Filters and replacements

Winix Plasmawave Air Purifier Filters

Compare Winix replacement filters by fit, filtration stage and air concern. Choose carbon for odors, True HEPA for particles, or a guard version for allergens, pets or smoke.
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Winix PlasmaWave Carbon Air Purifier Filter, Activated Carbon for Odors and VOCs
Activated carbon is the stage that goes after what HEPA cannot catch: odors and VOCs. Use it when a room smells of cooking, pets or stale air even though the particle filter looks clean. It works alongside the HEPA filter rather than replacing it, so it suits units that need odor control without a full filter change.
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Winix True HEPA Replacement Air Purifier Filter for Particles, Pollen, Dust and Pet Dander
True HEPA is the stage that traps fine particles, so this filter suits a unit whose particle filter is due while the carbon layer still works. Choose it for pollen season, dusty rooms or everyday household dust, then plan on swapping it again in 6 to 12 months depending on use and airflow.
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Winix HEPA and Activated Carbon Filter Bundle, Two-Stage Replacement for Fresher Air
A bundle covers both stages in one purchase, which suits a full refresh when odors and particles both need attention. If the room smells stale and the pleats look gray, replacing carbon and HEPA together restores odor adsorption and particle capture at once, and it saves a second ordering step later.
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Winix Slim Activated Carbon Prefilter, Quick Upkeep Layer for Hair and Large Dust
Slim prefilters are the cheap upkeep layer, catching hair and big dust before they reach the main filter. Use it between full replacements to keep airflow steady, especially where pets shed or surfaces collect lint. It costs less than a full filter and extends the time before the HEPA stage needs attention.
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Winix AllergenGuard Air Purifier Filter, Extra Allergen Layer for Seasonal Sensitivity
The guard version layers allergen protection onto the base filter, so it fits a home where seasonal pollen or pet dander drives the air concern. It costs more than the base filter, but it adds a focused layer rather than asking the HEPA stage to do everything on its own during high-pollen weeks.
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Everyday filter essentials

Start with the core filters: a carbon stage, a True HEPA replacement, a two-stage bundle and slim prefilters for quick upkeep.
A white pleated filter with a black carbon layer sliding into the open filter chamber of an air purifier.

Winix PlasmaWave Replacement Filter with True HEPA and Carbon Stages for Everyday Rooms

This two-stage filter suits a household that wants one cartridge for both particles and everyday odors. True HEPA traps fine dust, pollen and dander while the carbon layer adsorbs smells and VOCs. It pairs with auto mode and needs replacing every 6 to 12 months, sooner in homes with pets or smoke.
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Fits, stages and air concerns

Six more filters matched to pets, smoke and room size

Winix PetGuard Air Purifier Filter with Dander and Pet Odor Layer for Homes with Pets

PetGuard targets dander and pet odor, the two complaints that surface most in homes with cats or dogs. The added layer works with the carbon stage rather than replacing it, so it suits owners who notice smell returning soon after a normal filter change and want more odor capacity between swaps.
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Winix SmokeGuard Air Purifier Filter Built for Smoke, Cooking Odors and Heavy Air

SmokeGuard is the version to consider when cooking smoke, wildfire smoke or a fireplace fills the room. The extra layer adds capacity for smoke particles and odor that carbon alone may not hold, and it suits kitchens and living rooms where the air goes hazy during heavy cooking or closed windows.
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Winix Replacement Filter for PlasmaWave 5300 Series, True HEPA and Carbon Stages

This filter is built for the PlasmaWave 5300 series, so fit is the first thing to confirm before buying. The two stages handle particles and odors together, and PlasmaWave keeps working as a low-ozone ionization layer on top of them. Homes that run the purifier daily usually swap it once or twice a year.
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Winix Replacement Filter for PlasmaWave 6300 Series, Two-Stage Particle and Odor Care

Sized for the PlasmaWave 6300 series, this filter keeps the larger unit's two stages current. Bigger rooms push more air through the pleats, so replacement often arrives at the shorter end of the 6 to 12 month window. Check the model code on your unit first, because a 5300 filter will not seat correctly.
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Winix Replacement Filter for C535 Air Purifier, True HEPA Particle and Odor Capture

The C535 takes its own filter size, and confirming that model code keeps you from ordering a filter that will not seat in the chamber. It covers particles and odors in one cartridge, which suits a bedroom or office where the unit runs quietly on auto mode and needs a straightforward annual swap.
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Winix Large-Room HEPA and Carbon Refresh Bundle for a Full Two-Stage Filter Change

A full refresh bundle suits larger units that draw more air and load both stages faster. Swapping carbon and HEPA together restores particle capture and odor adsorption in a single visit to the unit, which is easier than tracking two separate replacement dates across a busy year.
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Six situations where the right filter stage matters

Six everyday situations where the filter stage you choose changes the result, from bedrooms and pet homes to kitchens, smoke and large living rooms.
A white air purifier running beside a bed with soft morning light in a tidy bedroom.

Bedrooms that run the purifier overnight

A bedroom purifier needs a filter that keeps pollen and dust down overnight. Replace on schedule so airflow stays steady and auto mode is not pushing air through a loaded filter while you sleep.

A cat resting on a rug near a white air purifier in a sunlit living room.

Homes where pets shed and odors linger

Homes with pets load the prefilter and carbon faster than most. A pet-focused guard or a carbon-heavy choice helps with dander and odor, and shorter replacement windows keep the unit effective between heavy shedding weeks.

A white air purifier on a kitchen counter with steam rising from a pan on the stove behind it.

Kitchens where cooking odors stay after dinner

Cooking odor is a carbon job, not a particle job. When smells linger after the stove cools, a fresh carbon stage or a smoke-focused guard restores odor adsorption faster than waiting for the old filter to clear itself.

A fireplace with a low smoke drift in a living room, a white air purifier running nearby.

Smoke from fireplaces and wildfire season

Smoke from cooking, a fireplace or wildfire season loads both stages at once. Smoke-focused filters add capacity, and swapping sooner protects the True HEPA stage from saturating while the air is heavy.

A laptop and small white air purifier on a desk beside an open window during pollen season.

Home offices during high-pollen weeks

Seasonal pollen follows people indoors. Running auto mode with a fresh HEPA filter lowers the particle load in a home office, and a mid-season check prevents a stale filter from undoing that work during high-pollen weeks.

A tall white air purifier running in a spacious living room with sofa and large windows.

Large living rooms that run daily

Larger rooms push more air through the filter, so replacements arrive sooner. Confirm your model code first, then choose the size and stage mix that matches how often the main living space actually runs.

Choose with confidence

What decides the right Winix filter

One adult hand steadying the back panel of a white air purifier beside a blank specification label area.

Match your model first

Model numbers decide fit, so check yours before choosing a filter.

Three separated filter layers suspended in a row: a mesh prefilter, a dark carbon sheet and a white pleated filter.

HEPA and carbon stages

True HEPA traps fine particles while carbon adsorbs odors and VOCs.

One adult hand holding a blue-tinted guard layer in front of a white pleated air purifier filter.

Add-on guard options

Guard versions layer allergen, pet or smoke protection onto one filter.

A thin black carbon prefilter sheet lying flat beside a thick white pleated filter on a light table.

Prefilter or full filter

Carbon prefilters catch hair and big dust cheaply; full filters do more.

A dusty gray pleated filter beside a clean white replacement filter on a kitchen counter, a round clock behind them.

Replacement frequency

Filters typically last 6 to 12 months, sooner with pets or smoke.

A pleated white filter and a black carbon filter leaning together against a plain wall on a wooden table.

Bundles save a step

Buying HEPA and carbon together covers both stages in one purchase.

Three filter directions

Distinguish filter types by what each stage targets

A black activated carbon filter sheet held to the light, showing its charcoal mesh weave.
Carbon filters for odor and VOC control

Carbon stages target what HEPA cannot catch: odors and VOCs. Choose one when a room smells of cooking, pets or stale air even though the particle filter still looks clean, because a fresh carbon layer restores odor adsorption without touching the HEPA stage.

Close view of white pleated HEPA filter folds fanned open on a light gray surface.
True HEPA filters for fine particle capture

True HEPA targets fine particles, so it is the choice for pollen, dust and dander. Gray pleats or weaker airflow from the unit are the practical signals that this stage has reached the end of its window and needs swapping.

Three filter layers side by side: a mesh prefilter, a white pleated filter and a blue-tinted guard layer.
Guard versions for allergens, pets and smoke

Guard versions layer allergen, pet or smoke protection onto the base filter. Pick the guard that matches your main air concern, and expect to pay more than the base filter for the added layer of targeted capacity.

Shopper stories

What filter shoppers noticed after they replaced

I checked the model code on the back of my unit first, which took a minute and saved me from ordering the wrong size. The carbon stage cut down the cooking smell that lingered after dinner, and I did not have to replace the whole filter to get that result.
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Dana R.Bought a carbon filter for kitchen odors
Pollen season hit hard and the pleats on my old filter were visibly gray, so I swapped it early. Airflow picked back up within a day and the room felt cleaner, which told me the replacement schedule matters more than I had assumed.
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Marcus T.Replaced a gray HEPA filter mid-season
I spent a week weighing the base filter against the guard versions because the price difference was real. Going with the guard that matched my pet odor concern made sense once I understood that the added layer works alongside carbon instead of replacing it.
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Priya S.Compared guard versions before choosing
Buying the HEPA and carbon stages together was simpler than tracking two separate replacement dates. I compared prices at a few retailers first and found sale pricing that made the bundle a reasonable move for a full yearly refresh.
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Lena K.Shopped around for a two-stage bundle
The manual listed my model code clearly, so I matched it against the filter listing and avoided a return. Delivery was quick, the filter seated correctly on the first try, and the room air has felt steadier ever since the swap.
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Owen B.Confirmed model fit before ordering online
Questions buyers ask

Answers before you pick a filter

Start with the model code printed on your unit or in its manual. Winix sells separate filters for models such as the C535 and the Plasmawave 5300 and 6300, so confirming that number first keeps you from ordering a filter that will not seat correctly in the chamber.
PlasmaWave is a low-voltage ionization stage designed to reduce airborne pollutants while producing far less ozone than conventional ion generators. It supplements rather than replaces the prefilter, carbon and True HEPA stages, so those filters still need replacing on schedule.
The base filter handles everyday dust, pollen and odors well on its own. Guard versions add a focused layer, with AllergenGuard for allergens, PetGuard for dander and pet odor, and SmokeGuard for smoke, and they cost more, so match the guard to your main air concern.
Plan on replacing the main filter every 6 to 12 months depending on use. Odors returning, weaker airflow from the unit or visibly gray pleats are practical signals to swap it, and homes with pets or smoke usually sit at the shorter end of that window.
A bundle covers both the True HEPA and carbon stages in a single purchase, which suits a full refresh once or twice a year. If your carbon layer still smells fresh, buying the HEPA filter alone is the cheaper move, so check both stages before deciding.
Winix filters are widely stocked through retailers such as Home Depot, Walmart, Amazon and Costco, alongside the brand’s own U.S. site. Sale pricing is common, with compact filters dropping into the forties and larger sizes into the fifties and sixties.

Keep reading before you choose your next filter