Technically, You Can Put Aluminum Foil In The Microwave. Here's Why You Really, Really Shouldn't

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Technically, You Can Put Aluminum Foil In The Microwave. Here's Why You Really, Really Shouldn't By Alexa Valme Dec. 2, 2025 4:39 pm EST

Artem Stepanov/Shutterstock

Yes, it's possible to put aluminum foil in the microwave — but it's almost never a good idea. What looks like a harmless shortcut for reheating or covering leftovers can turn dangerous fast. Plenty of people assume a quick zap won't do any harm, but the reality is that even when foil can be "safe" under very specific circumstances, those rules are so narrow they barely count as usable.

Microwaves work by firing electromagnetic energy that makes water, fat, and sugar molecules vibrate until they heat up. The walls of the appliance are metal too, but they're thick enoug