Time Doctor idle time settings, explained
Time Doctor keeps stopping your timer while you read or sit on a call. This is what its Timeout After setting does, who can change it, and the setting Time Doctor provides for calls.
Every fact below is from Time Doctor's own documentation, last checked 2026-10-20.
Time Doctor's idle setting is called Timeout After. By default, after 15 minutes with no keyboard or mouse input, the desktop app shows a 60-second warning and then stops tracking. Owners and Admins can set it anywhere from 3 minutes to 6 hours, per user, under Settings / Users.
Timeout After: the setting itself
Timeout After is how long the desktop app waits without keyboard or mouse input before it stops tracking. The default is 15 minutes, and it can be set from 3 minutes to 6 hours. Owners and Admins set it, for one user or several, in the Timeout After column under Settings / Users.
In Time Doctor's own words
“Timeout After defines the period of no keyboard or mouse activity after which the desktop app stops tracking time automatically.”
Time Doctor: How to configure and use Timeout After settings“Default is 15 minutes; valid range is 3 minutes–6 hours.”
Time Doctor: How to configure and use Timeout After settings“Owners and Admins can configure Timeout After for one or multiple Users.”
Time Doctor: How to configure and use Timeout After settings
What happens when it times out
A 60-second countdown appears first. Then tracking stops. Depending on company settings, you may be offered the idle period back as manual time. Answering "Yes, I was working" adds the period as manual time, shown in yellow in reports. With "Can edit time" off, no prompt appears.
In Time Doctor's own words
“A 60‑second warning countdown shows before timing out on interactive apps.”
Time Doctor: How to configure and use Timeout After settings“A warning appears, then tracking stops. Depending on company settings, a prompt may allow adding manual time for the idle period.”
Time Doctor: How to configure and use Timeout After settings“Clicking YES, I WAS WORKING adds the inactive period as manual time (yellow in reports).”
Time Doctor: How do "Edit Time" and "Time Out After" settings interact?
Time Doctor's setting for calls
A company setting called "Don't Time Out on Calls" keeps tracking going while your microphone is in use. It covers up to two hours per call.
If calls are what time you out, this is the setting to ask your admin about. It lives in Settings / Company Settings / Configuration.
In Time Doctor's own words
“Time Doctor detects when your microphone is active to determine when a call is in progress.”
Time Doctor: How to prevent desktop apps from timing out on calls“The maximum duration is two hours per call session.”
Time Doctor: How to prevent desktop apps from timing out on calls
Idle minutes are counted separately
A minute with any keystroke, click or mouse movement is not idle. Time Doctor says idle-minute percentages anywhere from 5% to 70% are normal, depending on the role. Idle time is not taken off worked hours in reports or payroll.
In Time Doctor's own words
“If there was at least one keystroke, mouse click, or mouse movement during this period of time, the minute won't be considered idle.”
Time Doctor: How to understand idle times in the Activity Summary report“Depending on the user’s role, it’s normal for idle minute percentages to range from 5% to 70%”
Time Doctor: How to understand idle times in the Activity Summary report“Idle time is not deducted from worked hours in any report or payroll integration.”
Time Doctor: Interaction between productive, idle and manual time
What Time Doctor says about simulated activity
Time Doctor publishes an Unusual Activity report and documents what it checks.
The report looks for unusually consistent mouse or keyboard patterns that may mean automated activity. Among other things, it flags long stretches of mouse movement with no clicks. Time Doctor also says the report cannot by itself prove cheating.
In Time Doctor's own words
“The system identifies patterns of unusually consistent mouse movements or keyboard strokes, which may indicate automated activity.”
Time Doctor: The Unusual Activity report, a quick guide“Mouse moves without clicks - The report flags prolonged periods of mouse movement without any associated clicking.”
Time Doctor: The Unusual Activity report, a quick guide“The provided report cannot be used as proof of user cheating, as it may not contain all cases of suspicious activity.”
Time Doctor: The Unusual Activity report, a quick guide
Using Stayaway with Time Doctor
While it runs, Stayaway's mouse, keyboard and scroll input resets the clock Timeout After counts, so Time Doctor keeps tracking while you step away for a few minutes.
Stayaway keeps your computer active while you step away; it doesn't alter screenshots, app logs or anything else a tracker records.
If calls are what time you out, ask your admin to turn on "Don't Time Out on Calls".
For Time Doctor's idle number and the Stayaway setting that matches it, see Time Doctor idle timeout, explained.
Questions
What is Time Doctor's default idle time?
- Timeout After defaults to 15 minutes without keyboard or mouse input. After a 60-second warning, the desktop app stops tracking.
Can I change Time Doctor's idle time myself?
- Not usually. Time Doctor says Owners and Admins set Timeout After, per user, from 3 minutes to 6 hours, in Settings / Users.
Why does Time Doctor stop during calls?
- Because a call has no keyboard or mouse input. Time Doctor has a company setting, "Don't Time Out on Calls", that uses your microphone to keep tracking for up to two hours per call.
Can Time Doctor tell a mouse jiggler is running?
- Time Doctor says its Unusual Activity report looks for unusually consistent mouse and keyboard patterns that may indicate automation, and flags long stretches of mouse movement with no clicks. It also says the report cannot by itself prove cheating.
Sources
All read on 2026-10-20. Where a page shows its own date, it is given.
- Time Doctor: How to configure and use Timeout After settings (page dated 2026-04-02)
- Time Doctor: How do "Edit Time" and "Time Out After" settings interact? (page dated 2026-04-03)
- Time Doctor: How to prevent desktop apps from timing out on calls (page dated 2026-05-21)
- Time Doctor: How to understand idle times in the Activity Summary report (page dated 2026-05-03)
- Time Doctor: Interaction between productive, idle and manual time (page dated 2025-09-23)
- Time Doctor: The Unusual Activity report, a quick guide (page dated 2026-04-01)
Step away without watching the clock.
Tell Stayaway you use Time Doctor and it sets Auto Detect to match. Free to start, with no card.