Hubstaff idle timeout, explained
What Hubstaff's idle threshold is, where the number comes from, and what an activity simulator does and does not change.
Last checked 2026-09-17.
The idle prompt appears every 5 minutes by default — from Hubstaff's own documentation (checked 2026-09-17).
What an activity simulator changes, and what it doesn't
Stayaway keeps your computer registering as active with natural mouse, keyboard and scroll activity, so Hubstaff's idle clock does not trip while you step away to think, take a call or take a break.
It does not change what Hubstaff records when you are at the keyboard: screenshots, the apps and websites you use, or the activity level it reports. Stayaway makes no claim to keep any of that from Hubstaff, and its FAQ says so plainly.
The matching Stayaway setting
Pick Hubstaff when Stayaway asks which tracker you use, and it sets Auto Detect to 240 seconds and a Moderate activity level — a little before Hubstaff's idle point, so a run starts on its own as you step away and Smart Resume hands control back the moment you return.
Questions
What is Hubstaff's idle timeout?
- The idle prompt appears every 5 minutes by default. That is from Hubstaff's own documentation, checked 2026-09-17.
Does Stayaway stop Hubstaff from seeing my work?
- No. Stayaway keeps your computer registering as active, so the idle clock does not trip while you step away. It does not change screenshots, the apps and websites Hubstaff logs, or the activity it records, and it makes no claim to do so.
Which Stayaway setting matches Hubstaff?
- Pick Hubstaff when Stayaway asks which tracker you use, and it sets Auto Detect to 240 seconds and a Moderate activity level.
Source
Hubstaff (checked 2026-09-17): Hubstaff's own documentation
Hands-free when you step away.
Stayaway's Auto Detect starts a run on its own and Smart Resume stops it the moment you return. Free to start, with no card.