Light on the floor (beam or dot)
The dishwasher is running. The light goes out when the programme has finished.
What the manuals say to do
Check the floor light before you open the door: if it is on, the programme is still running. When it has gone out the cycle is over. On Hotpoint it can be switched off in the settings menu.
What it does not mean
It is not a warning or a fault light. It also is not always visible at the end: AEG says the beam may be hidden when AirDry has opened the door, so look at the control panel to see if the programme is complete.
Makes differ, check your dishwasher’s manual: the same drawing can mean different things on different brands, and only your model’s manual says exactly what a light means and which programmes an option works with.
- What it looks like
- A spot or beam of light shone on the kitchen floor below the door of a fully integrated dishwasher, which has no visible panel when closed.
- Names makers use
- Light on the floor (Hotpoint); Floor illumination (Beko); Beam-on-Floor (AEG)
Where makers differ
Hotpoint lets you switch it off; Beko says floor illumination cannot be cancelled by the user. Other makes may show it differently or not have it at all; check your manual.
Other symbols with the same shapes
Sources
No single published standard defines dishwasher panel icons, so this meaning is taken from the manuals of 3 different maker groups (Hotpoint, Beko, AEG), each fetched and read on the date shown:
- Hotpoint: Hotpoint — Dishwasher Daily Reference Guide, 15 place settings with 3D Zone Wash and ActiveDry (PDF, 05/2023) — “LIGHT ON THE FLOOR – A LED light projected on the floor indicates that the dishwasher is working. The light goes off at the end of a cycle. This feature is active by default, but it is possible to deactivate it in the SETTINGS MENU.” Checked 2026-09-26.
- Beko: Beko — Dishwasher user’s manual, BDEN38640FG / BDEN38530FX (PDF) — “Floor illumination … Your machine reflects a light to the floor during the washing process. This light turns off after the washing process is complete … Floor illumination cannot be cancelled by the user.” Checked 2026-09-26.
- AEG: AEG — User manual, dishwasher FSK52917Z (PDF, Electrolux media library) — “When AirDry opens the door, Beam-on-Floor might not be completely visible. To see if the programme is complete, look at the control panel.” Checked 2026-09-26.
Written in our own words; quotations are the makers’ wording.