Z-Wave SDK Version 8.1.0 - Release Notes (MM DD, YYYY)#

Simplicity SDK Version 2026.6.0

Z-Wave and Z-Wave Long Range SDK are designed to meet the demands of the future smart home and beyond, where increasing needs for more sensors and battery-operated devices require both long range and low power. Context-aware environments are the next evolution in the smart home market, and they require technologies that have been optimized specifically for these applications.

Click here for earlier releases.

Release Summary#

Key Features | API Changes | Bug Fixes | Chip Enablement

Key Features#

None.

API Changes#

(Breaking change) The SL_SLEEPTIMER_PERIPHERAL sleep timer peripheral configuration is now set to default (SYSRTC) instead of BURTC. The generation of the application project will fail if the BURTC peripheral is selected.

Bug Fixes#

Below are important bugs fixed in this release. For a complete list, refer to this section.

The Multilevel Sensor Command Class can now correctly report its multi channel capabilities.
NLS Support won't be enabled by default anymore. Added optional component (zw_s2_nls_support) to enable Network Level Security (NLS) support advertisement in the KEX Report during S2 inclusion. This allows alpha testing of NLS while avoiding certification issues when the feature is not certified.
Margin of the dynamic Tx power algorithm was too aggressive. Set a new margin to 6dBm to reduce the probability of failure on first attempt.
ZW_DCDC_CONFIG (Project Configurator / zw_hardware_config.h) is now applied at startup; it was previously ignored and the device always used AUTO. See the migration guide for the three modes. If sleep current stays high after transmit on a very low battery (about 2.1â2.5 V), try BYPASS.
NLS enabled node would accept protocol encrypted commands with a lower security level. This issue is now fixed and NLS enabled node will accept only highest security level for encrypted protocol commands.
Use of SerialAPI command Set RF Receive Mode with a FL configured SerialAPI end device would result with unresponsive device. This issue is now fixed and the node will restart on Set RF Receive Mode ON to ensure correct configuration of the radio.

Chip Enablement#

None.

Key Features#

New Features | Enhancements | Removed Features | Deprecated Features

New Features#

Create an API to customize the DTPA noise margin from the application. Note that the noise margin is not stored in NVM. So the application should set the customized value after each init phase. Added component zw_host_hibernation to support hibernating host controller. Added component zw_cc_wakeoncriticalmessage to support alpha command class Wake On Critical Message.

Enhancements#

The BURTC peripheral is now configured and initialized in the Z-Wave application code. The module zw_shutdown_manager is responsible for managing EM4 entry and wake-up for never listening devices. This change aligns the Z-Wave SDK with the new default sleep timer platform code configuration.
Increased SPAN decryption capacity on end devices to 5 values per CC:009F.01.00.12.003, reducing network congestion by recovering from lost messages without S2 re-synchronization.
Improved S2 SPAN synchronization handling to mitigate conflicts when the sender and the receiver transmit simultaneously.
Multilevel Sensor Command Class: Endpoint-aware sensor and scale querying functions are now available.
CLI components now only use the iostream component. The app_log component is no longer used by the CLI. This allows logs to be accessed via an interface different from the CLI (e.g., logging through RTT and CLI through UART). Note that a migration script will restore app_log in old projects for backward compatibility.

Removed Features#

None.

Deprecated Features#

None.

API Changes#

New APIs | Modified APIs | Removed APIs | Deprecated APIs

New APIs#

New API Signature

Deprecated API replaced by this (if any) </thead> <tbody>

cc_multilevel_sensor_get_supported_scale_by_endpoint

None

cc_multilevel_sensor_get_supported_sensors_by_endpoint

None

ZW_dtpa_set_noise_margin

None

ZW_dtpa_get_noise_margin

None </tbody>

For more details, refer to the Migration Guide.

Modified APIs#

Old API

Modified API </thead> <tbody>

SL_SLEEPTIMER_PERIPHERAL default was BURTC

SL_SLEEPTIMER_PERIPHERAL default is now SYSRTC (SL_SLEEPTIMER_PERIPHERAL_DEFAULT). Project configuration (slcp) must use the new default; build validation fails if left as BURTC.

</tbody>

Removed APIs#

| Removed API | Was Deprecated? | |------------------------------------—|--------------—|

Deprecated APIs#

| Deprecated API | Planned Removal Date (if any) | Replacement API Name (if any) | |-------------—|----------------------------—|----------------------------—|

Bug Fixes#

Issue Description

GitHub / Salesforce Reference (if any)

Affected Software Variants, Hardware, Modes, Host Interfaces </thead> <tbody>

1556587

Regardless of the endpoint specified in the query, every sensor type supported by the device was reported for every multi channel endpoint and only the supported scales of the first endpoint were reported for any single sensor type.

None

Multilevel Sensor Command Class

1596754

NLS Support was advertised in KEX Report for all end node firmwares since version 7.23.0 even when the feature was not certified, which could cause certification issues. Added optional component (zw_s2_nls_support) to allow users to choose whether to enable NLS support for alpha testing.

None

S2V2, end nodes

1568087

The ZW_DCDC_CONFIG setting had no effect: startup always forced AUTO. The chosen mode (AUTO, BYPASS, or DCDC low-noise) is now applied from zw_hardware_config.h / Project Configurator.

None

Devices using on-chip DC/DC

1506054

With the default AUTO mode, some products on a weak supply (about 2.1â2.5 V) saw higher sleep current after transmitting. You can now change ZW_DCDC_CONFIG (for example BYPASS) instead of being stuck on AUTO.

None

Battery / low-voltage supplies, DC/DC-capable parts

1570179

Use of SerialAPI command Set RF Receive Mode with a FL configured SerialAPI end device would result with unresponsive device. This issue is now fixed and the node will restart on Set RF Receive Mode ON to ensure correct configuration of the radio.

None

SerialAPI End Device in FLiRS mode

1619678

NLS enabled node would accept protocol encrypted commands with a lower security level. This issue is now fixed and NLS enabled node will accept only highest security level for encrypted protocol commands.

None

S2V2, end nodes with NLS support enabled (alpha feature) </tbody>

Chip Enablement#

None.

Application Example Changes#

New Examples | Modified Examples | Removed Examples | Deprecated Examples

New Examples#

None.

Modified Examples#

Example Name

Changes

Supported Software Variants if applicable

Supported Modes

Supported OPNs / Boards / OPN Combinations

Supported Host Interfaces </thead> <tbody>

</tbody>

Removed Examples#

None.

Deprecated Examples#

None.

Known Issues and Limitations#

Issue or Limitation Description

GitHub / Salesforce Reference (if any)

Workaround (if any)

Affected Software Variants, Hardware, Modes, Host Interfaces </thead> <tbody>

</tbody>

Impact of Release Changes#

Impact Statements | Migration Guide

Impact Statements#

None.

Migration Guide#

Click here for the migration guide for deprecated, removed, and modified items.

Documentation Changes#

The Important Changes document was removed. All information relevant to the current release is provided in these Release Notes and the Migration Guide.

Using This Release#

Installation and Use | Help and Feedback

Installation and Use#

To upgrade your existing software with this release, see instructions in the Migration Guide.

To run your first demo, see our Z-Wave Getting Started for End Devices.

To learn more about the software in this release, dive into our Z-Wave online documentation.

For information about Secure Vault Integration, see Secure Vault.

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Help and Feedback#

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SDK Release and Maintenance Policy#

See our SDK Release and Maintenance Policy.