Certified Filter Fit

Filter guide

GE XWFE vs XWF: which filter works in your fridge?

XWFE replaced XWF in 2020. XWFE fits fridges that took XWF, but XWF will not work in fridges built for the chipped XWFE. Here's how to tell which one you have and what GE says happens with off-brand filters.

Last verified against the sources listed at the bottom. How we verify.

Quick facts (each one is sourced in the text below)
Part numberXWFE
BrandGE Appliances
Also listed asXWF (older version)
Rated capacity170 gallons or 6 months, whichever comes first (XWFE)
Replace every6 months
Chip / RFIDYes. XWFE has an RFID tag; XWF does not.
Last verified

The short answer

  • XWFE is the current filter. It replaced XWF in 2020 [S2], and GE says it is "backwards compatible", meaning it can be used in fridges that take an XWF [S1].
  • XWF is not forward compatible. It will not work in newer fridges built for the XWFE, because those fridges expect the filter to talk to the control panel [S1]. GE's service bulletin puts it bluntly: "The filter must be a XWFE filter (XWF will not work)" [S3].
  • The two look the same. GE says "the size, shape, assembly, and installation" are unchanged from XWF [S1].

What the chip actually does

The XWFE has an RFID tag built into the back of its label [S3]. GE says the tag is there for leak detection and filter-life tracking [S1]:

  • If the filter gets wet, the fridge shuts off the water valve, so you get no ice or water until a new filter or the RFID bypass plug is installed [S1].
  • Press Filter Status to see the percentage of filter life left [S1].
  • According to GE's technician bulletin, each tag has a unique serial number that the main control board "will recognize and store for the life of the main control board" [S3].

What happens if you install a non-GE filter in an XWFE fridge

GE's support page lists "No Filter | Bad or Damaged Filter | Wrong Filter | Non-GE Filter" as one condition: the control shows ERR, the water valve is deactivated, and no water or ice is dispensed [S1]. The bulletin adds that a non-RFID filter "can be installed into the manifold but will not allow water to flow through the system" [S3].

Several aftermarket sellers now advertise "XWFE-compatible" filters with their own RFID chips. We have not yet found a manufacturer or certifier source confirming that any of them work in an XWFE fridge, so we don't list them. Unverified

People online also claim you can move the chip from an old filter to a new one, or that the chip "counts down" and stops working. GE's documents don't cover either claim, so we treat both as unconfirmed. Unverified

The RFID bypass plug (WR17X33825)

GE makes a bypass plug with its own RFID tag, part WR17X33825 [S1]. It does not have leak detection [S1], and an older pre-RFID bypass plug will not let water flow in an XWFE fridge [S3]. With the plug installed, the display shows bP [S3]. The plug takes the filter's place, so don't use one unless you filter your water some other way.

How to replace an XWFE (GE's steps)

From GE's instructions for XWF/XWFE cartridges [S4]:

  1. Put a cloth under the filter to catch drips.
  2. Turn the old filter to the left until it stops, while gently pulling it down.
  3. Take the cap off the new filter and fill the top with tap water. Line up the arrow, push the filter up into the head and turn it right until it stops.
  4. Dispense water to purge the air: about 1–2 gallons [S4].

You don't usually need to reset an XWFE by hand. GE says that once a new XWFE is in, "the Filter Status LED will flash 3 times and the Filter Status indicator will turn OFF" [S1]. GE also notes that a 2022 design change added slots to the top of the filter. It fits the same way, but it "may take a little more force" and the arrows may not line up exactly [S1].

When to replace it

GE's bulletin says the status indicator turns red after 6 months or 170 gallons, whichever comes first. GE also says to replace the filter after any leak, and if water flow drops or ice cubes get small or hollow [S3]. GE's capacity note says the same thing: XWFE capacity "changed to 170 gallons" [S2].

How to spot a counterfeit XWFE

According to GE's bulletin, a genuine XWFE has a date code printed either on the top or the bottom of the back of the filter, depending on the factory. "If the date code is not present, the filter is aftermarket or counterfeit" [S3].

Certification: what we could and couldn't confirm

  • GE's parts site says the XWFE is "Tested to meet NSF/ANSI Standards 42, 53, 401 and P473" and is "certified to reduce" lead, cysts and select pharmaceuticals, among other contaminants [S5].
  • When we searched NSF's public listings for the trade name XWFE on October 21, 2026, NSF returned "No Matching Products Found" [S6]. That doesn't mean the filter isn't certified. It may be listed under a different name, or by a different accredited certifier. But we could not confirm the certification ourselves. Unverified See our guide: Tested to NSF vs NSF certified.
  • NSF does list several aftermarket XWF-style filters made by Qingdao Ecopure Filter Co. Variants from the same brand carry different certifications. For example, Waterdrop WD-XWF is listed under NSF/ANSI 42 only, WDS-XWF under 42 and 53, and WDP-XWF under 42, 53 and 401 [S7]. Remember that XWF-type filters will not work in XWFE fridges [S1].

Which fridges use XWFE?

GE says XWFE filters fit "select GE side-by-side and bottom freezer refrigerators", with the filter inside the left door or in the upper right corner depending on the model [S5]. XWF was used in select models made after June 2018 [S2]. We haven't published a model-by-model list yet, because we only list models a GE source names. Until then, check the filter that's already in your fridge, or use GE's parts lookup with your full model number.

Where to buy

  • Genuine GE XWFE: retailer link not set up yet. Manufacturer page for Genuine GE XWFE (not an affiliate link).
  • GE RFID bypass plug WR17X33825: retailer link not set up yet. Only if you have your own filtration elsewhere. The plug does not filter water.

Sources

  1. [S1] Refrigerator Water Filter - XWFE, GE Appliances support. Accessed October 21, 2026.
  2. [S2] Refrigerator - SmartWater, SmartWater Plus, and Water by Culligan Water Filters, GE Appliances support. Accessed October 21, 2026.
  3. [S3] Training Bulletin TB16-21: XWFE Water Filter and XWFE RFID System (July 2021), GE Appliances (copy hosted by applianceaid.com). Accessed October 21, 2026. GE service-technician bulletin. This copy is hosted on a third-party site; we could not find it on a GE domain.
  4. [S4] Refrigerator - Replacing the Water Filter, GE Appliances support. Accessed October 21, 2026.
  5. [S5] Learn More About XWFE Water Filters, GE Appliances Parts. Accessed October 21, 2026.
  6. [S6] NSF listings search: trade name XWFE, NSF International. Accessed October 21, 2026.
  7. [S7] NSF listings search: trade name XWF, NSF International. Accessed October 21, 2026.

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