How to Extend Timeout on Outlook Web Access

Outlook Web Access (OWA) is a lightweight webmail interface that looks similar to the Microsoft Outlook desktop software.

Included as part of Microsoft Exchange Server, OWA allows users to access email, calendars, task lists, contacts and other types of Outlook content from virtually any web browser with an Internet connection.

Public/shared computer OWA connections time out after 15 minutes by default, while private computer connections stay active for 24 hours.

Both of these values can be altered if you have administrator-level access to the Exchange Server.

1. Log into your Exchange Server using the Administrator account.
2. Open the Windows Registry Editor.
   1. Click the Windows Start button, then select “Run.”
   2. Enter “regedit” (without quotation marks) and click “OK
3. Access the Exchange Server registry settings.
   1. Locate the top-level registry folder labeled “HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE.”
   2. Click the arrow next to the folder to expand it.
   3. Expand the following registry sub-folders beneath HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE: “System” > “CurrentControlSet” > “Services” > “MSExchangeWeb” > “OWA.”
4. Create a new public/shared computer time-out setting.
   1. Click “Edit” from the menu near the top of the Registry Editor, select “New,” then click “DWORD (32-bit) Value.”
   2. Type “PublicClientTimeout” and press the “Enter” key.
   3. Next, right-click the PublicClientTimeout key and select “Modify.”
   4. Find the box labeled “Base” and select the button labeled “Decimal.”
   5. Change the “Value data” field to a number between 1 and 43,200, representing the number of minutes the session stays active.
   6. Click “OK” to confirm the changes.
5. Create a new private computer time-out setting.
   1. Click “Edit” from the menu near the top of the Registry Editor, select “New,” then click “DWORD (32-bit) Value.”
   2. Type “TrustedClientTimeout” and press the “Enter” key.
   3. Right-click the TrustedClientTimeout key, then click “Modify.”
   4. Locate the box labeled “Base” and select the “Decimal” button. Change the “Value data” field to a number between 1 and 43,200, representing the number of minutes the session stays active.
   5. Click “OK” to confirm the changes.
6. Restart Internet Information Services (IIS).
   1. Click the Windows Start button and select “Run.”
   2. Type “cmd” and click “OK” to open a command prompt.
   3. Type “net stop w3svc” and press enter to stop IIS.
   4. Restart IIS by typing “net start w3svc” and pressing enter.

Your new time-out settings are now in effect.