The Nest thermostat has plenty of automated and self-learning capabilities that help it save energy and cater to personal schedules. However, these schedules are not ideal for every situation, and sometimes Nest’s self-learning can also become a problem, especially if it has been subjected to things out of the regular schedule.
If you want manual control over your Nest thermostat, you can turn its automated features off. Unfortunately, there’s no single button to completely turn off all smart features, and you’ll have to tackle each independently.
Why change and override your Nest Thermostat to manual mode?
Automated and smart thermostats like the Nest have made life easier overall. However, there will be instances where turning your Nest thermostat to manual mode will be necessary. Some of the key circumstances that require you to switch to manual mode include:
- Being out of the house all week long and you don’t want the temperature or Nest schedule to be the same.
- You want to maintain the same temperature.
- You don’t want the same schedule based on eco-sensing when you have visitors.
- You don’t want the thermostat to reprogram based on the vacation schedule when you leave the house for vacation.
Turn off Auto Schedule
Auto Schedule's Function
Using the Auto-Schedule function, you can set up a routine you want your thermostat to run in and control the temperature. The Auto-Schedule function can be set up through the thermostat or using the Nest app.
For example, the eco-sensing schedule automatically prompts the thermostat to switch off the HVAC system when it senses you are not home and turn it on when you return. The feature is enabled through geofencing. Additionally, the Auto-Schedule function lets you customize daily schedules with time intervals based on your heating or cooling preferences.
Clear Existing Schedule
When switching to manual mode, you want to clear out your preset schedules, so the thermostat doesn’t go back to following old routines.
- Go to the Main Screen and choose Settings.
- Start with the Auto Schedule function by scrolling right and choose Nest. Sense.
- Choose Auto-Schedule and change the option to No.
- Scroll down and click on Done
- Next, reset the Eco function by scrolling counterclockwise
- Set the Heat to and Cool to Off and click Done.
- Then, reset the Home Away Assist function by scrolling clockwise.
- Choose the Stop Using option and click Done.
- Go back to the main Settings menu, click on Restart, choose Schedule, and click on Reset.
- Turn the ring that appears on the screen 90 degrees clockwise to clear all schedules, and you should be done.
Turn off Auto Schedule/Disable learning
If you don't want to follow any automated routines, you can simply disable the Auto-Schedule feature. By disabling it, you can manually set the thermostat exactly how you want to.
- To turn off auto-scheduling, you follow these steps.
- On the Main Screen, choose Settings.
- Scroll right and choose Nest Sense.
- Choose Auto-Schedule and change the option to No.
- Scroll down and click on Done.
- Go back to the Main Screen, choose Settings menu, click on Restart, select Schedule, and click on Reset.
- Turn the ring that appears on the screen 90 degrees clockwise to clear all schedules and you should be done.
Manually Schedule
If you disable auto-scheduling, you can still reset the routines again. If you don’t want to use the Nest app or voice control, you can do so manually on the thermostat itself.
- Touch or click the thermostat to turn the main screen on.
- Choose the Schedule settings (it has a calendar i.con).
- You will then be redirected to a calendar screen with the dates, days of the week, time, and temperature reading.
- To change the schedule, rotate the ring to the date and day you want, click on the button underneath the thermostat and choose Change.
- You will be redirected to the calendar option, where you follow the same steps to change the time and temperature.
- To create a new schedule, rotate the ring to the date and day you want, click on the button underneath the thermostat and choose New.
- To remove the schedule, rotate the ring to the date and day you want, click on the button underneath the thermostat and choose Remove.
- You will be redirected to the calendar option, choose the date and day you want, click on the button underneath the thermostat and choose Change.
- You will be redirected to the calendar option, where you follow the same steps to change the time and temperature.
Turn off Eco Temperatures
The Eco temperatures mode is designed to keep your home cool or warm while reducing energy consumption and costs. The Nest thermostat can automatically change to Eco temperature if it senses that no one is home. This is indicated by the Eco tag on the display.
However, if you don’t want to use this mode and want to control the temperature yourself, you can turn it off. You can turn off Eco mode from the Nest app, via voice control, or manually on the thermostat.
- Touch or click the thermostat to turn on the main screen.
- Choose the Settings option and rotate the ring to find the Eco function option.
- Set the Heat to and Cool to on Off and click Done.
Turn off Home/Away Assist
The Home/Away Assist function is designed to sense when you are at home or away and prompts the HVAC system to turn on or off, respectively. This function works by using the activity sensors in the thermostat and tracking your phone’s location using the Nest app – allowing the thermostat to function based on your activity.
This means that all the Nest thermostats in your home can automatically function based on your being at home or away. However, you don’t have to use this feature if you don’t want to. You can manually turn Home/Away Assist off through your thermostat.
- Touch or click the thermostat to turn the main screen on.
- Choose the Settings option and rotate the ring to find the Home Away Assist function option.
- Choose the Stop Using option and click Done.
Manually Override to Hold Temperature
On the Thermostat
If you want to maintain your preset schedules at a certain time interval and use the manual mode at another, you can. The Hold Temperature feature maintains the same temperature for the set period.
You simply have to Hold the temperature manually on your thermostat. Keep in mind, however, this feature is not available for the Nest E or Nest Learning thermostat models.
- Click or touch the thermostat to turn it on.
- Rotate the ring to the Settings option and click it.
- On the menu view, rotate the ring to find the Hold feature with the clock icon and click it.
- Choose the current temperature option and select the time by scrolling through the options. The Hold feature lets you pick temperatures throughout the day with a resolution of half-hour time intervals. Alternatively, you can choose none for an indefinite temperature hold until you can manually change it later.
- When done, select Confirm.
- If you want to change the settings or end your hold, return to the Hold menu
- Choose the Stop option, and you should be done.
On the App
Using the Nest thermostat, you don’t have to necessarily do the manual temperature hold on the thermostat. You can do this manually from anywhere you are using the Nest app.
- Download the nest Home app on your smart device.
- Open the app and choose the Thermostat option.
- Set the thermostat on the heat or cool mode before initiating the manual temperature hold.
- Click on the Hold temperature option (it has a clock icon).
- Set the temperature you want for the manual hold if the current one isn’t ideal.
- Next, set how long you want the hold to last. Similar to the manual hold setting on the thermostat, you can pick the None option for an indefinite period.
- Complete the setting by tapping on Start.
- If you want to end the hold, head back to the app’s home screen and choose the Thermostat option.
- Again, make sure the thermostat setting is on Heat or Cool.
- Click on Hold temperature and then click on End Hold.
Nest Thermostat Manual Override Verdict
The Nest Thermostat features a smart design to help automate your daily processes. Nonetheless, this doesn’t mean that your freedom to control your home’s interior environment is compromised. All you need to know are the how-tos for a Nest thermostat manual override.
1 Comment
Michael Cataldo
I work as a prop maker for tv. Is there a way to power up a Nest thermostat without connecting it to a furnace such that as it sits on a fake wall a hand can turn the outer dial to increase or decrease the setting temp.?
I am trying to bypass wifi and app requirements so that I can just see the nice large temp setting number change. Thats the only aspect of the device I need to function.
Thank you
Michael