I have a standup fridge/freezer from Hamilton Beach. I have it set as a freezer since the top freezer compartment of the fridge that is in the apartment is too small on its own.

I showed photos from my freezer a while ago to my friend asking him about the ice buildup and he said that it is normal and not to worry about it.

It has continued to build up and it is now taking space away from the top shelf. What is the most effective and safest way to completely defrost and/or de-ice my freezer inside of my apartment unit?

Bonus points if anyone knows how to prevent ice buildup like this from happening again in the future.

Thank you.

Ice in Freezer