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SharePoint Online: Change Idle Session Timeout Settings

Salaudeen Rajack 0 Comments ,

Task: Set idle session timeout value for SharePoint Online.

How to Set SharePoint Online Idle Session Timeout?

Idle session timeout in SharePoint Online is a security mechanism that warns and sign-outs the user after a period of inactivity. By default, idle session timeout settings are disabled in SharePoint Online. To enable idly session timeout in SharePoint Online,

  • Login to SharePoint Online Admin Center
  • Click on “Policies” >> Access Control >> Idle session Sign-out
  • Turn-On the Idle session timeout and set other configuration parameters accordingly.
    idle session sign out in sharepoint online

The idle timeout settings are applicable only to web browsers – doesn’t affect any clients such as OneDrive Sync client – they stay logged in as usual.

SharePoint Online: Configure Idle Session Timeout using PowerShell

To set default session timeout values, use the PowerShell cmdlet: Set-SPOBrowserIdleSignOut, Open SharePoint Online Management Shell and run this PowerShell script to change SharePoint online session timeout:

#Set Config parameters
$AdminSiteURL = "https://crescent-admin.sharepoint.com/"

#Connect to SharePoint Online Tenant Admin
Connect-SPOService -URL $AdminSiteURL -Credential (Get-Credential)

#Get Current Idle session Timeout values
Get-SPOBrowserIdleSignOut

#Change Session Timeout Value
Set-SPOBrowserIdleSignOut -Enabled $true -WarnAfter (New-TimeSpan -Minutes 30) -SignOutAfter (New-TimeSpan -Minutes 60)

#Verify the settings
Get-SPOBrowserIdleSignOut
Tips: You can use “Get-SPOBrowserIdleSignOut” to get the current idle session timeout value!

sharepoint online session timeout setting
So, after the execution of the above script, SharePoint Online gives a warning after 30 Minutes.If the users press the continue button, they can continue working until the next time they leave the browser window idle for the warning period configured.

change sharepoint online session timeout

and if there is no activity from the end-user, then SharePoint Online automatically redirects to sign out page.

sharepoint online idle session timeout
Please note: Changes to the idle session settings takes effect ONLY on new sessions. Existing browser sessions don’t get affected (until user close and re-open a new browser session!). Also, if the user selected “Keep me Signed in” – these timeout settings don’t affect that user!.

How to Disable Idle Session Timeout in SharePoint Online?

To Disable Idle session timeout, use:

Set-SPOBrowserIdleSignOut -Enabled $False

Salaudeen Rajack

Information Technology Professional with Two decades of SharePoint Experience.

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