The Honeywell thermostat waiting for update notification can appears on Honeywell smart t-stats, like the RTH9580WF in this example. These messages, though not always errors, can show up when the t-stat has just come online. This can occur after a power outage or when you connect it to a new WiFi network. These can also occur if the Wi-Fi network to which the t-stat connects, loses internet access.
Honeywell Thermostat Waiting for Update: What it Means, RTH9580WF
Waiting for Update… simply means that the RTH9580WF t-stat has not yet received outdoor temp and humidity data from the internet. It either has not received the update since the last power-up, or when it expected to receive it. The t-stat normally gets outdoor readings updates a few times per hour at least. But you may see these messages if an update has not come in on time.
Honeywell Thermostat Waiting for Update: How to Clear This
Honeywell provides no way to clear the Waiting for Update… message manually. Rebooting the t-stat does not clear it either.
Now when the t-stat has good internet access, this message normally goes away on its own within a few minutes. We waited under two minutes on our RTH9580WF t-stat for the Waiting for Update message to clear. It then showed the outdoor temp and humidity as seen in the next screenshot, pointed at by the green arrow.
Next, note that waiting for update does not interfere with normal thermostat operation. That is, the thermostat will still accurately control the indoor temp in spite of this notification. But if the message occurs because your t-stat loses internet, then you will not be able to control it remotely. So resolve those internet problems to restore remote thermostat control.
To fix lost internet connectivity, check your other devices for proper operation. Try rebooting your router and / or WiFi access points. Check that any firewalls in your network that feed the t-stat aren’t blocking the wrong ports.
Lastly, your internet could be fine. But the Honeywell servers that support this t-stat could be down. Again, this sort of outage you can do little about. except to let Honeywell know of the problem. Then, all you can do is wait for them to resolve.