How to Reset a Honeywell Thermostat

Even the most dependable thermostat units are prone to technological hiccups like freezing, display glitches, or the occasional crash. If your home’s environmental regulation hub happens to be made by Honeywell, you’ll be pleased to know that getting it working again is no sweat (pun intended).

Resetting is easy if you know which model you have.

For your heating and cooling convenience, we’ve put together the definitive guide on how to manually reset a Honeywell thermostat, complete with step-by-step instructions for each of the company’s best-selling models.

Resetting a Honeywell Thermostat

Just as there are different reasons why you might need to reset your Honeywell thermostat, there are also a number of different types of resets you can perform—three, to be exact. Each of these do-overs addresses a specific problem or function:

• Factory Reset – A factory reset will restore your unit’s original factory settings, essentially wiping the slate clean. This is the most common kind of reset most homeowners will find themselves carrying out.
• WiFi Reset – Resetting the WiFi on a Honeywell smart thermostat will clear the unit’s network memory, allowing you to set up new connections or remedy connectivity issues.
• Schedule Reset – If you have a programmable thermostat, initiating a schedule reset will erase any scheduled functions you’ve programmed into your device.

A Quick Word of Warning

Newer Honeywell thermostats are designed so users can easily reset them with the touch of a few buttons. However, executing a factory reset on many older models requires you to remove the unit, exposing the wiring beneath and putting you at risk of electrical shock.

If you don’t have any experience working with household wiring elements, we strongly recommend hiring a qualified HVAC expert to come in and make sure the job gets done safely and correctly.

In order to successfully reset your Honeywell thermostat, you’ll first need to know the exact model you’re working with.

Ordinarily, your thermostat’s make and model will be proudly emblazoned on its faceplate. If you don’t see it there, dismount the device and turn it around—you should find a label on the backside containing several crucial pieces of information, including the unit’s series name and model number.

Honeywell 1000 and 2000 Series Thermostats

For older models like the Honeywell Pro 1000 and 2000 series, the process of performing a factory reset is somewhat involved. Even so, it shouldn’t take you longer than a couple of minutes. Here’s how to take care of business:

1. Turn off the thermostat. You can do this by flipping the control switch on the bottom of the unit to the center position.
2. Head to your home’s breaker box and shut off the power to the circuit controlling your thermostat. If you’re not sure which one it is, you may have no choice but to disable the power to the whole house temporarily.
3. Remove the thermostat from the wall by gently lifting it away from its mounting plate.
4. Take the batteries out of the unit and reinstall them the wrong way (yes, you read that right). The batteries’ positive poles should now be aligned with the negative poles in the battery compartment and vice-versa.
5. Wait 5-10 seconds for the desired changes to take effect.
6. Remove the batteries again and reinsert them with the correct orientation.
7. Place the unit back on its base. Check to make sure it’s securely attached before proceeding.
8. Restore power to the circuit and turn the thermostat back on.

Honeywell 4000 Series Thermostats

Honeywell’s programmable 4000 Series thermostats are a little different from their predecessors in terms of design. Fortunately, their factory reset protocols have also been updated, and are much easier to implement.

1. Make sure your thermostat is on.
2. Press and hold the “Set” button on the left side of the user interface.
3. While holding down the “Set” button, use a paper clip or another slender object to press the recessed reset button located on the side of the unit to the right of the user interface.
4. Without letting go of the “Set” button, hold down the reset button for 5 seconds, then release.

Honeywell 6000WF Series Thermostats

The 6000WF series includes some of Honeywell’s first “smart” thermostats, which allow users to control the climate of their homes from their smartphones, tablets, or computers. These units come with a trio of equally smart reset methods:

Factory Reset

1. Press and hold both the up arrow button and the button corresponding to the “Fan” function.
2. While holding both buttons, change the number displayed on the left-hand side of the screen to “90”; change the number on the right-hand side of the screen so that it reads “1.”
3. Release both buttons and press “Done.”

WiFi Reset

1. Press and hold both the up arrow button and “Fan” button together.
2. Change the number on the left-hand side of the screen to “39”; change the number on the right-hand side of the screen to “0.”
3. Release both buttons and press “Done.”

Schedule Reset

1. Press and hold the up arrow and “Fan” buttons.
2. Change the number on the left-hand side of the screen to “85”; change the number on the right-hand side of the screen to “1.”
3. Release both buttons and press “Done.”

Honeywell 8320WF and 8580WF Thermostats

Honeywell’s WiFi-enabled 8320 and 8580 model thermostats both feature sensitive touchscreen displays, which make performing all of the three main types of resets a piece of proverbial cake.

Factory Reset

1. Tap the “System” button on the unit’s touch display.
2. Press and hold the center box in the row of blank boxes that appears at the bottom of the screen.
3. Change the number of the left-hand side of the screen to “0710”; change the number of the right-hand side of the screen to “1.”
4. Press “Done.”

WiFi Reset

1. First, try hitting “Reconnect” on the WiFi error notification you receive on your monitoring device.
2. If auto-reconnect doesn’t work, tap the “System” button on your thermostat’s display screen.
3. Press and hold the center blank box at the bottom of the screen.
4. Change the number on the left-hand side of the screen to “0900”; change the number on the right-hand side of the screen to “0.”
5. Press “Done.”

Schedule Reset

1. Tap the “System” button.
2. Press and hold the center blank box and bottom of the screen.
3. Change the number on the left-hand side of the screen to “0165”; change the number on the right-hand side of the screen to “1.”
4. Press “Done.”

Honeywell 8321WF Thermostats

The advanced 8321 WiFi-compatible thermostat is a cinch to use, but giving one a ground-up reset can be a bit tricky if you’re not familiar with its unique user interface. Here’s how to get it done:

Factory Reset

1. Tap the “Menu” button.
2. Select the “Dealer Information” submenu.”
3. Scroll down to the bottom of the screen, where you should see a date code. Jot this code down on a piece of paper or record it in a note on your phone.
4. Press “Done.”
5. Navigate to the “Installer Options” sunscreen.
6. Punch in the date code you wrote down earlier.
7. Choose the “Reset to Defaults” option.
8. Confirm your choice by tapping “Yes.”

WiFi Reset

1. Try reconnecting via your monitoring device.
2. If auto-reconnect doesn’t work, tap the “Menu” button on your unit’s display screen.
3. Scroll down until you see the “WiFi Setup” submenu.
4. Select “WiFi Setup” and find or add your preferred network.

Schedule Reset

1. Tap the “Menu” button.
2. Scroll down until you see the “Preferences” submenu.
3. Select “Preferences” and scroll down until you see the “Default Schedule” option.
4. Select the “Default Schedule.”

Honeywell 9000 Series Thermostats

While nearly a decade old at this point, the Honeywell 9000 Color Touchscreen Thermostat is a tried-and-true favorite of many homeowners. One reason it’s so popular is that it has some of the most straightforward reset procedures of any Honeywell thermostat model.

Factory Reset

1. Tap the “Menu” button.
2. Navigate to the “Preferences” submenu.
3. Select the “Restore Factory Defaults” option.
4. Confirm your choice by tapping “Yes.”

WiFi Reset

1. Tap the “Menu” button.
2. Navigate to the “WiFi Setup” submenu.
3. Find or add your preferred network.

Schedule Reset

1. Tap the “Menu” button.
2. Navigate to the “Preferences” submenu.
3. Select the “Restore Default Schedule” option.
4. Confirm your choice by tapping “Yes.”

Honeywell T5, T5+, and T6 Thermostats

Honeywell’s T Series of thermostats, which includes the T5, T5+, and new-and-improved T6 models, is notable for its sleek design elements and simplified functionality.

Factory Reset

1. Press and hold the “Menu” button.
2. Cycle through the various options until you come to the “Reset” option.
3. Select the “Reset” option.
4. Confirm your choice by tapping “Yes.”

WiFi Reset

You can easily reset the WiFi on these units using the Honeywell Home mobile app. However, it’s also possible to refresh your network settings directly from the thermostat itself, like so:

1. Press and hold the “Menu” button.
2. Scroll until you come to “Reset.”
3. Select the “Reset” option.
4. Continue scrolling until you see the “WiFi” option.
5. Select the “WiFi” option.
6. Enter your preferred network settings.

Schedule Reset

1. Press and hold the “Menu” button.
2. Scroll until you come to “Reset.”
3. Select the “Reset” option.
4. Continue scrolling until you see the “Schedule” option.
5. Select the “Schedule” option.

Honeywell Smart and Lyric Round Thermostats

These minimalistic temperature control units are as smart as they come, both feature-wise and appearance-wise, with intuitive reset procedures that make restarting your thermostat a quick and painless task.

Factory Reset

1. Press and hold the cloud icon.
2. Scroll down until you see the “Reset” option.
3. Select the “Reset” option.

WiFi Reset

1. Press and hold the cloud icon.
2. Scroll down until you see the “WiFi” option.
3. Select the “WiFi” option.
4. Scroll down until you see the “Setup” option.
5. Select the “Setup” option.
6. Enter your preferred network settings.

Schedule Reset

To program or alter scheduled functions on a Round Smart or Lyric thermostat, you’ll need to go through the Honeywell Home mobile app on your smartphone, tablet, or computer.

When to Call a Pro

If you’ve tried resetting your Honeywell thermostat repeatedly to no avail, it may be because you’ve got a defective unit, or worse, an underlying issue with your HVAC system.

Sadly, your best efforts likely won’t be enough in this situation. Now is the time to bring in an independent HVAC specialist, who will have the skills and know-how needed to get your thermostat back up and running the way it’s supposed to.

You can also request assistance from a Honeywell technician by visiting the company’s online support center. While you’re there, take advantage of the company’s online resources, which include downloadable installation manuals and a multitude of curated self-help solutions.

Honeywell Thermostat Reset Final Thoughts

Homeowners sometimes balk at the prospect of handling complicated tech-troubleshooting projects themselves. But resetting your Honeywell thermostat doesn’t have to be a chore. Far from it, in fact.

Once you’ve identified your particular model, getting your unit back in working order and finding your Goldilocks temperature is—if you’ll permit us another pun—a breeze.