When do chats time out?

<h2 id="h_01H9SX0FEKPV8YXTV6Q3DSHXFT">Question</h2><p>What is the expected behavior for chat sessions to time out? When do idle conversations time out? Why can't I end a chat in messaging?</p><h2 id="h_01H9SX0FEKV7BTYCMQ0S6S0ANF">Answer</h2><p>Live chat and messaging are different experiences in Zendesk. Live chat uses a real-time chat session that can end or time out, for example when a visitor leaves the website. Messaging is asynchronous and does not use a customer-facing session that the end user can end.</p><p>A conversation ends differently based on whether your account uses <a href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408834108186-Messaging-vs-live-chat-Which-is-right-for-you-#topic_yrf_42t_lrb" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">live chat or messaging</a>. Click the tiles below to learn how to end chat or messaging conversations in different setups.</p><div style="margin-bottom: 20px; text-align: right;">
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</script><div class="accordion"><p>End a live chat session as an end user</p></div><div class="panel">
<p>In live chat, the visitor controls the chat session. The session remains active until the visitor ends it in one of these ways:</p>
<ul>
<li data-list-item-id="e7b8fef029bb98c2618ad176e725b998c">The visitor closes their browser window and the <a href="#h_01GGAWVXZ27APPMQ51FXS93DHH" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">conversation times out</a>
</li>
<li data-list-item-id="ec1d260f739bc2f4430011696b37320cf">The visitor minimizes their chat with an agent and the <a href="#h_01GGAWVXZ27APPMQ51FXS93DHH" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">conversation times out</a>
</li>
<li data-list-item-id="e581aa94c0873307e8267272e3a264a74">The visitor remains idle on the website and the <a href="#h_01GGAWVXZ27APPMQ51FXS93DHH" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">conversation times out</a>
</li>
<li data-list-item-id="ee9a0ddc9ee58ba44bcb6c0c4c98916f2">
<p>The visitor ends the chat by clicking the options menu icon and selecting <strong>End chat</strong></p>
<p><img src="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/article_attachments/11005649542554" alt="Screen_Recording_2022-10-26_at_2.23.41_PM__1_.gif" width="271" height="173"></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p>In Chat Mobile SDKs, the chat conversation ends after any of these conditions:</p>
<ul>
<li data-list-item-id="e0dbb82fb7e90ce878345087776fe20c3">No activity on the chat for one hour</li>
<li data-list-item-id="e3e8351249f5d0065f8856fbd35069e86">The visitor is disconnected for one hour</li>
<li data-list-item-id="ed44b5654748bdbfc4e4f49df2acf2d54">The agent ends the chat, which resets the session disconnect timeout to five minutes</li>
<li data-list-item-id="e053fc2c330beb7f6f6c1896482dc966a">The visitor ends the chat, which immediately terminates the session</li>
<li data-list-item-id="e64f99c2608fc8b193f40a451980fe45c">If push notifications are disabled, the session times out 30 minutes after the user backgrounds the app</li>
</ul>
<p>For idle status details, see these notes:</p>
<ul>
<li data-list-item-id="e04a8a7d1214039f384854f4de31578be">If the visitor closes the browser with no windows open that contain the chat widget, the session times out within 20 seconds to two minutes</li>
<li data-list-item-id="ef9cd5eb2d1e2c41865724f2be315955e">If a visitor using a mobile browser minimizes, switches tabs, or closes the browser containing the chat, the session times out within 20 seconds to two minutes</li>
<li data-list-item-id="ecb6e56a4f3ad03eaf2f1d10e0d2bd04a">If the visitor idles on a website with the widget, the session stays open for 20 minutes before it ends automatically. An idle status means no mouse or keyboard input on the website for 10 minutes. The user does not need to interact with the widget, but must be actively working on the page where the widget loads. A variance of up to five minutes can occur depending on their connection to Chat.</li>
</ul>
</div><div class="accordion"><p>Leave a live chat session as an agent</p></div><div class="panel">
<p>An agent can leave a live chat, but not end the session. The widget remains open for the end user until the end user ends the session. However, an agent can leave the chat without the session ending.</p>
<p>To leave a live chat session:</p>
<ol>
<li data-list-item-id="e91a14baae5f04e3cec2a4598805618bf">
<p>Click the <strong>X</strong> button in the chat window</p>
<p><img src="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/article_attachments/11005649542682" alt="end_a_chat_x_button.jpg"></p>
</li>
<li data-list-item-id="eecd8c023870e1244c30f3ceca83f8134">
<p>Click <strong>End chat</strong> in the confirmation dialog</p>
<p><img src="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/article_attachments/11005634190618" alt="end_chat_in_live_chat.png" width="536" height="141"></p>
</li>
</ol>
<p>If an agent leaves a chat session, the end user can reopen the chat. In this situation, the agent will experience the following:</p>
<ul>
<li data-list-item-id="ef80ae6cb6a1c005cff2f031487c77502">The chat returns to the agent's queue after an end user sends another chat message</li>
<li data-list-item-id="ed873cf48289cc2a8ca114bd52ee4bd8d">The previous chat history is present for the agent because it is still the same chat conversation</li>
<li data-list-item-id="ebcafb368ec6f317562c8dcd38d799fa7">Any subsequent messages are added to the chat transcript</li>
<li data-list-item-id="ecbeeb38ccc6fa5334094b7f8076c38e5">After the live chat ends, all additional messages are added to the chat transcript history as a single entry</li>
</ul>
<div class="p"><div class="note tip">
<strong>Remember</strong>: If an agent never joined the chat, that is a missed chat, and the conversation is moved into a ticket. A missed chat ticket is not created until the visitor ends the session.</div></div>
<p id="h_01H9SX0FEM1GSM8PGT7R85ZS65">For more information, see <a href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408831194906-Why-can-my-customers-still-chat-after-all-agents-have-gone-offline-" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Why can my customers still chat after all agents have gone offline?</a></p>
</div><div class="accordion"><p>End a chat session in Agent Workspace</p></div><div class="panel">
<p>In Agent Workspace, end users can still end chats in all the ways listed above. The only <a href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408821259930-About-the-Zendesk-Agent-Workspace#topic_ivg_v5h_bhb" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">difference in Agent Workspace</a> is that the <a href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408824439194-Serving-chats-in-the-Zendesk-Agent-Workspace#topic_zbx_bxd_chb" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">agent can end a chat in Agent Workspace</a> with an end user with these steps:</p>
<ol>
<li data-list-item-id="ed0cb75bd7b8e0a5f9406a8308d7eff6a">In Agent Workspace, click <strong>End chat</strong>
</li>
<li data-list-item-id="ee03ebf6a7adc676c764e96bb5d2e217d">
<p>In the confirmation dialog, click <strong>End chat</strong></p>
<p><img src="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/article_attachments/11005649542810" alt="agent_ends_chat_agent_workspaces.gif" width="378" height="178"></p>
</li>
<li data-list-item-id="ed01d7abe9e98574b0ec5b01922d02dac">The chat shows the visitor that the agent left the chat session</li>
</ol>
</div><div class="accordion"><p>End a conversation in messaging</p></div><div class="panel">
<p>Unlike live chat, in <a href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408846454682-About-messaging" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">messaging</a> a session is not a customer-facing concept. The visitor cannot end a session. Instead, conversations move between <a href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/7043034053658#topic_d1b_hpz_1bc" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">active and inactive states</a>.</p>
<ul>
<li data-list-item-id="e78e511d3b9edb0dc707e4303c0710fed">A messaging conversation is <strong>Active</strong> when the end user has sent a message recently</li>
<li data-list-item-id="e11c2ac103157fe3a48d4a1f33dff5564">A messaging conversation becomes <strong>Inactive</strong> after a specified time with no activity by the end user, or when the ticket status (or status category) changes to <strong>On-hold</strong>, <strong>Pending</strong>, or <strong>Solved</strong>. By default, Zendesk defines a message as inactive after 10 minutes with no response from the end user. Admins can <a href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/7043034053658" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">modify the inactivity period</a>.</li>
</ul>
<p>The ticket's activity state, as well as the ticket status, affect routing, business rules, and agent capacity. For example, if you use <a href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4409149119514" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">omnichannel routing</a> and have not turned on <a href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4828787357210" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">messaging activity routing</a>, turn on <a href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/7043034053658" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">automatic release capacity</a> and set your inactivity period for messaging to help agents manage capacity more efficiently.</p>
<p>Messaging uses user presence to identify if end users are still on the website or have abandoned the conversation by closing the website. User presence helps prioritize active conversations over abandoned ones and increases agent utilization by releasing capacity when the end user abandons the conversation.</p>
<p>Messaging conversations can also end when an agent’s capacity is released. This closes the session automatically and prevents the end user from reopening it. The terminal ticket status can be set to <strong>On-hold</strong>, <strong>Pending</strong>, or left unchanged for flexible workflows.</p>
</div><div class="note">
<span class="notetitle">Note:</span> Omnichannel routing is enabled as the default routing experience for Zendesk Suite accounts created after December 5, 2024.</div><style>
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<summary>THIS SECTION IS AI CONTENT. DON'T EDIT OR DELETE.</summary>

<h2 id="h_01KXDN7A7A6BKZ6K5KT85X6MDB">What is live chat or messaging? How do live chat and messaging differ? What is the expected behavior for chat sessions to time out?</h2>
<p>Live chat uses a real-time support conversation session that ends or times out when a customer or website visitor leaves your brand website. Messaging is asynchronous and does not use a customer-facing session that the customer or end user can end; instead, conversations move between active and inactive states based on customer activity or ticket progress status.</p>

<h2 id="h_01KXDN7A7AE55BYDJENB5HB5NV">How do I end a live chat session as an end user? How can a customer or visitor close a real-time chat?</h2>
<p>You can end a active live chat session as an end user or customer in several ways: close your browser window containing the chat widget, minimize the chat with an agent, remain idle on the website, or click the options menu icon and select <strong>End chat</strong>.</p>

<h2 id="h_01KXDN7A7A9X4AQV504JHMNF9D">Can I end a chat in messaging? Why can't I close a messaging conversation?</h2>
<p>No. In messaging, a session is not a customer-facing concept. The customer or visitor cannot end a session because messaging conversations move automatically between active and inactive states.</p>

<h2 id="h_01KXDN7A7ASBPKDQXBS3G8673B">How do I leave a live chat session as an agent? How can a team member leave a real-time chat?</h2>
<p>You can leave a live chat session as an agent or support person by following these steps:
</p>
<ol>
<li>Click the <strong>X</strong> button in the chat window.</li>
<li>Click <strong>End chat</strong> in the confirmation dialog box.</li>
</ol>
The chat session remains open for the end user, and it returns to your queue if the customer sends another message.<p> </p>

<h2 id="h_01KXDN7A7AVN1C51Q0T9QDDHM6">How do I end a chat session in Agent Workspace? How can an agent or team member close a chat in the dashboard inbox?</h2>
<p>You can end a live chat session completely as an agent within the Agent Workspace dashboard by following these steps:
</p>
<ol>
<li>In the <strong>Agent Workspace</strong> inbox, click <strong>End chat</strong>.</li>
<li>In the confirmation dialog box, click <strong>End chat</strong>.</li>
</ol>
The conversation then shows the visitor or customer that the team member left the chat session.<p> </p>

<h2 id="h_01KXDN7A7BAQ4KTH63DZ4PC7PK">What are the session timeouts for Chat Mobile SDKs? When does a mobile app chat session expire?</h2>
<p>A mobile SDK support conversation terminates immediately if the customer ends the chat, or it times out five minutes after an agent ends the chat. The session also closes automatically after one hour of no activity or one hour of customer disconnection. If you disable push notifications, the session times out 30 minutes after the user backgrounds the app.</p>

<h2 id="h_01KXDN7A7B6J3HZ3PCW39NXW7J">What are the idle status timeout limits for web browser live chat? When do inactive web visitor chats close?</h2>
<p>If a visitor closes their browser window or minimizes/switches tabs on a mobile browser, the session times out within 20 seconds to two minutes. If a visitor idles on a website with the widget, the session stays open for 20 minutes. Idle status means your customer provides no mouse or keyboard input on the web page for 10 minutes, with an allowed connection variance of up to five minutes.</p>

<h2 id="h_01KXDN7A7BFWQ7M2MMBFBRYHGD">When does a messaging conversation become inactive? What is the default messaging inactivity period?</h2>
<p>By default, Zendesk defines a messaging conversation as inactive after 10 minutes with no response or activity from the end user. It also becomes inactive when the ticket progress status category changes to <strong>On-hold</strong>, <strong>Pending</strong>, or <strong>Solved</strong>. Admins can modify this inactivity period to help manage agent capacity.</p>

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