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If you’ve ever lost your work because of an SSH session timeout, you know how frustrating it can be. You’re deep into a remote server task when—bam!—your session disconnects, forcing you to start over. It’s not just annoying; it breaks your workflow and can lead to lost progress.

This issue is especially common when working on cloud servers or self-hosted infrastructure, both of which are essential for developers, sysadmins, and security professionals. Luckily, fixing SSH session timeouts is easier than you think, and in this guide, we’ll show you exactly how to keep your connection alive.

While we’re on the topic of optimizing your remote workflow, you might also want to check out our guide on Termux Packages for Development to set up a robust mobile development environment. And if you’re managing servers, knowing how to install and use Tesseract OCR can help you extract valuable data from scanned documents directly in your terminal.

Now, let’s get your SSH sessions stable and uninterrupted!

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Table of Contents

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• Why SSH Session Timeout Happens (Technical Breakdown)
  • Understanding SSH Timeout Mechanisms
  • How It Affects Remote Workflows
• How to Address the SSH Session Timeout Issue
  • 1. Adjust SSH Client Settings on macOS and Linux
  • On macOS:
    • Open the SSH Configuration File:
    • Add Keep-Alive Settings:
    • Save and Exit:
    • Connect to the Remote Host:
  • On Linux:
    • Open the SSH Configuration File:
    • Add Keep-Alive Settings:
    • Save and Exit:
    • Connect to the Remote Host:
  • 2. Configure SSH Server Settings
  • On macOS:
    • Access the Server:
    • Edit the SSH Server Configuration File:
    • Update Timeout Settings:
    • Restart the SSH Service:
  • On Linux:
    • Access the Server:
    • Edit the SSH Server Configuration File:
    • Update Timeout Settings:
    • Restart the SSH Service:
• Keep Your SSH Sessions Alive—No More Interruptions!

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Why SSH Session Timeout Happens (Technical Breakdown)

If you’ve ever found yourself mid-command only to see your SSH session timeout, you’re not alone. This issue often happens when the server or client enforces idle timeouts, cutting off inactive connections. But why does this happen?

Understanding SSH Timeout Mechanisms

SSH timeouts occur due to one or both of the following reasons:

1. Client-Side Inactivity Timeout – If the SSH client detects inactivity for a certain period, it may close the connection. This is typically controlled by:
   • ClientAliveInterval (configured in the SSH client).
   • Network settings (firewalls or NAT timeouts closing idle connections).
2. Server-Side Timeout Policies – Many servers enforce timeouts to free up resources and enhance security. This is usually controlled by:
   • ClientAliveInterval and ClientAliveCountMax (in /etc/ssh/sshd_config).
   • TCPKeepAlive settings, which determine whether the server should check if the client is still active.

How It Affects Remote Workflows

For developers, sysadmins, and anyone managing remote machines, an unexpected SSH timeout can mean losing unsaved work, dropped connections, and a disrupted workflow. Understanding why this happens is the first step toward fixing it.

Would you like me to follow up with a section on how to diagnose whether the timeout is client- or server-side?

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How to Address the SSH Session Timeout Issue

SSH sessions may close automatically due to inactivity to prevent security risks and free up server resources. To maintain an active session, you can adjust settings on both your SSH client and the remote server.

1. Adjust SSH Client Settings on macOS and Linux

To prevent your SSH client from timing out, you can configure it to send periodic keep-alive messages to the server. Follow these steps:

• OpenSSH Client Configuration – Detailed information about ssh_config options for the SSH client.
• OpenSSH Server Configuration – Comprehensive guide to sshd_config options for the SSH server.

On macOS:

Open the SSH Configuration File:

• Open Terminal on your Mac. Edit the SSH configuration file by typing:

vim ~/.ssh/config

Add Keep-Alive Settings:

• If the file is empty, add the following lines:

Host * ServerAliveInterval 60

ServerAliveInterval 60 tells your SSH client to send a keep-alive message every 60 seconds.

Save and Exit:

• Press Ctrl + X, then Y to confirm changes, and Enter to save and exit.

Connect to the Remote Host:

• Use SSH as usual. The new settings will apply automatically.

On Linux:

Open the SSH Configuration File:

• Open Terminal on your Linux machine.
• Edit the SSH configuration file by typing:

vim ~/.ssh/config

Add Keep-Alive Settings:

• If the file is empty, add the following lines:

Host * 
ServerAliveInterval 60

• ServerAliveInterval 60 tells your SSH client to send a keep-alive message every 60 seconds.

Save and Exit:

• Press Ctrl + X, then Y to confirm changes, and Enter to save and exit.

Connect to the Remote Host:

• Use SSH as usual. The new settings will apply automatically.

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2. Configure SSH Server Settings

If you have control over the remote server, you can adjust its settings to prevent it from closing idle connections.

On macOS:

Access the Server:

• Connect to your macOS server via SSH.

Edit the SSH Server Configuration File:

Open the server configuration file with:

sudo nano /etc/ssh/sshd_config

Update Timeout Settings:

Add or modify the following lines:

ClientAliveInterval 60 
ClientAliveCountMax 3

• ClientAliveInterval 60 makes the server send keep-alive messages every 60 seconds.
• ClientAliveCountMax 3 allows for 3 missed messages before disconnecting.

Restart the SSH Service:

Apply the changes by restarting the SSH service with:bashCopy code

sudo systemctl restart ssh

On Linux:

Access the Server:

• Connect to your Linux server via SSH.

Edit the SSH Server Configuration File:

Open the server configuration file with:

sudo nano /etc/ssh/sshd_config

Update Timeout Settings:

Add or modify the following lines:

ClientAliveInterval 60 
ClientAliveCountMax 3

• ClientAliveInterval 60 makes the server send keep-alive messages every 60 seconds.
• ClientAliveCountMax 3 allows for 3 missed messages before disconnecting.

Restart the SSH Service:

Apply the changes by restarting the SSH service with:

sudo systemctl restart ssh

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Keep Your SSH Sessions Alive—No More Interruptions!

Preventing SSH session timeout isn’t just about convenience—it’s about maintaining seamless control over your remote systems. Whether you’re managing servers, running long processes, or simply avoiding the frustration of re-authenticating, these tweaks ensure a stable and uninterrupted workflow.

Try these fixes today and take back control of your SSH sessions. Have a go-to method or a better workaround? Share your thoughts—I’d love to hear how you keep your connections alive!