1. Review your current status
Open the status menu in Gmail or Google Chat and inspect Automatic, Do not disturb or Set as away. A custom message and Calendar context can appear alongside the availability indicator.
Google documents a desktop Idle state after five minutes of inactivity and Away after more than ten minutes; the away timers in Slack, Teams and Zoom are different. Check connectivity and the selected state if the indicator seems unexpected.
2. Separate availability from notification hours
Google Chat includes a Do not disturb schedule for pausing notifications. That schedule manages notification quiet time, not a recurring request to appear Active.
Decide whether you need fewer interruptions, clearer response expectations or an activity routine. Use the appropriate control for that goal.
3. Understand the official API route
Google lets an app you sign in to set your own Google Chat availability. Google only allows this for Business or Enterprise Workspace accounts with Chat turned on.
MarkAsActive accepts an expiry. An app using that API can renew an Active request until the chosen expiry; stopping renewal lets the request expire. This official API route is separate from the OnlineHours connection-code preview. Continued activity in Chat can keep the account active afterward.
4. Test what is available today
OnlineHours offers a separate connection-code route for server scheduling with compatible sessions. The older free experimental browser extension still works with an awake computer and a signed-in Google Chat tab. Slack, Teams and ClickUp already run from OnlineHours servers: see how to keep Slack active, keep Teams Available or stay online in ClickUp.
Start with a short session, compare the visible status through another permitted account and check the end of the session. Keep both successful activity pulses and the observed result in your test notes.
Set your Google Chat hours
Google Chat connects through a private browser-session code. Its schedule runs on OnlineHours servers during your hours, laptop closed.
Common questions
Does Google Chat now have an availability API?
Yes. Google documents methods for managing the authenticated user’s availability, including a time-limited Active request.
Why might my account remain active after OnlineHours stops?
The last request may not have expired yet, and your own continued activity in Google Chat can keep you active.