How to Program an Aprilaire Thermostat (By Model)

There’s no single “how to program an Aprilaire thermostat” answer. The lineup spans four control designs with different buttons and menus, and following the wrong model’s steps just won’t work. Find your model number on the faceplate or in Settings/About first, then jump to your section below.

Find your model number before you start

• 8344, 8346, 8348: older mechanical/digital, no programming at all. Set mode and temperature directly.
• 8363, 8365, 8366: older mechanical/digital, but genuinely programmable with a physical MODE switch and PROGRAM button.
• 8444, 8446, 8448: 8400 series, non-programmable.
• 8463, 8465, 8466, 8476, 8476W: 8400 series, programmable with a PROG button.
• 8570, 8600, 8620, 8620W: full-color touchscreen, MENU-driven, no app.
• 8910W, 8920W (and similar current Wi-Fi models): touchscreen plus the Aprilaire app.

If your unit is labeled Model 60, 62, or 600, it’s a humidistat or whole-house humidifier control, not a thermostat. See our Aprilaire reset guide for that distinction.

Older mechanical/digital models

Most common cause of confusion here: half this line can’t be programmed at all. The 8344 (heat/cool) and 8346 (heat pump) are non-programmable: there’s no PROGRAM button on the unit. Move the MODE switch to HEAT, COOL, or OFF, then use the up/down arrows to set the temperature you want. It holds at that setting until you change it again.

The 8363, 8365, and 8366 are true 5/2-day programmable thermostats, and heat and cool are programmed as separate passes:

1. Move the MODE switch to HEAT.
2. Press PROGRAM, then use the up/down arrows to set the weekday WAKE time.
3. Press PROGRAM again to advance to the WAKE temperature; adjust with the arrows.
4. Press PROGRAM and repeat for LEAVE, RETURN, and SLEEP (time, then temperature, for each).
5. Repeat the sequence for the weekend schedule.
6. Press PROGRAM to exit. “DONE” displays.
7. Move the MODE switch to COOL and repeat the entire sequence for your cooling schedule.

To adjust the temperature without touching the schedule, press the up or down arrow: an “OVERRIDE” icon appears and the new setting holds only until the next scheduled event. For a longer change, press HOLD: the display shows “HOLD,” the time and day disappear, and the setting stays until you press HOLD again to resume the program.

Aprilaire 8400 series (8444, 8446, 8448, 8463, 8465, 8466, 8476, 8476W)

Same split as the older line: 8444/8446/8448 are non-programmable, 8463/8465/8466/8476/8476W are programmable. Both share the same SYSTEM MODE button (press to cycle AUTO, Off, HEAT, COOL, and Em-HEAT on heat pump models) and up/down temperature buttons. The non-programmable models just stop there.

To set a schedule on a programmable 8400-series unit:

1. Press PROG twice. The WAKE event’s start time flashes.
2. Use the up/down arrows to set the time, then the flashing moves to the HEAT setting (adjust it), then COOL (adjust that too). Each event carries one heat and one cool setpoint at the same time, not separate passes.
3. Press again to advance to LEAVE, then RETURN, then SLEEP, repeating the time/heat/cool adjustment for each.
4. Advance once more to switch to the weekend schedule and repeat.
5. Press to end. “DONE” displays. If no button is pressed for 3 seconds, the thermostat exits on its own.

The hold behavior is where most people get tripped up. Adjusting the temperature with the up/down arrows is a temporary override: it reverts automatically at the next scheduled event. Pressing HOLD is a permanent override: it stays at whatever you set it to, ignoring the rest of the schedule, until you press HOLD again to cancel it. If your schedule seems to “not stick,” check whether HOLD is active before assuming the programming failed.

Aprilaire 8570, 8600, 8620, 8620W (touchscreen, no app)

These program by touch through a menu, not physical buttons:

1. Touch MENU, then SET SCHEDULE.
2. Select the day, then touch Next to move to the first event’s start time; adjust with the arrows.
3. Touch Next again to set that event’s heat and cool setpoints via the temperature pop-up.
4. Repeat for each event (WAKE, LEAVE, RETURN, SLEEP), then touch DONE to save.

For a quick temperature change without editing the schedule, touch the up/down arrows on the home screen: it holds until the next scheduled event, same temporary-vs-permanent split as the 8400 series. For an indefinite change, touch MENU > HOLD; touch CANCEL HOLD to resume the schedule. For a planned absence, use MENU > SET VACATION instead: set the hold temperature, fan mode, and an exact end date/time, and the thermostat resumes the normal schedule automatically when that date arrives instead of requiring you to remember to cancel it.

Aprilaire 8910W, 8920W, and other current Wi-Fi models

This one isn’t app-only, despite what you might expect. You can set the operating schedule directly on the thermostat’s touchscreen using the same MENU > SET SCHEDULE pattern as the 8620W, or from the Aprilaire app if you’d rather do it from your phone; both write to the same schedule. Wi-Fi setup isn’t a prerequisite for basic scheduling; it only matters for remote access and the app-specific features.

The one feature that genuinely lives in the app rather than on the unit is Away: enable it from the app, and it drops to a default setback of 85°F cooling / 62°F heating (both adjustable) until you turn it off. If your thermostat isn’t connected to Wi-Fi yet, pair it through the app first. The schedule you set on the touchscreen won’t sync to your phone until it is.

If your thermostat’s display shows “Off”

That’s a different problem from anything above: a display stuck on the word “Off” rather than accepting mode changes is usually a battery or power issue, not a programming step you’re missing. See our fix: Aprilaire Thermostat Says Off.

FAQ

Why doesn’t my Aprilaire schedule seem to “stick”? On the programmable 8400-series and touchscreen models, check whether a permanent HOLD is active. A temporary override (just pressing the up/down arrows) reverts at the next scheduled event; a HOLD overrides everything until you cancel it, and it’s easy to leave one on by accident.

Do I have to program heat and cool separately? Only on the older mechanical 8363/8365/8366 line, where you move the MODE switch and program each system separately. The 8400 series, touchscreen models, and Wi-Fi models all set one heat and one cool setpoint together per event.

Can I program my Aprilaire thermostat from my phone? Only on Wi-Fi models (8910W, 8920W, 8476W, 8620W, and similar current models) via the Aprilaire app. Everything else is programmed on the unit itself.

My model has no PROGRAM or PROG button at all. Is it broken? No. The 8344, 8346, 8348, 8444, 8446, and 8448 are non-programmable by design. Set the mode and temperature directly; there’s no schedule to program.

Last reviewed: August 2026. Confirm the exact button layout against your model’s manual at aprilaire.com. Aprilaire has revised button icons across production runs of the same model number.