Only if it goes low enough. Dehydrating is hours of moving air at about 120 to 160 °F, and many air fryers bottom out near 180 °F — which cooks the food instead of drying it.
Why the low end is the specification
Dehydrating is a long run at a low temperature with moving air. All three parts matter, and the low temperature is the one machines differ on. An air fryer is designed to reach 400 °F fast; holding 130 °F for six hours is a different job, and only machines with a dehydrate mode or a range that starts near 100 °F do it.
Check the bottom of the range in your manual. If the lowest setting is 180 °F or higher and there is no dehydrate mode, use it for crisping rather than drying.
What the machine has to do
Hold a low temperature for hours — a different demand from reaching a high one for minutes.
Move air continuously, which is what removes the moisture.
Not be overcrowded. One layer with air all round, more strictly than for anything else in the basket. See why a single layer matters.
What a rack adds
A second and third level without piling. Stackable racks made for air fryer baskets let more slices dry at once — measure your basket floor before buying, because baskets taper.
The alternative that fits better
An air-fry toaster oven spreads slices over a flat, wide tray. The BLACK+DECKER 5-in-1 and the Hamilton Beach on this site both air fry and bake; check that the dial reaches low enough before planning on dehydrating in either. For regular drying, a dedicated dehydrator with several trays is the tool built for it.
Safety, especially for meat
Heat meat to 160 °F, and poultry to 165 °F, before drying — the USDA’s guidance, because drying temperatures alone may not kill bacteria. Store dried food airtight and cool. See using a probe thermometer.
And the running time
Hours, not minutes — long enough that dehydrating is where an air fryer’s running cost stops being negligible, and where an unattended machine needs a clear counter around it. See clearance above and behind.
Check your own manual before you follow anything here. Temperatures, fill limits and pressure ratings differ from model to model, and the manufacturer’s figures take precedence over anything written on this site. We report what makers publish — an oven’s range in degrees, a cooker’s maximum fill line, whether a part is declared dishwasher-safe — and we never turn those figures into food-safety guidance. Cooking temperatures and holding times for particular foods are set by manufacturers and by your national food safety authority, and this site points you to them rather than restating them.
What readers want to know
What temperature do I need for dehydrating?
About 125 to 135 °F for fruit and vegetables and 145 to 160 °F for jerky, held for hours with the fan running. If your air fryer's lowest setting is 180 °F or more and it has no dehydrate mode, it will cook or crisp the food rather than dry it — check the bottom of the range in the manual before trying.
Is air fryer jerky safe?
Only if the meat is heated to a safe temperature first. The USDA advises heating meat to 160 °F, and poultry to 165 °F, before or at the start of drying, because a dehydrating temperature alone may not kill bacteria. A thermometer in the thickest strip settles it.
How long does it take?
Usually 2 to 8 hours, depending on the food, the thickness and the load — apple chips at the short end, jerky and thick vegetables at the long end. Slice evenly, about ¼ inch, so everything finishes together.
Last reviewed 18 October 2026