To make ice with the cooler/freezer, follow these steps:

Plug in the cooler and turn it on
Fill the ice tray provided with the cooler/freezer and place it in the base of the cooler/freezer
Place the foam insulation pad that comes with the cooler/freezer over the tray for optimal performance
Close the cooler and wait for the water in the ice tray to freeze which takes from 120 to 200 minutes