How to Keep Slack Active: The Complete Guide

If you work remotely, you've probably noticed it: you step away from your computer for ten minutes to grab coffee or think through a problem, and Slack flips your status to "away." Suddenly, coworkers wonder if you're actually working. It's a small thing that creates a big perception problem.

This guide covers every known method to keep Slack active, from quick workarounds to scheduled presence tools, so you can pick the approach that works for you.

Keep Slack active during your working hours

NotAway keeps your Slack presence active on a schedule, so your status reflects when you're actually available.

Keep My Slack Active

Why Does Slack Show You as "Away"?

Slack monitors your desktop and mobile activity. On desktop, if you haven't moved your mouse or pressed a key for 10 minutes, Slack marks you as "away." On mobile, it happens when the app moves to the background. There's no official setting to change this timeout, which is why Slack away status can be inaccurate during real work.

This means even if you're actively reading a document, on a phone call, or sketching on paper, Slack assumes you've left. And your team sees that little gray circle next to your name.

Method 1: Mouse Jigglers (Hardware)

A mouse jiggler is a small USB device that simulates mouse movement. Plug it in and your computer thinks you're moving the mouse, preventing both your screensaver and Slack's inactivity timer from triggering. They cost $10–$25 and require no software installation.

Downsides: It's a physical device you need to carry. Some corporate IT departments detect and flag USB HID devices they don't recognize. And it only works on the machine it's plugged into — if you have Slack on multiple devices, the others will still show you as away.

Method 2: Mouse Jiggler Software

Software mouse jigglers (like Caffeine on Mac or Mouse Jiggler on Windows) move your cursor a pixel or two at set intervals. They achieve the same effect as hardware jigglers without the USB device.

Downsides: Some require admin privileges to install. They keep your entire computer "awake," which can interfere with other things like screensavers and power management. And again, they only work on one machine at a time.

Method 3: Scripts and Browser Extensions

Developers sometimes write scripts that call the Slack API to periodically set their status to active. Browser extensions can do something similar by interacting with the Slack web app. These can work, but they're fragile — Slack changes their API and web interface regularly, and tokens expire.

Downsides: High maintenance. You need to update tokens when they expire, fix scripts when Slack updates their API, and manage one script per workspace if you're in multiple Slack teams.

Method 4: The Phone Trick

Keep the Slack mobile app open and in the foreground on your phone. Slack considers mobile activity valid, so as long as the app is visible, you'll appear active. Some people leave their phone propped up with Slack open while they work on their computer.

Downsides: Drains your phone battery. You can't use your phone for anything else. Push notifications may still mark you as idle if you switch apps. It also only covers one workspace.

Method 5: Use NotAway (Automated Solution)

NotAway is a service built specifically to solve this problem. You connect your Slack workspaces, set a schedule (e.g., Monday–Friday, 9 AM–6 PM), and NotAway automatically keeps your status active during those hours. It works in the background — no hardware, no scripts, no phone tricks.

Unlike the other methods, NotAway supports multiple workspaces at once, runs on a schedule so it's not active 24/7, and doesn't require any software on your computer.

If your main goal is the Slack green dot, schedule-based presence is usually more accurate than keeping a device awake all day.

Comparison

Method	Multi-Workspace	Schedule	Maintenance
Hardware jiggler	No	No	Low
Software jiggler	No	No	Low
Scripts/Extensions	Partial	Manual	High
Phone trick	No	No	Medium
NotAway	Yes	Yes	None