Overview
This guide covers the most common thermostat issues and questions for property managers, residents, and installers. If you're experiencing a problem, find your symptom below for step-by-step guidance.
Jump to:
- Thermostat shows as offline or unresponsive
- Temperature changes aren't being applied
- Temperature reverts after a few seconds
- Schedule isn't working
- Auto mode isn't available
- Temperature or humidity data looks wrong
- I received an offline or out-of-range alert email
- The app shows "Unable to connect"
- FAQ
Thermostat Shows as Offline or Unresponsive
The thermostat may appear offline in the ButterflyMX OS or app, or commands may not seem to go through.
Things to check:
- Look at the physical thermostat display — is it powered on and showing a temperature? If the screen is blank, there may be a power or wiring issue. Contact your installer or maintenance team.
- Check the building Wi-Fi — the thermostat connects via Wi-Fi. If there's a network outage or the Wi-Fi signal is weak at that location, the thermostat will go offline. Check whether other Wi-Fi devices in the same area are working.
- Check if Wi-Fi was disabled on the device — it's possible someone disabled Wi-Fi directly on the thermostat display. If so, Wi-Fi needs to be re-enabled at the physical device — this cannot be done remotely.
- Power cycle the thermostat — if the above don't apply, try turning the thermostat off at the circuit breaker, waiting 30 seconds, and turning it back on. Allow 2–3 minutes for it to reconnect.
- Still offline? — Contact ButterflyMX Support at support@butterflymx.com with the unit name and building address.
💡 Note: Online status in the ButterflyMX OS may not always be real-time. A thermostat can occasionally show as online while temporarily disconnected. The clearest sign it's actually offline is if temperature changes revert within a few seconds — see below.
Temperature Changes Aren't Being Applied
Who this affects: Property managers, residents
You've adjusted the temperature in the app or OS but nothing seems to happen.
Things to check:
- Check the current mode — if the thermostat is set to Off, it won't heat or cool regardless of the setpoint. Change the mode to Heat, Cool, or Auto.
-
Check for an active Hold — if a Permanent Hold or Hold Until is active, it may be overriding your change. Clear the hold and try again.
- In the app, tap the thermostat → look for "Automation paused" or a hold indicator → resume the schedule or clear the hold
- Check building temperature limits (property managers and residents) — if your building has minimum and maximum temperature limits configured, you won't be able to set a temperature outside that range from the app. If you believe the limits are incorrect, contact your property manager.
- Thermostat is offline — if the thermostat is offline, changes sent from the app won't reach the device. See Thermostat Shows as Offline above.
Temperature Reverts After a Few Seconds
Who this affects: Property managers, residents
You set a new temperature, it appears to change, then jumps back to the previous value within about 15 seconds.
What's happening: This is a strong sign the thermostat is offline despite showing as online in the app or OS. The change is sent but the thermostat can't receive it, so the app resets to the last known value.
What to do:
- Check the physical thermostat display to confirm it's powered on
- Check the building Wi-Fi at that location
- Power cycle the thermostat at the circuit breaker
- If the issue persists, contact ButterflyMX Support
Schedule Isn't Working
Who this affects: Property managers, residents
The thermostat doesn't seem to be following its scheduled temperatures.
Things to check:
-
Check for an active Hold — this is the most common reason a schedule doesn't run. If a hold is active, it takes priority over the schedule until cleared.
- In the app: tap the thermostat → look for "Automation paused" → tap Resume automation to return to the schedule
- Check the current mode — schedules work best in Auto mode. If the thermostat is in Heat-only or Cool-only mode, parts of the schedule may not take effect as expected. If Auto mode isn't available on your thermostat, contact your property manager or installer.
- Check if the thermostat was offline during the scheduled time — temperature setpoints saved in the schedule will still be applied locally, but mode changes may not have gone through if the thermostat was offline at that time. The schedule will resume correctly on the next schedule period once the device is back online.
- Check that the thermostat isn't set to Off — Off mode disables all heating and cooling regardless of schedule.
Auto Mode Isn't Available
Who this affects: Residents, property managers
Auto mode doesn't appear as an option in the ButterflyMX app.
What's happening: Some thermostat models, specifically the Honeywell T6, have Auto mode disabled by default and it must be manually enabled at the physical device by an installer or property manager.
What to do:
- Contact your property manager or building management team — they can arrange for Auto mode to be enabled at the thermostat
- Once enabled, Auto mode will appear in the ButterflyMX app within about 30 seconds
💡 Auto mode is recommended as the default setting — it allows the system to heat or cool as needed without requiring manual mode changes.
Temperature or Humidity Data Looks Wrong
Who this affects: Property managers, residents
The temperature shown in the app doesn't match what you'd expect, or humidity isn't displaying.
Things to check:
- Wait a moment — thermostat data refreshes approximately every 30 seconds. If you just made a change or just opened the app, give it a minute before expecting the display to update.
- Humidity not showing — if humidity data is missing, the app will display just the temperature in the center of the screen. This is expected behavior if the humidity sensor isn't reporting — it doesn't affect temperature control.
- Thermostat is offline — if the device is offline, the app shows the last known temperature reading rather than a live value. The timestamp or an offline indicator will signal this. See Thermostat Shows as Offline for next steps.
- Still seems inaccurate? — contact ButterflyMX Support with the unit name and building address.
I Received an Offline or Out-of-Range Alert Email
Who this affects: Property managers
ButterflyMX sends automatic email alerts when:
- A thermostat has been offline for 12+ hours
- A thermostat temperature is out of the allowed range for an extended period
For an offline alert:
- Check the physical device and building Wi-Fi at that location
- Power cycle the thermostat at the circuit breaker
- If it doesn't reconnect, contact your installer or ButterflyMX Support
💡 Offline alert emails may arrive several hours after a thermostat actually goes offline. If you suspect a device went offline sooner, check the physical display or try adjusting the temperature — if it reverts immediately, the thermostat is offline.
For an out-of-range alert:
- A resident may have adjusted the temperature directly on the physical thermostat outside the building's allowed range — the system will automatically correct this when it detects the out-of-range reading
- No action is typically required unless the alert continues — in that case, contact ButterflyMX Support
The App Shows "Unable to Connect"
Who this affects: Residents
The ButterflyMX app displays an "Unable to connect" message and temperature controls are hidden.
What's happening: The thermostat is offline or unreachable. Temperature controls are intentionally hidden when the thermostat can't be reached to avoid confusion.
What to do:
- Check your own internet/mobile data connection — ensure your phone is connected to the internet
- Check the physical thermostat display — is it powered on?
- Try again after a few minutes — if there was a temporary connectivity issue, it may resolve on its own
- If it continues, contact your property manager or building management team
FAQ
Q: Can my property manager adjust my thermostat? A: Property managers can view all thermostats in the building, but they cannot adjust settings in occupied units — that control belongs to you as the resident. They can adjust vacant units and common spaces.
Q: What's the difference between "Off" mode and "Offline"? A: These are two different things! Off mode means the thermostat is connected and working — it's just not actively heating or cooling. You can still adjust settings normally. Offline means the thermostat has lost its Wi-Fi connection and cannot receive or send any updates.
Q: What does a "Hold" mean? A: A hold pauses your automated schedule and keeps the thermostat at a fixed temperature. There are three types:
- Resume automation — schedule is running normally
- Pause until [time] — schedule is paused until a specific time, then resumes automatically
- Pause indefinitely — schedule is paused until you manually resume it
Q: Why did my temperature change on its own? A: This is most likely your automated schedule activating. Schedules adjust the temperature at set times throughout the day. You can view and edit your schedule in the ButterflyMX app under thermostat settings.
Q: Can I set the temperature higher or lower than what the app allows? A: Your property manager may have set building-wide temperature limits that restrict the range available in the app. If you need a different temperature, contact your property manager. Note that you can adjust the temperature directly on the physical thermostat — though the system may automatically correct out-of-range values.
Q: What happens to my schedule if the Wi-Fi goes down? A: Temperature setpoints in your schedule are stored locally on the thermostat and will still be applied during scheduled periods. However, if your schedule requires a mode change (e.g., switching from Heat to Cool), that change may not apply until Wi-Fi is restored. Keeping your thermostat in Auto mode avoids this issue entirely.
Q: How often does the thermostat data update in the app? A: The ButterflyMX app refreshes thermostat data approximately every 30 seconds and whenever you open the app.
Q: Why does my thermostat show as online but not respond to changes? A: This can happen due to a brief connectivity lag. If changes revert after about 15 seconds, the thermostat is likely actually offline despite appearing online. Try power cycling the thermostat at the circuit breaker.
Q: I set a schedule but the thermostat isn't following it — what should I check first? A: Check whether a hold is active — this is the most common cause. In the app, look for "Automation paused" on the thermostat screen and tap Resume automation to return to your schedule.
Still Need Help?
If you've tried the steps above and are still experiencing an issue, our support team is happy to help.
📧 Email: support@butterflymx.com 📞 Phone: 800-398-4416
When reaching out, please include:
- Your building name and address
- The unit or space affected
- What you were trying to do and what happened instead
- Approximately when the issue started