Picture of the Honeywell RTH9580WF smart thermostat, displaying its -Screen Locked- message.

How to Lock and Unlock a Honeywell Thermostat

Some models of the Honeywell smart thermostats including the RTH9580WF we discuss in this post, feature a screen lock mode.  This prevents anyone from changing thermostat settings without first entering a pass code.  You create this pass code when you request to lock your thermostat.  Subsequently, the t-stat asks you to enter this password to regain access to settings such as temperature, scheduling, Wi-Fi, and general system settings.  So here we show how to lock and unlock Honeywell thermostat.  Then, we demonstrate this on Honeywell’s RTH9580WF smart WiFi thermostat.





In this demo, we’ll show how to lock as well as unlock the Honeywell RTH9580WF wireless thermostat.  We assume here that your thermostat is fully open  to start with.

Picture of the Honeywell RTH9580WF Smart Thermostat, front view after initial setup.
Honeywell RTH9580WF smart thermostat, front view after initial setup.

How to Lock a Honeywell RTH9580WF Smart Thermostat

1. Tap the   MENU   Option 

Find the MENU button in top right corner of the screen, which then displays the main menu screen.  Once there, you may have to press the down-arrow button a few times to locate the  Security Settings  item.  The next picture shows the main menu, already scrolled, to reveal this option.

Picture of the thermostat, displaying its main menu, with the -Security Settings- option highlighted.
The thermostat, displaying its main menu, with the -Security Settings- option highlighted.

2. Tap the   Security Settings  Option

The   Security Settings   screen then displays, as shown next.

Picture of the t-stat, displaying its -Security Settings- screen.
The t-stat, displaying its -Security Settings- screen.

3. Tap the  Change Lock Mode  Button to Continue with How to Lock and Unlock a Honeywell Thermostat

This brings up the   Change Lock Mode   screen, as shown next.  Note that the Unlocked option is highlighted on that screen in a brighter blue, indicating that the thermostat is currently unlocked and that users can access all settings and schedules without unlocking it first.  We’re now going to lock it.

Picture of the thermostat, displaying the -Change Lock Mode- screen.
The thermostat, displaying the -Change Lock Mode- screen.

4. Tap the  Fully Locked   Option

This again displays the   Change Lock Mode    screen, but now, shows that  Fully Locked  option highlighted in the bright blue.  The thermostat will be placed in fully locked mode once you press the   Done   button in the next step.

Note that we could have tapped the   Partially Locked   button here instead, in which case   that  option would have been highlighted in the next screen shot.  But in this demo, we’re only showing what happens with the   Fully Locked   mode.





However, you establish partial locking in the same way as shown below in the Fully Locked case, except that after locking, you’ll have access to   some   of the thermostat’s settings (namely, the current temperature setting on the Home screen), whereas with full locking, you’ll be able to access  none  of the settings, without first unlocking the thermostat.

Picture of the t-stat, displaying its -Change Lock Mode- screen, with the -Fully Locked- option selected.
The t-stat, displaying its -Change Lock Mode- screen, with the -Fully Locked- option selected.

5. Tap the  Done  Button

This takes you back to the  Security Settings  screen, as shown next.  Your thermostat is now fully locked.

Note that if you wish not to set up a passcode, you can skip ahead to step 9 below.  The thermostat will still be locked, even though you’ve not set up a passcode. So you won’t need a password therefore, to unlock it.  However, here we’re going to add one nonetheless, to demonstrate the comprehensiveness of the locking mechanism on Honeywell thermostats.

Picture of the Honeywell RTH9580WF smart thermostat, displaying its -Security Settings- screen.
Honeywell RTH9580WF smart thermostat, displaying its -Security Settings- screen.

6. Tap the   Create Password   Button to Continue with How to Lock and Unlock a Honeywell Thermostat

The  Your Password has been Created   screen then displays, which shows a four-digit passcode that you’ll need to unlock the thermostat subsequently.

Picture of the thermostat, displaying its -Your Password has been Created- screen.
The thermostat, displaying its -Your Password has been Created- screen.

7. Write Down the Provided Password

Be careful not to misplace or forget this passcode.  Record it somewhere and keep it safe.  Without it, you’ll be unable to gain access to the thermostat controls.  Nor will you be able to reset the thermostat to factory defaults without calling Honeywell for help.

8. Press the   Done   Button

Tapping   Done   returns you to the   Security Settings   screen, showing that the   Create Password   button has now changed to the    Remove  Password   button.

Picture of the t-stat, displaying its -Security Settings- screen, with the -Remove Password- option highlighted.
The t-stat, displaying its -Security Settings- screen, with the -Remove Password- option highlighted.

9.  Tap the   Previous Menu   Button

The  Previous Menu   option returns you to the main menu, as shown next.

Picture of the t-stat, displaying the -Main Menu- screen, with the -Home- button highlighted.
The t-stat, displaying the -Main Menu- screen, with the -Home- button highlighted.

10.  Tap the   Home   Button to Continue with How to Lock and Unlock a Honeywell Thermostat

Find the Home link in the top left corner of the screen, as arrowed above.   This returns you to the thermostat’s home screen, as shown next.  The thermostat is now in fully locked mode.

Picture of the t-stat, now locked, displaying Its -Home- screen.
The thermostat, now locked, displaying Its -Home- screen.

11. Check that the Honeywell Thermostat Screen is Locked

Try tapping the up and down arrows that adjust the current temperature setting.  These buttons are circled in pink in the previous picture, at screen right. When the thermostat is indeed locked fully, any attempt to change the temperature produces the  Screen Locked   screen, as displayed next.  If you get this page, your RTH9580WF is locked, and cannot be adjusted at all without the passcode.  See below for how to unlock this locked Honeywell smart thermostat.

Picture of the Honeywell RTH9580WF smart thermostat, displaying its -Screen Locked- message.
Honeywell RTH9580WF smart thermostat, displaying its -Screen Locked- message.

12. Press the   OK   Button to Go Back to the   Home   Screen

You may view current thermostat status and settings while locked; you just can’t change anything.





What the Full Lock Mode Restricts on Honeywell 9000 Series Smart Thermostats

Fully locked Honeywell thermostats prevent any changes to settings at all, including the current temperature.

All locked modes (full and partial) disallow the following main menu items.  When locked, these do not appear when you view the thermostat’s main menu.

  • Create Schedule
  • Color Themes
  • Vacation Mode
  • Preferences
  • Temporary Schedule Changes
  • Wi-Fi Setup
  • System Setup

Either lock mode permits access to the following status menu items.

  • View Schedule
  • Weather
  • Equipment Status
  • Clean Screen
  • Security Settings

Partially locked mode disallows the same main menu functions as fully locked mode.  However unlike fully locked mode, partially locked mode allows you to change the thermostat’s current temperature setting.

About the Lock Mode Password

The screen lock mechanism, and Security Settings password feature, function somewhat independently of each other; though they are related.  E.g. You may lock the thermostat screen either with or without setting a password, and you may set a password that fences the Security Settings functions, without actually locking the thermostat screen.

If a password has been established, you’ll need it to enter the   Security Settings  menu whether or not screen lock mode is in effect.  The password restricts only the access to the   Security Settings   main menu function.  It does not however, actually lock the screen.

But the lock screen mechanism restricts access to certain main menu items as well as the temperature setting buttons on the home screen if in full-lock mode.  These two functions are related in that, in order to lock or unlock the thermostat, you must have access to the   Security Settings   menu item; whether it has been password protected or not.  So, if you have set a password, and since you need access to the   Security Settings   menu to lock or unlock the thermostat, then you’ll need that password to unlock the thermostat.  If you didn’t set a password, then you won’t need a password.





How to Unlock a Honeywell RTH9580WF Smart Thermostat

1. On the Home Screen, Tap the  MENU  Option

Find the   MENU   button in top right corner of that page.

This then displays the main menu screen, as we did above.  Again, don’t forget that you might have to press the down-arrow button a few times to find the  Security Settings  menu item.

The next picture shows the main menu, already scrolled, to show the   Security Settings   option.

Picture of the thermostat, displaying its main menu, with the -Security Settings- option highlighted.
The thermostat, displaying its main menu, with the -Security Settings- option highlighted.

2. Tap the   Security Settings  Option

A password protected Honeywell thermostat then shows the   Please enter your password   prompt screen, as shown next.

Picture of the t-stat, displaying its -Please Enter Your Password- screen, with no passcode entered yet.
The t-stat, displaying its -Please Enter Your Password- screen, with no passcode entered yet.

3. Enter the Pass Code to Continue with How to Lock and Unlock a Honeywell Thermostat

Enter the code you assigned when you password-protected the thermostat.  In this demo, our security code was 2752.  So, we used the up and down arrows above and below each number position to enter the correct digit for each position.

This is shown in the next screenshot.  Again, all that entering this password correctly does, is allow access to the Security Settings menu, where you can then either completely unlock, partially lock, or remove the Security Settings password altogether.

Picture of the thermostat, displaying its -Please Enter Your Password- Screen, with passcode 2752 entered.
The thermostat displaying its -Please Enter Your Password- Screen, with pass code 2752 entered.

4.  Press the   Done   Button

Tap   Done   once you’ve punched in the passcode, the thermostat then shows the  Security Settings  screen, as shown next.

From here, you could choose either to delete the Security Settings password, or just to change the lock mode while leaving the existing password in effect.  You need not remove the password to unlock the thermostat. Nor must you change the lock mode in order to remove the password.

Picture of the smart thermostat, displaying its -Security Settings- screen, showing the -Remove Password- button with the -Change Lock Mode- button highlighted.
The smart thermostat, displaying its -Security Settings- screen, showing the -Remove Password- button with the -Change Lock Mode- button highlighted.

5. Tap the  Change Lock Mode   Button

This again displays the   Change Lock Mode    screen, that shows the  Fully Locked   option highlighted in blue.

Picture of the thermostat displaying its -Security Settings- screen, with the -Unlocked- button highlighted.
The thermostat displaying its -Security Settings- screen, with the -Unlocked- button highlighted.

6. Tap the  Unlocked  Button to Continue with How to Lock and Unlock a Honeywell Thermostat

This unlocks the thermostat and returns you to the  Security Settings  screen, as shown next.

Picture of the t-stat, displaying its -Security Settings- screen, with the -Previous Menu- button highlighted.
The t-stat, displaying its -Security Settings- screen, with the -Previous Menu- button highlighted.

7. Tap the   Previous Menu   Button

This returns you to the  main menu as shown next.  Note that all menu items are now available.  Verify this by scrolling down through them.  If you see items such as Create Schedule, Color Themes, Preferences, Temporary Schedule Changes, WiFi Setup, and System Setup, then your thermostat has definitely been unlocked.

Picture of the thermostat, displaying the unlocked form of its -Main Menu- screen, scrolled down to show unlocked options.
The thermostat displaying the unlocked form of its -Main Menu- screen, scrolled down to show unlocked options.

8. Done with How to Lock and Unlock a Honeywell Thermostat !

You are now free to change any setting you wish on the main menu.  Thermostat unlocking is now complete.





Other Posts About the Honeywell RTH9580WF Thermostat

  1. Honeywell RTH9580WF WiFi Setup Instructions
  2. Change WiFi Network on Honeywell Smart Thermostat RTH9580WF
  3. How to Change Honeywell Thermostat Temperature Setting
  4. Change Time and Day on Honeywell RTH9580WF Thermostat, How To
  5. Connecting Amazon Echo Dot to Honeywell Thermostats

References for How to Lock and Unlock a Honeywell Thermostat

  1. I need to unlock a locked screen on a RTH9580WF Honeywell  from JustAnswer.com
  2. Locked out of RTH9580WF, now what?   from ThermostatForums.com
  3. User Guide for the Honeywell 9000 Series Color Touchscreen Thermostats   from Honeywell

Revision History

  • 2020-04-18: Added more tags.
  • 2019-03-01: Added keyword targeting and some tags.
  • 2017-03-03: Originally published.