Slack Always Online: 5 Proven Tricks That Still Work in 2025

Slack’s auto‑away timer flips you to gray after 10–30 minutes of inactivity. Below are the five tricks that still work after Slack’s February 2025 presence update—from quick hacks to fully automated scheduling.

1. Presence Scheduler Chrome Extension (Set‑and‑Forget)

The only method that works even when your laptop sleeps. Presence Scheduler injects a trusted API ping every five minutes only during the hours you choose and logs full presence history.

1. Install from the Chrome Web Store.
2. Authorize your Slack workspace(s).
3. Set work hours → Save. Done.

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2. USB Mouse‑Jiggler (Hardware Hack)

A tiny USB dongle that wiggles the mouse ±1 px every 30 s. Works on any OS because your computer provides the “activity.” Downsides: drains battery, can trigger screen‑record software flags, and you must remember to unplug it.

3. Tab Auto‑Reload (Browser‑Only)

Install the free Tab Reloader extension, pin your Slack tab, set reload interval to four minutes. Slack’s real‑time WebSocket reconnects and presumes you’re back. Won’t help if Chrome crashes or you close the lid.

4. Tampermonkey WebSocket Pinger (Developer‑Friendly)

Paste the SlackAlwaysActive.user.js into Tampermonkey. The script injects ping frames ({"type":"ping"}) every 20 s. Still survives 2025’s new channel URL scheme, but will break if Slack renames frame types again.

5. Native “Set Active” + Keyboard Macro

Inside Slack desktop: Profile → Set yourself as active. Then create a keyboard macro (AutoHotkey, macOS Shortcuts, etc.) to press ⌘K then Esc every 25 min. Works only while both Slack and the macro app run.

Bonus Tips

• Mobile mismatch? Slack mobile refreshes presence every ~60 s; give it a minute to catch up.
• Respect company policy. Some orgs consider constant active status a compliance signal—be transparent.
• Combine methods. Many users pair Trick 3 (browser) during the day with Trick 1 (Presence Scheduler) overnight.

Compare in depth: Best Chrome Extensions to Stop Slack Auto‑Away.