Does smelling food or perfume break the fast?

Why smelling doesn't count

The Quran describes the fast as abstaining from food, drink and intimacy until nightfall:

The scent of cooking, coffee or a bakery is just air that happens to carry a smell. You are not eating or drinking it, so your fast stays valid. Most scholars agree on this point, so cooks and restaurant workers can fast like everyone else.

Everyday situations

• Cooking for your family: fine. Smelling the food while you cook doesn't affect your fast. See Can I cook for my non-Muslim family during Ramadan?
• Tasting while cooking: that is a different question, because it involves your mouth. See Does tasting food while cooking break my fast?
• Walking past a bakery or coffee shop: fine, and a small test of patience.
• Perfume and cologne: most scholars say you can put them on and smell them. Some prefer to skip strong scents during the day out of caution, but this is not a requirement.
• Flowers, candles and room spray: fine.

For a similar question about personal care, see Can I wear deodorant while fasting?

Where to be careful: incense and strong smoke

Bukhoor (incense) and other thick smoke are different from a light fragrance. If you deliberately breathe the smoke deep into your nose and throat, so that particles reach your throat, many scholars treat it as taking something in. The Hanafi school says this breaks the fast, and other scholars advise avoiding it to be safe. So:

• Enjoy incense at night, after iftar.
• If smoke is in the room, don't lean over it and sniff deeply.
• If it reaches you without your choice, your fast is not affected.

For accidental smoke, dust and steam, see Does inhaling dust, smoke or steam break the fast?

If the smells tempt you

It's normal to feel hungry when someone is frying onions. Take it as part of the training of fasting. If you work around food, such as in a restaurant or kitchen, you can still fast. Just step away for a moment and drink some water as soon as the sun sets.