An HVAC controller includes a housing, a user interface and a controller that is operably coupled to the user interface and is configured to display a HOME screen on the user interface that provides the user with current system operating information and enabling the user to access a hierarchical menu structure for viewing and/or editing one or more settings of the HVAC controller. The hierarchical menu structure includes a plurality of menu branches each having two or more hierarchical menu levels with a leaf menu at the bottom of each branch, where for a first group of the leaf menus, the user must navigate “back” to return to the HOME screen while for a second group of the leaf menus, the user is returned to the HOME screen after the user indicates the user is done with the leaf menu, without having to wait for the timeout period.