How to Set a Keurig Coffee Maker to Auto Brew

Do you want to wake up and have a warm cup of coffee freshly made and waiting for you as you walk into your kitchen? Well unless you want to nag your husband/wife to get up and do it for you, you're going to need to use Keurig's auto-brew feature.

How do you set a Keurig to auto-brew?

The only Keurig coffee maker with a true Auto Brew function is the carafe portion of the K-Duo. The K Elite has an Auto On program that will heat the water at a preset time and the K Supreme Plus Smart has an Auto On and mobile app remote brew feature that will heat the water at a preset time and send the user a notification that they can then tap to brew remotely.

In this guide we will cover how to properly use the Auto Brew and Auto On features of three Keurig coffee maker models:

1. Keurig K-Duo

2. Keurig K-Elite

3. Keurig K-Supreme Plus Smart

Let’s begin with what is auto brew and then how to use it on the K-Duo.

What is Keurig Auto Brew?

The Keurig auto brew feature is a program that allows your coffee maker to begin the brewing process at a preset time in the morning, so you can wake up, walk into the kitchen, and have a hot cup of coffee waiting for you. WITHOUT forcing your wife to get up before you and make it. The machine does all the work, all you have to do is set it up the night before.

Unfortunately, the only Keurig with an auto brew feature currently is the K-Duo, which is a Keurig model that includes both a 12-cup drip coffee carafe and a single-serve K-cup machine. Only the drip coffee carafe component of the Keurig brewer the K-Duo can be set to auto-brew.

For how convenient the auto brew feature is, it’s hard to understand why Keurig has not implemented it into all their coffee makers. But while other coffee makers have auto on/off and remote mobile app brew buttons (both of which we’ll talk about below) the K-Duo carafe is the only machine with a hands-off preset auto brew feature.

How to Set Keurig K Duo Coffee Maker to Auto Brew

The Carafe component of the Keurig K Duo can be set to auto-brew by pressing the auto button and setting the clock to the desired brew time. Confirm the brew time with the K button and then choose the brew size from six to twelve cups and press the K button again.

The auto light will turn on and a clock icon will appear in the upper right-hand corner of the screen to indicate the auto brew feature is on.

That’s the quickest I can explain it for those who are in a rush, for a more detailed explanation and important tips read below.

As far as timing, I recommend setting the auto brew time to about ten minutes before you are ready to pour your cup of coffee, since this is about how long the K-Duo takes to brew a 12 cup pot. If you set the auto brew time for too long before you’re ready to drink it, the coffee can become bitter from sitting too long.

There is a PM light on the clock to indicate a displayed time is in the afternoon/night, but there is no AM light. So if you don’t see the PM light then that means that the displayed time is in the morning.

The K-Duo auto brew program can be set up to start brewing about 24 hours in advance, so you can get your coffee grounds in it ready for the next day either the night before or even right after you’re finished with your morning coffee.

The auto brew settings will be remembered, but you will have to reinitiate the auto brew mode each time you use it by pressing the auto button and then the K button at the same time to reset.n

When the auto brew program is on, you can only use the K cup side of the K-Duo, not the carafe side. If you’d like to cancel the auto program, all you have to do is press the auto button and the clock icon in the corner of the screen will disappear, indicating auto brew is not on.

How to Set the Auto Brew on a Keurig K Duo

In a step-by-step process, below is how you properly set auto brew on your Keurig K-Duo

1. Plug the Keurig in 
2. Fill Up the Water Tank 
3. Add the Paper Filter and Ground Coffee (1 Tablespoon of Grounds Per Cup of Coffee is Recommended) 
4. Turn the Machine On and Press the Auto Button 
5. Set the Clock to the Desired Brew Time with H (Hour) and M (Minute) Buttons 
6. Confirm the Time Setting With K Button 
7. All the Brew Sizes will Begin Flashing, 6, 8, 10, & 12 Cups 
8. Press the Desired Size and Then the K Button. 
9. The Auto Button Light will Turn On and a Clock Icon in the Upper Right Corner of the Screen will Appear 
10. The K-Duo is now Set to Auto Brew at the Programmed Time 
11. Enjoy your delicious coffee!

As a reminder, to set the current time on the clock of your K-Duo turn the machine on, press the power button, and hold the H button down. The clock will begin flashing and you can adjust it with the H and M buttons. Press the K light when the desired time is found. Remember that there is no AM light, so a visible PM will indicate that the time is in the afternoon/night, while no PM will mean it is morning time.

How to Set Keurig K Supreme Plus Smart Auto On

The K-Supreme Plus Smart Auto On feature will turn the Keurig on at a preset time on selected days and then send a notification to your phone that you can tap to remotely brew a cup of coffee.

Unfortunately, there is no setting for the full brew cycle to just begin automatically every day, but you can still brew a fresh cup of coffee from bed, all you have to do is tap the brew button on the phone notification you’re sent.

How to Set Auto On on a Keurig K Supreme plus 

Below are the steps to set the Keurig K Supreme Plus Smart to Auto On

1. Insert K-Cup Coffee Pod and Close Lid, Place Coffee Mug 
2. Open the Keurig App on your Smartphone or Tablet 
3. Tap Brew Button at the Bottom of the Screen 
4. Tap the Calendar button on Top Right of the Screen 
5. Tap the + Sign in Top Right of the Screen to Add a Scheduled Brew 
6. Name Your Scheduled brew 
7. Choose Desired Time and Days of the Week 
8. Choose Whether or Not you want the Scheduled Brew to Repeat Every Week 
9. Select your Brew Settings 
10. Press Schedule Brew

Now, at the scheduled time, your coffee maker will turn on and a notification will be sent to your phone or tablet that will allow you to brew the perfect cup of coffee from wherever you are located. Just be sure to put a K-Cup into the coffee machine the night before.

How to Set Auto On and Auto Off on Keurig K Elite

The Auto On and Off settings on the K Elite will still require you to manually hit the brew button on your Keurig, but they will turn the machine on at a set time and heat up the water, which is a process that takes 2-3 minutes, and then will allow you to keep the machine on and warm for a set amount of time after to allow for more cups of coffee to be brewed without waiting for the machine to reheat.

To Set Auto On on the K-Elite

1. Tap the Settings Button 3 Times Until a Sun Icon Appears on the Screen, this is the Auto On Setting 
2. Set the Desired Auto On Time 
3. Remember the Machine Does NOT Brew Automatically at that Time, It Will just Turn On at that Time and Begin Heating up the Water.

To Set Auto Off on the K-Elite

1. Once you are on the Auto On Screen, Hit Settings Once More to Bring up the Moon Icon, This is the Auto Off Feature 
2. This program Asks you: After you brew a cup of coffee, How Long do you want the Coffee Maker to Stay on For? 
3. It is Set In 15 Minute Increments up to 2 Hours 
4. This will keep the Machine Warm and Ready if you Want to Make More Than One Cup of Joe

This article was written by Josh, the founder, and owner of AngryEspresso.com. You can learn more about Josh on our About the Team page.