How can you tell if Hard-Boiled Eggs has gone bad?

Signs that Hard-Boiled Eggs has gone bad: Sulfurous (rotten egg) smell; Gray or green yolk discoloration beyond normal cooking, slimy whites, off taste.

What does the date label on Hard-Boiled Eggs mean?

Hard-Boiled Eggs usually doesn't carry a printed date label — judge by storage time and the spoilage signs above.

Leftovers

How long does Hard-Boiled Eggs last?

Q: How long does Hard-Boiled Eggs last?

In the fridge: 1 week (in shell). Sealed / unopened: N/A. Keep in shell until ready to eat. Peeled eggs: up to 5 days submerged in cold water.

High confidence Safety concern

How long does Hard-Boiled Eggs last? fridge 1 week (in shell). Plus spoilage signs, sources, and an unopened-vs-opened note.

Fridge

1 week (in shell)

Pantry

Refrigerate only

Freezer

Not recommended

Sealed / unopened: N/A

Signs Hard-Boiled Eggs has gone bad

Sulfurous (rotten egg) smell.
Gray or green yolk discoloration beyond normal cooking, slimy whites, off taste.

Discard immediately if

Any sulfurous smell when cracked
Visible cracks in the shell with any seepage
Pink, green, or iridescent yolk or white

Why guidance varies

Cooked food safety depends on how quickly it was cooled to 40°F, container depth, and whether it stayed under the 2-hour danger zone limit before refrigerating.

Track this in My Pantry

Get a heads-up before it expires. Search the full database instead.

Sources for this answer

A USDA FSIS — Leftovers and Food Safety — Storage windows and refrigeration guidance for this category.
A FoodSafety.gov — 4 Steps to Food Safety — Date-label interpretation and food-safety baseline.

Reviewed: 2026-05 · Rule: if manufacturer storage instructions are stricter than category guidance, the manufacturer instructions win.