GFCI won’t reset

A GFCI watches the current going out and coming back, and shuts the circuit off when a few milliamps go missing. That small difference is what protects you from shock. The video here explains how one GFCI also protects other outlets downstream, which is why a dead outlet in the garage or bathroom may be tripped from somewhere else.

If it won’t reset, unplug everything on it first. Moisture, a damaged appliance or a wiring fault can hold it tripped. Press the TEST and RESET buttons to see how it behaves; our GFCI guide walks through it. A GFCI that never resets after the load is removed may have failed. Replacing one is a replace an outlet job: breaker off, tester out.