# Idle Detection

Idle Detection keeps your timelines honest by pausing tracking when Chronoid senses inactivity. When you return, Chronoid can prompt you to log that time as offline work — calls, meetings, or anything else that happened away from the keyboard.

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### How It Works

- Chronoid watches for keyboard and pointer input from your Mac.
- Once the idle timeout hits, the current entry pauses so breaks stay out of your reports.
- Activity starts again? Chronoid restarts tracking automatically.
- If the idle-return prompt is on, a small floating panel appears when you come back so you can account for the away time.

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### Enable Idle Detection

1. Open **Settings → Tracking**.
2. Enable **Idle detection**.
3. Set how long Chronoid should wait before pausing (try 10 minutes to start).

![Idle Detection Settings](/docs/tracking/idle-detection.jpg)

> Tip: Pick a timeout slightly longer than your usual quick breaks to avoid accidental pauses.

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### Log Offline Work When You Return

Stepping away doesn't always mean a break. You might be in a call, a meeting, reading on paper, or doing offline work. The **idle-return prompt** lets you capture that time instead of losing it.

When you come back, a small floating panel (it doesn't steal focus) shows the detected away-time window and lets you:

- give the time entry a **title** (e.g. "Standup with design team")
- add **notes**
- adjust the **start and end times** if the detected window is slightly off
- assign it to a **project or category**
- **save** it as a tracked entry, or **dismiss** it to leave the gap untracked

Enable it under **Settings → Tracking** with the **prompt to log idle time on return** option.

This is especially useful for:

- phone calls and video meetings that happen off-screen
- in-person meetings and whiteboard sessions
- reading, planning, or thinking away from the keyboard
- any focused work that doesn't involve your Mac

> The prompt is optional. Turn it off if you'd rather Chronoid simply pause and resume silently.

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### Example Break

- 9:00–9:45 AM: Focused work session.
- 9:45–9:55 AM: You step away; Chronoid pauses after your 10-minute idle threshold.
- 9:55–10:05 AM: You're in a quick call away from your Mac.
- 10:05 AM: You return. Chronoid resumes, and the idle prompt offers to log the 9:45–10:05 gap. You title it "Client call" and save it.

Your report shows 45 minutes of focused work plus the logged call — not just a silent gap.

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### Related Guides

- [Tracking Settings](/docs/settings/tracking-settings)
- [Manual Time Entry](/docs/trackings/manual-time-entry)
- [Meeting Detection](/docs/trackings/meeting-detection)

For help, email [support@chronoid.app](mailto:support@chronoid.app)

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Source: https://www.chronoid.app/docs/trackings/idle-detection