Set Collabora’s Idle Timer for Active Document Views

To change how long an open Collabora view can sit inactive before it dims and stops receiving updates, adjust per_view.idle_timeout_secs. The current upstream coolwsd.xml template sets this view-level timer to 900 seconds (15 minutes); for example, set it to 1800 for 30 minutes. This is not a sign-out timer or the timeout that unloads an idle document.

Know which timer you are changing

A view is one user’s open browser view of a document. In coolwsd, the web daemon that serves Collabora Online, the per_view setting idle_timeout_secs is the number of seconds before an inactive user view is dimmed and updates stop, even while the browser tab remains focused. The upstream template currently gives it a 900-second default. Your package or managed service may override that value, so check the configuration actually used by your deployment.

Use the first setting when users want the focused editing view to remain live longer while they read or pause. Use the second only if background tabs dim too soon. The third is server-side cleanup after a document has no active views; changing it does not change the inactivity behavior of a view that remains open. Autosave and idlesave settings control when modified content is saved, not how long a view remains active.

Choose a timeout and prepare the configuration

Pick a duration that fits your workflow, then convert it to seconds: 20 minutes is 1200, 30 minutes is 1800, and 45 minutes is 2700. The example below uses 30 minutes; it is only an example, not a universal recommendation. Longer values keep idle views live longer and may retain document processes and update activity longer as well.

Before editing, identify how Collabora is installed. Docker CODE, a Linux package, a Helm deployment, and a hosting provider can each expose configuration differently. Back up the active configuration or save a copy of your Compose file. If an integration manages the server for you, use its supported configuration mechanism rather than editing a container’s temporary filesystem.

Set the per-view idle timeout

Docker CODE with Compose

Add the option to the existing extra_params value for the Collabora service:

services:
  collabora:
    environment:
      extra_params: "--o:per_view.idle_timeout_secs=1800"

If extra_params already contains options, append this one to the same value instead of defining the key twice. Keep your existing SSL, proxy, and host settings. The Docker image passes --o: options to coolwsd; the official CODE Docker documentation describes this configuration method.

Linux package or mounted XML configuration

Edit the active coolwsd.xml file and change the value inside its existing <per_view> section. Preserve the surrounding configuration and any attributes in your file:

<per_view>
  <out_of_focus_timeout_secs>300</out_of_focus_timeout_secs>
  <idle_timeout_secs>1800</idle_timeout_secs>
</per_view>

Do not paste a second <per_view> block or edit the source template coolwsd.xml.in as if it were the running configuration. The correct file path and configuration owner can differ by package and deployment.

Apply the setting by restarting or recreating the Collabora service. For a typical Compose service named collabora, run:

docker compose up -d --force-recreate collabora

Replace the service name with the one in your Compose file. For a package installation managed by systemd, restart the service after editing its active configuration, for example sudo systemctl restart coolwsd. Reopen the document in a fresh browser tab so the test uses a newly created view.

Verify behavior and troubleshoot the result

1. Open a low-risk test document in a focused browser tab and note the time. Avoid using an unsaved production edit as a timeout test.
2. Leave the view untouched for the configured interval. At 1800 seconds, check whether the view dims and stops receiving updates as described by the per-view setting. Do not interpret that visual state as proof that the user has been logged out or that the document has been unloaded.
3. Return to the document and confirm the behavior is acceptable for your deployment. Then test the separate background-tab case by switching away longer than out_of_focus_timeout_secs, if that workflow matters.

After restart, some builds log a list of non-default configuration values. If your startup log shows it, look for per_view.idle_timeout_secs: 1800. If the behavior still matches the old value, verify that you edited the file or Compose service used by the running process, that you applied the change, and that an environment or command-line option is not overriding the XML.

If a document disappears only after a longer period with no open views, review per_document.idle_timeout_secs instead. If users are being signed out, check the host platform’s authentication or session policy. These are different layers and are not controlled by per_view.idle_timeout_secs. Do not shorten the document-unload setting just to make a view dim sooner.

For the current setting names and upstream defaults, consult the Collabora Online configuration template. For Docker’s extra_params method, see the CODE Docker image documentation. Verify the exact behavior against the version and packaging you run, because defaults and configuration delivery can vary.