AC Guide · Using your AC

What is the best temperature to set your AC?

By Saheb Sareen. Updated 2026-10-20.

The answer

Set your AC to 24°C. At night, set 26°C. Never set 18°C. It does not cool the room faster. It only costs more.^3,5,1

• Every star-labelled AC starts at 24°C. The Ministry of Power calls 24 to 25°C ideal.^3,1
• Each degree warmer saves about 6% of the AC's electricity.¹
• On a top floor on the hottest day, the room stops near 25°C. A colder setting won't help.^6,7

Watch: an AC set to 18°C and one set to 24°C

1. Two same rooms, two same ACs. One is set to 18°C. One is set to 24°C.
2. Both rooms cool at the same speed. 18°C is not faster.
3. At 24°C, one AC slows down. The other keeps going at full power.
4. In a month, 18°C costs about ₹460 more. Each degree warmer saves about 6%.

A 1.5 ton Daikin FTKC50 in a Delhi bedroom, used 6 pm to 2 am. At ₹8 a unit.^6,1

What temperature should I set my AC to?

The rule: start at 24°C, and go warmer if you feel fine.^1,5,2

AC temperature: do's and don'ts

Do

• Start at 24°C. Go warmer if you feel fine.¹
• At night, set 26 to 28°C and leave the AC on.⁵
• Close doors and windows. Draw the curtains.⁴
• Give a hot room 1 to 2 hours to cool.⁴

Don't

• Don't set 18°C to cool faster.¹
• Don't use a timer to switch off at night. The room soon heats up again.⁵
• Don't expect 24°C on a top floor on the hottest days. Check your AC size.⁶

Does 18°C cool a room faster?

• No. The AC cools at the same speed at any setting.¹
• At 18°C it just runs longer at full power.¹
• In our test bedroom, that costs about ₹460 more a month.⁶

How much does each degree save?

• About 6% of the AC's electricity, says the Ministry of Power.¹
• In a bedroom used in the evening, 26°C saves about ₹140 a month over 24°C.⁶
• The harder your AC works, the more each degree saves.⁶

What temperature should I set my AC at night?

• Daikin says 26 to 28°C for sound sleep.⁵
• Leave the AC on all night. With a timer, the room can climb back to nearly 30°C.⁵
• 26°C instead of 24°C saves about ₹100 a month in a bedroom at night.⁶

Why does my AC not reach the temperature I set?

• The room may take in more heat than the AC can take out.⁶
• On the hottest afternoon, a top-floor room stops near 25°C.^6,7
• If it happens on normal days, clean the filters. Then check the AC size.^4,6

Questions people ask

What is the best temperature for an AC?

24°C. Every star-labelled AC starts there since 2020. Go warmer if you feel fine.^3,1

Is 24°C or 26°C better for an AC?

24°C is the comfort setting. 26°C costs less: about 12% less electricity.¹

What temperature should I set my AC at night?

26 to 28°C, says Daikin. Leave it on all night rather than on a timer.⁵

Does a lower temperature use more electricity?

Yes. Each degree colder uses about 6% more. See how many units an AC uses.¹

Is 24°C compulsory on ACs in India?

Since January 2020, every star-labelled AC must start at 24°C. You can still change it with the remote.³

How long does an AC take to cool a room?

Daikin says 1 to 2 hours on average. Closing windows and curtains helps.⁴

Check what your setting costs

The tool on this page works it out for your choices. For example:

• At 20°C, you pay about ₹280 a month more than at 24°C.
• At 26°C, you pay about ₹140 a month less than at 24°C.
• At 28°C, you pay about ₹250 a month less than at 24°C.

Sources

1. Frequently Asked Questions on BEE recommendations on temperature setting of air conditioners, 29 June 2018 (PIB, Ministry of Power)
2. Power Minister launches campaign to promote energy efficiency in air-conditioning, 22 June 2018 (PIB, Ministry of Power)
3. BEE notifies new energy performance standards for air conditioners: 24°C default from 1 January 2020, 6 January 2020 (PIB, Ministry of Power)
4. Product Care: comfort temperature, how long a room takes to cool, closing windows and curtains, cleaning filters (Daikin India)
5. Enjoying sound sleep even during nights of extreme heat (Daikin India)
6. Our room model: Daikin's method for how much heat gets into a room, hour by hour, on IMD weather for Delhi, as in our AC calculator (Citi Cool engineering)
7. Daikin's full-cooling outside temperature for each series, as used in our AC calculator (Daikin · Citi Cool engineering)

More AC questions, answered

• Which ton AC does my room need?: Sized for your city's hottest day, with the right AC from stock.
• Inverter vs non-inverter AC: which one should you buy?: Inverter for a bedroom used 6+ hours a day. Non-inverter for short use, a top floor or a hall.
• How many units does a 1.5 ton AC use in an hour?: About half a unit on the label. Two to three times that on a top floor.
• What is the difference between an inverter and a non-inverter AC?: One is fully on or off. The other slows down. Watch both work.
• 3 Star vs 5 Star AC: is a 5 Star worth it?: A 5 Star for long hours. A 3 Star for nights and short use.
• How much does AC installation cost in Delhi?: About ₹2,700 to fit a split AC, plus copper pipe by the metre. Our rate card, item by item.
• VRV or split AC: which is better for your home?: VRV when you have no space for outdoor units. It costs more to buy and less to run.
• What size AC do I need for my room?: A 1.5 ton for most bedrooms. A 5 Star or a bigger AC on a top floor.
• Hot and cold AC: is it worth it in Delhi?: Yes, for a bedroom you use in winter. One AC all year, and no fumes.
• Coming next: Daikin AC error codes: what they mean
• Coming next: What is ISEER? The star label number explained
• Coming next: Cassette AC or split AC?

Not sure your AC is the right size for your room? Call sales on 77039 00307, or book a ₹99 video call with an engineer, adjusted against your order.