Ecobee Holding: What It Means & How to Resume

When your ecobee thermostat displays “Holding,” it means the temperature you set manually is being maintained indefinitely, overriding your programmed schedule until you manually change it or resume the schedule. To resume your normal schedule, tap the thermostat’s main menu, select “Resume Schedule,” and confirm. This article explains why the hold occurs, how to manage it, and how to prevent it from disrupting your comfort and energy savings.

What Does “Holding” Mean on an Ecobee?

Your ecobee is designed to follow a schedule—a series of setpoints (target temperatures) that change at specific times of day, such as a cooler temperature at night or a warmer one when you’re away. When you manually adjust the temperature using the thermostat, the app, or a voice assistant, the ecobee enters a “hold” state. In this state, the thermostat ignores the schedule and keeps the temperature at your manually selected value until you tell it otherwise. The word “Holding” appears on the main screen, often next to the current temperature, to indicate that the schedule is temporarily suspended.

This behavior is intentional: it lets you override the schedule for comfort without having to reprogram anything. However, many users are confused because the hold doesn’t automatically end at the next scheduled change. By default, ecobee holds indefinitely until you manually resume the schedule. You can change this default to “Until next scheduled activity” so the hold automatically expires at the next schedule transition, but the default is indefinite.

Why Does the Hold Happen?

Holds occur whenever you change the temperature outside of the schedule. Common triggers include:

• Adjusting the temperature directly on the thermostat’s touch screen.
• Changing the temperature in the ecobee mobile app.
• Using a voice assistant like Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant to change the temperature.
• Using the ecobee’s “Quick Changes” feature (e.g., “I’m Home” or “I’m Away”) which can also set a hold.

The hold is a single setpoint that remains active until you cancel it. It does not create a new schedule entry; it simply pauses the schedule. This is different from a “temporary hold” on some other thermostats, which automatically ends after a set time. On ecobee, the hold is permanent unless you change the setting or manually resume.

How to Resume Your Schedule (Step-by-Step)

Resuming the schedule is straightforward. Here are the steps for the thermostat itself and the mobile app.

On the Thermostat

1. Tap the Menu icon (three horizontal lines) on the touch screen.
2. Select Resume Schedule from the list.
3. Confirm your choice when prompted. The display will show the scheduled temperature, and “Holding” will disappear.

In the Ecobee Mobile App

1. Open the ecobee app and select your thermostat.
2. Tap the Current Temperature area at the top.
3. You’ll see a slider with the current setpoint. Below it, tap Resume Schedule.
4. The app will confirm that the schedule is now active.

If you have multiple ecobee thermostats, you must resume the schedule on each one individually, as holds are per-device.

How to Change the Hold Duration (So It Auto-Resumes)

If you want a manual adjustment to last only until the next scheduled change, you can change the hold duration setting. This is useful if you often forget to resume the schedule.

1. On the thermostat, go to Menu > Settings > Preferences.
2. Select Hold Duration.
3. Choose Until next scheduled activity instead of “Until I change it.”

With this setting, any manual temperature change will automatically be canceled at the next scheduled setpoint change. For example, if you set the temperature to 72°F at 2:00 PM and your schedule calls for 68°F at 5:00 PM, the thermostat will revert to 68°F at 5:00 PM without any action from you.

Common Problems and Misconceptions

“Why is my ecobee not following the schedule?” The most common reason is an active hold. Check the main screen for “Holding.” If it’s there, resume the schedule as described above.

“I resumed the schedule, but it still shows Holding.” This can happen if you have multiple holds stacked, or if the app hasn’t synced. Try refreshing the app or toggling the thermostat’s Wi-Fi. Also, ensure you didn’t accidentally set a hold on a different ecobee device.

“Does the hold affect energy savings?” Yes. If you hold a temperature that’s far from the scheduled setpoint, your HVAC system will run longer, increasing energy use. For example, holding 70°F in summer when the schedule calls for 78°F will cause the AC to run almost continuously.

“Can I set a hold for a specific time?” Ecobee does not have a built-in “hold for 2 hours” feature. You can only choose indefinite or until the next schedule change. For a temporary change, use the “Until next scheduled activity” setting.

How to Avoid Unwanted Holds

• Use the Resume Schedule button immediately after a manual adjustment if you don’t need the change to persist.
• Change the Hold Duration setting to “Until next scheduled activity” to make holds auto-expire.
• Be cautious with voice assistants: saying “set the temperature to 70” will create a hold. Instead, say “resume schedule” when you’re done.
• If you use the “I’m Away” or “I’m Home” quick changes, they also create holds. Remember to resume the schedule when you return.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my ecobee say “Holding” even though I didn’t change anything?

Sometimes the hold is triggered accidentally by brushing against the touch screen, or by a smart home routine that adjusts the temperature. Check your app’s activity log (under “History”) to see what caused the change. If you use geofencing, the “I’m Home” or “I’m Away” automation may have set a hold.

Will the hold end automatically if I set it to “Until next scheduled activity”?

Yes. With that setting, the hold will be canceled at the next scheduled setpoint change. For example, if you manually set 72°F and your schedule changes to 68°F at 5:00 PM, the thermostat will revert to 68°F at 5:00 PM.

How do I resume the schedule from the ecobee app?

Open the app, select your thermostat, tap the current temperature display, and then tap “Resume Schedule” below the slider. The app will confirm that the schedule is active.

Does resuming the schedule reset the temperature to the scheduled setpoint?

Yes, resuming the schedule immediately adjusts the setpoint to the current scheduled value. For example, if your schedule says 70°F at this time, the thermostat will set itself to 70°F.

Can I set a hold for a specific number of hours?

No, ecobee only offers two options: indefinite or until the next scheduled activity. There is no custom timer for holds. If you need a temporary change for a few hours, you can manually change the temperature and then resume the schedule when you want.

Why does my ecobee show “Holding” after a power outage?

After a power outage, the thermostat may revert to a default hold if the schedule was interrupted. If the display shows “Holding,” simply resume the schedule to get back on track.

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