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RS261MDWP specifics — where the filter actually lives

The RS261MDWP carries its water filter at the base of the fresh-food compartment in most side-by-side builds — grille or lower rear — usually a kneeling-height or shoulder-height swap, not a teardown. It is a push-lock bay — the cartridge seats with a click you can feel through the housing; no rotation, no tools, no drama.

Order-day practicalities: a stubborn first twist when the old o-ring has set, and a change-filter light that will not clear itself until you hold the reset. RS is not a trim code, it is a chassis statement: the RS run is Samsung’s side-by-side series; across the run, the filter bay is one of the constants. Finish codes such as WP change the look, not the plumbing — order the cartridge by model, ignore the finish letter.

RS vs RF — what the prefix tells you

RS versus RF is the first fork in the parts catalog: RS marks side-by-side builds and RF marks French-door multi-door builds. Cross-checking the prefix before ordering is faster than returning the wrong cartridge. capacity 26 cubic feet: a mid-to-full-size cabinet whose dispenser traffic sets the realistic change cadence.

Swap it in 5 minutes

• Pull the old cartridge straight out of the header — expect a small spill, not a flood.
• Align the new cartridge with the keyed slot; it only goes in one orientation.
• Push the cartridge home until the retention latch clicks.
• Run two gallons through the dispenser to flush carbon fines, then hold the filter-reset control until the status light clears.

What this filter takes out of your water

Coverage above lists what the standard addresses, not a performance claim for any specific cartridge — removal claims vary by certificate, so check the NSF listing for the exact part number you are buying.