid soap, then wipe dry. Wring the cloth out well before wiping near the controls, because water in or around the controls can damage the unit. Don’t use harsh cleaners, wax or polish on the front.
Put it back and turn off the light
- Slide the dry filter back in and close the filter door or front panel.
- Plug the unit back in and turn it on.
- Press Filter on the control panel. The Filter Check light goes off.
On the wide control panels (most models), Filter is at the left end of the bottom row, next to Sleep. On the tall, narrow panel of the TAW05CR19, TAW05CRB19 and TAW06CR19, and in the 5K–12K quick-start guide’s drawing (the 5K–12K quick-start models listed above), Filter is next to Eco, just above Power. If the light is already off, you don’t need to press Filter.
If the light stays on or cooling is still weak
- The light didn’t go off. Check that you pressed Filter on the unit, not a button on the remote. TCL’s documents don’t describe any other reset, so if it still stays on, contact TCL support.
- Airflow or cooling is still weak after cleaning. TCL’s troubleshooting also lists curtains, blinds or furniture blocking the front, a set temperature that’s too high, and a room that just needs more time to cool.
- The unit is icing up. TCL’s advice is to run on high fan and set a higher temperature. A dirty filter is one cause of frost on the coils.
- The filter is torn or damaged. The manuals don’t give a part number or replacement interval, so ask TCL support about a replacement.
Don’t open the cabinet or clean the coils inside. TCL’s care instructions for owners cover only the filter, the cabinet and the front panel; anything beyond that is a job for TCL service or a qualified technician.
Common questions
Does the light measure how dirty the filter is?
No. TCL says it comes on after 500 total hours of fan running. A filter in a dusty room can need cleaning before the light comes on, which is why TCL also says to check it monthly.
Can I put the filter back while it’s still damp?
TCL says to let it dry completely first.
Sources & scope
Pages 3, 11-12, 14
View sourcePDF pages; the printed page numbers are 1, 9-10 and 12. Consulted: safety precautions (unplug before servicing), the control panel drawing, Filter Button (500 hours), and Care and Cleaning (air filter, cabinet). The TAW15CRE19 manual has the same care text and filter-door drawing on PDF 18 (printed 16). Listed on TCL's TAW-series support page.
Pages 9-10, 12
View sourcePDF pages; the printed page numbers are 7-8 and 10. Consulted: the vertical control panel drawing, Filter Button, and Care and Cleaning, where the filter slides out from the front right side instead of a filter door.
Pages 13, 15
View sourcePDF pages; the printed page numbers are 10 and 12. Consulted: Filter Button and Care and Cleaning. The 15K-24K UH manual (TWC-15CR/UH to TWC-24CR2/UH) has the same text on PDF 17 and 19 (printed 14 and 16). Listed on TCL's UH-series support page.
Pages 3, 12, 14
View sourcePDF pages; the printed page numbers are 1, 9 and 11. Consulted: safety precautions, Filter Button, and Care and Cleaning.
Pages 12, 14
View sourcePDF and printed page numbers match. Consulted: Filter Button and Care and Cleaning.
Pages 10-11
View sourcePDF and printed page numbers match. No model numbers are printed; TCL's support site links this file for 6W3ER1, 8W3ER1, 10W31, 10W3E1, 12W31 and 12W3E1 (and -A versions). Consulted: the control panel drawing and Filter Button. This guide has no filter-cleaning section.
Pages 6, 13
View sourcePDF and printed page numbers match. No model numbers are printed; TCL's support site links this file for 15W3E1-A and 15W9E1-A. Consulted: Filter Button (PDF 13) and the installation step that pulls down the front panel and removes the filter (PDF 6). This guide has no filter-cleaning section.
Checked 2026-10-29. Links the TAW…19 operating instructions above, and an earlier (2020) file of the 5K-12K window quick-start guide for TAW05CRB0N, TAW05CRW0N, TAW06CRW0N, TAW08CRNW0N, TAW08CRNWB0N, TAW10CRNB0W, TAW10CRNW0W, TAW12CRB19 and TAW12CRNW0W, and of the 15K-24K guide for TAW15CRW0W. We compared that earlier 5K-12K file's English Filter Button text with the 2021 file cited here: same instruction. TAW05CMW0N is a dial model with its own guide.
These instructions are based on manufacturer documentation. They have not been device-tested for this guide.
Covers the Filter Check light, Filter button and filter cleaning in TCL's English manuals for: UH window units TWC-06CR/UH to TWC-24CR2/UH; TAW window units TAW05CR19, TAW05CRB19, TAW06CR19, TAW08CR19, TAW08CREB19W, TAW10CR19, TAW12CR19, TAW15CRE19; the 5K-12K and 15K-24K Window AC quick-start guides that TCL posted in 2021 (no model numbers printed, 2019 copyright; TCL's support site links them for 6W3ER1, 8W3ER1, 10W31, 10W3E1, 12W31, 12W3E1, 15W3E1-A and 15W9E1-A, and links an earlier file of the same guides for TAW05CRB0N, TAW05CRW0N, TAW06CRW0N, TAW08CRNW0N, TAW08CRNWB0N, TAW10CRNB0W, TAW10CRNW0W, TAW12CRB19, TAW12CRNW0W and TAW15CRW0W); through-the-wall TTW-08CR/UF to TTW-14CR2/UF and TTW-08ER/UF to TTW-14ER2/UF; and the TTW quick-start guide models W8T9E1-A, W10T9E1-A, W12T9E1-A, W10T9EX1-A, W12T9EX1-A, W14T9X1-A. The filter-cleaning steps come from the full TAW, UH and TTW manuals and the TTW quick-start guide. The 2021 window quick-start guides have no cleaning section; for the 15K-24K guide the filter location comes from an installation drawing, and the 5K-12K guide doesn't show it. The manuals don't give a filter part number, a replacement interval or what to do if the light won't go off. Dial-control models (TWC-05CM/UH, TAW05CM19, TAW05CMW0N) have no Filter Check light and are not covered. Documentation reviewed; no air conditioner was tested for this article.