The Honeywell T9 thermostat can get stuck on "Permanent Hold" mode, which overrides your scheduled temperature settings indefinitely. This typically happens when someone manually adjusts the temperature and the thermostat defaults to maintaining that setting until manually cleared.
Quick answer
- Tap "Run Schedule" on the thermostat display to immediately clear the permanent hold
- Change hold preference to "Until Next Period" in Menu → Preferences → Hold Action to prevent future issues
- Check geofencing settings in the Resideo App if location-based scheduling conflicts with time-based schedules
Symptoms
- Thermostat maintains one temperature (like 72°F) all night despite sleep schedule set to different temperature (like 68°F)
- Display shows "Permanent Hold" or "Hold Until..." at bottom of screen
- Resideo App displays orange banner indicating an active override
- Geofencing appears non-functional when leaving or arriving home
- Schedule seems completely ignored regardless of programmed times
Quick checks
Check the display status: Look at the bottom of the thermostat screen for "Hold Until..." or "Permanent Hold" text.
Verify in Resideo App: Open the app and look for orange banners or hold indicators that show an active override.
Test schedule awareness: Note if the thermostat completely ignores programmed temperature changes at scheduled times.
Step-by-step fix
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Walk to the thermostat and look at the display screen
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Clear the current hold:
- Tap the "Run Schedule" button at the bottom of the screen
- If you see "Remove Hold" instead, tap that
- The hold status should disappear immediately
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Change the default hold behavior:
- Tap Menu on the thermostat
- Navigate to Preferences → Hold Action
- Select "Until Next Period" (this makes manual changes temporary until the next scheduled time block)
- Avoid "Permanent Hold" which causes this exact problem
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Configure geofencing properly (if using location-based control):
- Open the Resideo App
- Verify your phone's location permissions are enabled
- Check that sleep schedule triggers regardless of geofencing status
- Ensure geofencing status updates correctly when you leave/arrive
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Test the fix:
- Manually change the temperature
- Verify it shows "Hold Until [Next Period]" instead of "Permanent Hold"
- Wait for the next scheduled period to confirm automatic schedule resumption
If it still isn't working
Force schedule reload: Go to Menu → Schedule and turn Schedule OFF, then back ON. This forces the thermostat to reload the entire timing table.
Trust the physical unit: If the Resideo App shows different information than the thermostat display, the wall unit is the source of truth. Always clear holds directly on the physical thermostat if the app is glitching.
Check schedule conflicts: Ensure your geofencing "Home" preferences don't conflict with time-based sleep schedules. Location-based overrides can supersede time-based schedules if configured incorrectly.
If schedule management keeps frustrating you
The Permanent Hold issue on the T9 is a configuration problem, not a hardware defect — but it's a symptom of scheduling systems that require you to actively manage hold states. If you'd rather have a thermostat that learns your patterns automatically instead of requiring you to program and clear holds, the Nest Learning Thermostat takes a completely different approach: it builds the schedule by watching your adjustments and doesn't require you to define time blocks. If you want to stay with a sensor-based system but want simpler hold behavior, the Ecobee also handles this logic more intuitively.
→ Best smart thermostats — Nest, Ecobee, and Honeywell compared
FAQ
Why does my thermostat keep going into Permanent Hold? The default "Hold Action" setting is likely set to "Permanent Hold." Change it to "Until Next Period" in Menu → Preferences → Hold Action.
What's the difference between hold options? "Permanent Hold" locks temperature forever until manually cleared. "Until Next Period" holds temperature only until the next scheduled block, then automatically resumes the schedule. "Ask Duration" prompts you to specify how long each time.
Can I use both geofencing and scheduled temperatures? Yes, but geofencing acts as an override to time-based schedules. Make sure your location-based "Home" settings don't conflict with sleep or away schedules.
Does this fix work for other Honeywell models? Yes, this applies to Honeywell T9, T5, T6 Pro Smart thermostats that use the Resideo App with similar menu structures.