If your heat pump says Mitsubishi on the front, this guide is for you. It covers every symbol on the remote, what the modes actually do, and the features specific to each brand. Mitsubishi Electric and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries are separate companies with different remotes and different apps.
Mitsubishi Electric and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries are separate companies with different units, different remotes, and different apps. Here is how to tell which one you have.
Mitsubishi Electric units are the more common of the two in New Zealand. The indoor unit will have "Mitsubishi Electric" printed on the front panel, often with the model number starting with MSZ.
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries units are sold in New Zealand under three series names: Bronte, Avanti Plus, and Ciara. The front panel will say "Mitsubishi Heavy Industries" or display the series name rather than the Mitsubishi Electric branding.
If you have a Mitsubishi Heavy Industries unit, the sections below on modes and symbols still apply to the main operating modes, but the remote layout, specific features, and app are different. There is a dedicated MHI section further down covering what you need to know.
The Mitsubishi Electric remote controls heating, cooling, airflow, and scheduling from a single handheld unit. For a full cross-brand explanation of what each symbol means across all NZ brands, see the heat pump remote symbols NZ guide.
The five main mode symbols below apply to both Mitsubishi Electric and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries units. The additional features described in this section — ECONO COOL, NIGHT MODE, i-Save, and i-See — are Mitsubishi Electric specific unless stated otherwise.
The main mode symbols are:
HEAT — a sun with radiating rays. Selects heating mode. The indoor unit delays blowing air for two to five minutes at startup to avoid sending cold air into the room while the heat exchanger warms up. This is normal.
COOL — a six-pointed snowflake. Selects cooling mode.
DRY — a water droplet or cluster of droplets. Runs the unit in dehumidify mode at low fan speed. In New Zealand's cold winters, dry mode makes the room cold. It is designed for hot, humid climates. Mitsubishi Electric's documentation notes dry mode operates between 17°C and 32°C indoors. For a full explanation of what dry mode does and when to use it in NZ, see the heat pump dry mode guide
AUTO — a circle made of arrows, or the letter A enclosed in arrows. The unit monitors room temperature and switches between heating and cooling to maintain the set temperature. In NZ winters, afternoon sun can push room temperature up briefly, which may trigger the unit to start cooling. For most NZ winters, setting the mode manually to HEAT gives more predictable results than relying on AUTO.
FAN — a multi-blade fan propeller. Circulates air without heating or cooling. The room temperature cannot be adjusted in this mode.
The fan speed button cycles through speed settings including a Quiet option, which runs the indoor fan at a lower speed than the standard Low setting. Quiet mode reduces noise but slows how quickly the room reaches the set temperature.
The VANE button controls the vertical airflow direction. There are five manual positions plus Auto and Swing. In Auto, the unit selects the most efficient angle: horizontal for cooling, angled downward for heating. In Swing, the vane moves continuously up and down.
The WIDE VANE button controls horizontal airflow direction across five positions plus a continuous side-to-side Swing.
The sun and the snowflake
Both the sun and snowflake are round with radiating points, which makes them easy to confuse at a glance. The sun means heat. The snowflake means cool. The symbol represents what you want the air to feel like, not the current weather outside.
NIGHT MODE
The crescent moon button on MSZ-AP series remotes is labelled NIGHT MODE. You might assume it works like a sleep function that gradually adjusts the temperature overnight. It does not. NIGHT MODE dims the indicator lights on the indoor unit and reduces outdoor unit noise. The temperature does not change. If you want the room to cool or warm gradually while you sleep, you need to use the timer function, not NIGHT MODE.
NIGHT MODE is confirmed on MSZ-AP series remotes. If your remote does not have a crescent moon button, your model does not have this feature.
ECONO COOL
ECONO COOL is a Mitsubishi Electric cooling-only function. It automatically raises the set temperature by 2°C and compensates by running a specific vertical swing airflow pattern. The moving air makes the room feel cooler than the actual temperature, which allows the system to use less energy. ECONO COOL is not an economy mode for heating. It does not apply in winter.
ECO mode
ECO mode caps the maximum compressor output to reduce energy consumption. It works well in moderate conditions. On very cold days, the system may not reach the set temperature while ECO is active, because the compressor is being limited below what the conditions require. If the room is not reaching temperature and ECO is on, try turning ECO off first.
AUTO mode in NZ winters
AUTO mode switches between heating and cooling based on room temperature. The temperature range before the unit switches modes can allow the room to cool or heat beyond what feels comfortable before it responds. During NZ winters, afternoon sun can push room temperature up briefly and trigger a switch to cooling. Setting the mode manually to HEAT and leaving it there gives more predictable results.
The Hidden Buttons Under the Sliding Lid (Mitsubishi Electric)
The lower half of the Mitsubishi Electric remote slides downward to reveal a second panel of buttons. These are not visible during normal operation and are easy to miss entirely.
Behind the sliding lid are the timer and scheduling controls: ON timer, OFF timer, DAY, EDIT/SEND, SET, and CANCEL. These allow you to program the unit to turn on or off at set times on specific days.
Also behind the lid or recessed into the remote casing are the CLOCK and RESET buttons. Both are physically recessed and require a thin instrument such as the tip of a pen to press. The RESET button is covered in the next section.
The i-Save Button (Mitsubishi Electric)
The i-Save button stores your preferred temperature, fan speed, and airflow direction as a preset. Pressing it once recalls that preset instantly. Pressing it again returns the unit to the previous settings. In HEAT mode, i-Save allows the minimum temperature to be set as low as 10°C, below the standard 16°C floor. This makes it useful for maintaining an unoccupied room at a safe minimum temperature without running the system at full heating capacity. i-Save stores separate presets for cooling and heating.
What the Filter Light Means and How to Reset It (Mitsubishi Electric)
Mitsubishi Electric units have a filter indicator light on the indoor unit. A flashing filter lamp is a cleaning reminder. It is not a fault. The unit is telling you the air filter is due for cleaning.
To clear the light: remove the filter, vacuum off loose dust, rinse under warm water. Use water no hotter than 50°C. Do not use a scrubbing brush or leave the filter to dry in direct sunlight. Let it dry completely before refitting. Never refit a damp filter.
Once the filter is back in place, press the filter reset button on your remote or on the indoor unit to turn the lamp off. The light will not clear on its own after cleaning. The reset button must be pressed.
If you have a Mitsubishi Heavy Industries unit, see the filter cleaning note in the MHI section below.
After You Change the Batteries, Do This First (Mitsubishi Electric)
If you change the batteries in your Mitsubishi Electric remote and find it does not work correctly afterward, the remote needs to be reset. This is a documented requirement, not a fault.
After inserting fresh batteries, use a thin instrument to press the recessed RESET button inside the remote casing. On most ME remotes this button sits behind the sliding lower lid or in a small recess on the side of the unit. Pressing RESET clears the remote's memory. Without it, the remote may not operate correctly even with new batteries.
Pressing RESET clears all stored settings including any programmed timers. You will need to re-enter any scheduled programmes after a battery change.
If you have a Mitsubishi Heavy Industries unit, the equivalent step is the ACL switch — covered in the MHI section below.
What Flashing Lights on Your Mitsubishi Electric Unit Mean
The following flashing light states apply to Mitsubishi Electric units. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries units use a different indicator system — see the MHI section below.
Most flashing light states on a Mitsubishi Electric unit are normal operational behaviour, not faults.
Upper operation lamp blinking, lower lamp lit — Demand Response Mode is active. This is triggered by your electricity retailer, not by the unit itself.
All LED lamps blinking — the horizontal louver vanes have not been installed correctly. Check that the vanes are clicked into their mounting points.
Operation lamp blinking rapidly — a system fault has occurred. Turn off the breaker, wait three minutes, and turn it back on. If the blinking continues after restart, contact a service provider.
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries units share the same core heating and cooling modes as Mitsubishi Electric — HEAT, COOL, DRY, AUTO, FAN — with the same basic symbols. The differences are in the features, the remote layout, and the app.
HI POWER and ECO share a single toggle button on MHI remotes, cycling between a flexing bicep icon (HI POWER) and an ECO icon. On ME remotes these are separate.
NIGHT SETBACK is an MHI-specific function represented by a house outline with "10°C." It maintains the room at 10°C when the house is unoccupied. This is useful for preventing pipes from freezing over winter without leaving the system running at full heating.
Allergen Clear is an MHI-exclusive 90-minute standalone cycle that uses enzyme technology on the allergen clear filter to deactivate allergens on the filter before drying the internal components. It is not a continuous air purification mode. It halts normal heating and cooling while it runs.
3D Auto moves both the vertical and horizontal vanes at the same time in a set pattern so air reaches more of the room. On ME remotes, vertical and horizontal swing are controlled separately.
Cleaning the filter on an MHI unit
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries units do not have a filter indicator light. The MHI manuals instruct owners to clean the air filters on a calendar schedule. The operation manual recommends cleaning at least every two weeks during the operational season. In practice, cleaning frequency depends on how much the unit is used and how dusty the environment is. There is no indicator light to wait for and no reset button to press after cleaning. Remove the filter, wash it, let it dry completely, and refit it.
The ACL reset switch
MHI remotes have a recessed ACL switch that functions the same way as the ME recessed RESET button. After changing batteries, press the ACL switch with a ballpoint pen to restore correct remote operation.
Flashing lights on MHI units
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries units use a different indicator system from Mitsubishi Electric. The RUN light and TIMER light are the primary status indicators on MHI indoor units.
RUN light blinking slowly — the unit is pre-heating the coil to prevent cold drafts, or the outdoor unit is running an automatic defrost cycle. Wait five to fifteen minutes for normal operation to resume.
RUN and TIMER lights blinking alternately — Demand Response mode is active. This is triggered by your electricity retailer.
RUN and TIMER lights blinking quickly together — a fault has occurred. Turn off the power for three minutes, restart, and if the blinking continues, contact a service provider.
MHI units use the Smart M-Air app, not the Mitsubishi Electric Wi-Fi Control app or MELCloud. If you attempt to connect an MHI unit using the ME app, it will not work. The two systems run on separate servers and cannot be linked.
For the full cross-brand symbol comparison covering all 13 brands sold in NZ, see the heat pump remote symbols guide.
MELCloud is the Mitsubishi Electric app for remote monitoring and control of your heat pump. It is available on iOS and Android and allows you to adjust temperature, change modes, and set schedules from your phone. It is a Mitsubishi Electric product and does not work with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries units.
When setting up the wifi connection for the first time, the unit requires a 2.4GHz network. Most home routers broadcast both 2.4GHz and 5GHz. Connect the heat pump to the 2.4GHz band specifically. If your phone is connected to the 5GHz band during setup, the connection will fail.
The wifi symbol on the ME remote or indoor unit indicates the connection status of the module. If it is flashing, the unit is attempting to connect. If it remains unlit, the wifi module is either disabled or not fitted on your model.
Not all Mitsubishi Electric models include a wifi module as standard. On some models it is an optional add-on.
Your remote gives you control over temperature, mode, airflow, and timing. What it cannot do is tell you what is happening inside the unit.
Mitsubishi Electric's own documentation states that dirty filters cause condensation inside the heat pump, which contributes to the growth of mould. The filter lamp tells you when the surface filter needs cleaning. It does not tell you about the heat exchanger, the coil, or the internal components that accumulate dust and biological matter over years of operation.
If your Mitsubishi heat pump has run for years without a professional service, it may still appear to work normally. What changes is efficiency. Your heat pump working against restricted airflow and contaminated coils uses more electricity to deliver the same result. That extra electricity cost adds up over time.
Mitsubishi Electric's documentation states that after the air conditioner is used for several seasons, professional servicing should be performed in addition to normal cleaning. For more on what a professional Mitsubishi heat pump service covers, see Mitsubishi heat pump maintenance NZ.
Take the Home Energy Health Assessment
By the way, if you want to see where your heat pump actually stands, the Home Energy Health Assessment takes three minutes. assessment.miht.co.nz
The i-Save button lets you store a preferred temperature, fan speed, and airflow direction as a preset. Pressing it once recalls that preset instantly. Pressing it again returns the unit to the previous settings. In HEAT mode, i-Save allows the minimum temperature to be set as low as 10°C, below the standard 16°C floor. This makes it useful for keeping an unoccupied room at a safe temperature without running the system at full heating. i-Save stores separate presets for cooling and heating.
If you set the vane to positions 4 or 5 (pointing steeply downward) during cooling or dry mode, the unit will automatically move it back to position 1 (horizontal) after 30 minutes to an hour. This is a built-in condensation prevention feature. When cool air is directed steeply downward for an extended period, moisture can drip from the vane onto furniture or flooring. The unit moves the vane to prevent this. It is not a fault.
The LONG button appears on MSZ-AP60, AP71, and AP80 models. It increases the fan speed and angles the horizontal vane to push air over a greater distance, which is useful for long or narrow rooms where airflow does not reach the far end under normal settings. It is not available on all Mitsubishi Electric models.
No. The crescent moon button on MSZ-AP remotes activates NIGHT MODE, which dims indicator lights and reduces outdoor unit noise. It does not gradually adjust the temperature while you sleep. If you want the temperature to change automatically overnight, use the OFF timer or the weekly timer function to schedule the unit to turn off or change settings at a specific time.
The i-See sensor is a motorised thermal scanner built into the indoor unit that maps the room and detects where occupants are. In i-See control mode, the unit measures the temperature where people are sitting rather than just the air near the ceiling. You can set it to DIRECT mode, which directs airflow toward occupants, or INDIRECT mode, which actively avoids blowing air onto people. The i-See sensor is available on MSZ-FH and MSZ-LN series models only. It is not a standard feature across all Mitsubishi Electric heat pumps.
There is no single button combination. The method varies by model. Check the combination button section of your specific remote manual for the correct method. Do not use a combination found online for a different brand. The toggle method differs between manufacturers and between Mitsubishi Electric and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries models.
Mitsubishi Electric uses the MELCloud app, available on iOS and Android. MELCloud connects to the ME wifi module and allows remote control and scheduling from your phone. If you have a Mitsubishi Heavy Industries unit (Bronte, Avanti Plus, or Ciara), the correct app is Smart M-Air, not MELCloud. The two systems are not compatible.
This is normal behaviour during heating startup. The indoor unit delays blowing air for two to five minutes while the heat exchanger reaches operating temperature. If air were blown immediately, it would feel cold rather than warm. Once the exchanger is ready, the unit begins delivering heated air. If the unit runs for longer than five minutes without delivering warm air, check that the mode is set to HEAT rather than AUTO or FAN.
Allergen Clear is a 90-minute standalone maintenance cycle available on Mitsubishi Heavy Industries units. It uses enzyme technology on the allergen clear filter to deactivate allergens including pollen and dust mites, then dries the internal components. It is not a continuous air purification mode that runs alongside heating or cooling. It halts normal heating and cooling while it runs. It is activated via the dedicated ALLERGEN CLEAR button on MHI remotes. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries manuals recommend running Allergen Clear when no one is in the room, as the room temperature can change significantly while normal climate control is suspended.
ACL stands for All Clear and is the reset switch for Mitsubishi Heavy Industries remotes. After changing batteries, press the recessed ACL switch with a ballpoint pen to restore correct remote operation. Without pressing ACL after a battery change, the remote may not function correctly. This is equivalent to the recessed RESET button on Mitsubishi Electric remotes.
MELCloud is the Mitsubishi Electric app for remote control and monitoring of your heat pump. It is available on iOS and Android. To connect, you need a Mitsubishi Electric unit with a wifi module fitted, a 2.4GHz home network, and the MELCloud app downloaded on your phone. During setup, make sure your phone is connected to the 2.4GHz band on your router rather than the 5GHz band. MELCloud is a Mitsubishi Electric product and does not work with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries units.
Some Mitsubishi Electric models have an internal self-clean function that runs a drying cycle on the indoor coil after operation to reduce moisture buildup and limit mould growth. It is a useful feature but it is not a substitute for professional servicing. Self-clean operates on the surfaces the unit can reach through its normal airflow cycle. It does not clean the heat exchanger fins, the coil surfaces accessible only by opening the unit, the drain tray, or the internal fan barrel. These components accumulate biological matter over time regardless of whether self-clean is active. If your unit has a self-clean function, it will appear as a button or menu option on your remote — check your specific model manual for the activation method.
MSZ is the indoor unit designation for Mitsubishi Electric wall-mounted hi-wall heat pumps. The letters after MSZ indicate the series. Common NZ series include MSZ-GE (standard residential), MSZ-AP (mid-range with NIGHT MODE and weekly timer), MSZ-EF (designer panel, available in multiple colours), MSZ-FH (premium with i-See sensor and Natural Flow), and MSZ-LN (premium with i-See sensor). The number following the series letters indicates the capacity in hundreds of watts — MSZ-AP25 is a 2.5kW unit. Knowing your model series helps identify which features and which manual apply to your remote.
Control settings on Mitsubishi Electric remotes allow you to customise how the unit operates and restrict what can be changed. The remote lock function prevents the temperature or mode from being adjusted without unlocking the remote first. This is useful in rental properties or shared spaces where you want to maintain a set temperature. The lock is typically activated by pressing and holding a combination of buttons — the exact combination varies by model and is documented in the combination button section of your remote manual. When the remote is locked, button presses produce no response from the unit until the lock is released using the same combination.
HyperCore is a Mitsubishi Electric cold-climate heating technology available on the MSZ-FB series. It is designed to maintain heating performance at outdoor temperatures where standard heat pump models would reduce output significantly. HyperCore is a Mitsubishi Electric product and is not available on Mitsubishi Heavy Industries units. If you are looking at a heat pump for a cold-climate NZ location, confirm with your supplier whether the specific model you are considering carries this technology.
For symbol explanations covering all 13 heat pump brands sold in NZ, see the heat pump remote symbols NZ guide.