How Idle Pilot Works

Idle Pilot is a cloud-based tool that keeps your Slack status active during your configured work hours. Set it up once in about 2 minutes, then your presence runs automatically - even when your laptop is off.

Overview

What Idle Pilot Does

Schedule-Based Presence

Your Slack status follows your work hours, not your device activity.

Cloud-Powered

Runs from our servers. Works even when your laptop is closed or offline.

Presence Only

Never reads or sends messages. Only manages your online/away status.

No admin approval needed
2-minute setup
Turn off anytime
Step 1

Connect Your Slack Workspace

Two options: Chrome extension (fastest) or manual setup (any browser)

Recommended

Chrome Extension

The fastest way to connect. Install the extension, click connect, and you are done.

  • 1-click connection
  • Under 1 minute setup
  • Extension can be removed after setup

Manual Setup

For Firefox, Safari, Edge, or any non-Chrome browser. Follow our guided flow.

  • Works with any browser
  • About 5 minutes setup
  • Step-by-step instructions
After Setup

Your Idle Pilot Dashboard

See your current status, workspace info, and controls at a glance

What you will see

  • Current Status Indicator

    Green dot shows you are active, with "Active until X:XX" showing when your schedule ends for the day.

  • Workspace Info

    See which Slack workspace is connected and your profile name.

  • Quick Controls

    Toggle Idle Pilot on/off instantly. Access schedule settings with one click.

Idle Pilot dashboard showing active status
Step 2

Configure Your Schedule

Set your work hours for each day with optional lunch breaks

Idle Pilot schedule configuration

Schedule Settings

  • Set Your Timezone

    Auto-detected from your browser, but you can change it manually if needed.

  • Per-Day Configuration

    Each day has its own on/off toggle with custom start and end times.

  • Lunch Breaks

    Add an optional lunch break for any day. Your status goes away during the break.

  • Save and Apply

    Changes apply immediately. No restart or reconnection needed.

Optional

Vacation Mode

Automatically pause your schedule when you are out of office

How Vacation Mode Works

Smart Slack status detection for hands-free pausing

  1. 1
    Enable Vacation Mode

    Turn on the feature in your Idle Pilot settings.

  2. 2
    Select trigger statuses

    Choose which Slack statuses from your workspace should pause your presence (like "🌴 Vacationing" or "🚫 Out of Office").

  3. 3
    Automatic pausing

    When a matching event is active, Idle Pilot automatically pauses. When it ends, your schedule resumes.

Optional

Activity History

Review your presence patterns with a visual timeline

Reading Your Timeline

Understand your presence at a glance

  • Green = Active

    Periods when your Slack status was set to online by Idle Pilot.

  • Gray = Away/Paused

    Periods outside your schedule, lunch breaks, or when Idle Pilot was paused.

  • Yellow = Vacation Mode

    Periods when Vacation Mode paused your schedule due to a Slack status change.

Setup & Onboarding FAQ

Common questions about getting started with Idle Pilot

How long does setup take?

Most users complete setup in about 2 minutes. The Chrome extension makes it even faster with 1-click Slack connection.

Do I need admin approval to connect Slack?

No. Idle Pilot connects using your personal Slack account, not a workspace app. No admin approval or IT involvement required.

What if I do not use Chrome?

No problem. We have a manual setup flow that works with Firefox, Safari, Edge, or any browser. It takes about 5 minutes.

Can I change my schedule after setup?

Yes. You can adjust your work hours, lunch breaks, and timezone anytime from your Idle Pilot dashboard.

What happens if I turn off Idle Pilot?

Your Slack presence immediately returns to normal Slack behavior (based on your device activity). You can turn Idle Pilot back on anytime.

Does Idle Pilot work if my laptop is off?

Yes. Once connected, Idle Pilot runs from our cloud servers. Your laptop can be closed, offline, or completely off - your Slack status still follows your schedule.

How do I know if it is working?

Your Idle Pilot dashboard shows your current status (green dot with "Active until X:XX"). You can also check your activity history to see past presence.

Can I connect multiple Slack workspaces?

Currently, Idle Pilot supports one connected workspace at a time. You can disconnect and connect a different workspace whenever you need to switch.

Ready to set up Idle Pilot?

Start free in 2 minutes. No credit card required.

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