Magento automatically logs out administrators after a period of inactivity. This is controlled by the session timeout interval. On ruachost.com, you can adjust this setting to balance convenience and security.
Why Change the Timeout?
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Security → Shorter timeouts reduce risk if an admin leaves a session open.
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Convenience → Longer timeouts prevent frequent logouts during extended work.
Steps to Change the Timeout Interval
Magento 2
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Log in to Magento using your administrator account.
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In the left sidebar, click Stores → Configuration.
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Under Advanced, click Admin.
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Expand the Security section.
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In the Admin Session Lifetime (seconds) field, enter the desired timeout value.
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Example:
1200= 20 minutes.
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Click Save Config.
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Log out and back in for the new setting to take effect.
Magento 1.9 and Older Versions
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Log in to Magento using your administrator account.
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On the top menu bar, click System → Configuration.
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In the left pane, scroll down and click Advanced → Admin.
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Click Security.
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In the Session Lifetime (seconds) field, enter the desired timeout value.
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Example:
1200= 20 minutes.
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Click Save Config.
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Log out and back in for the new setting to take effect.
Important Notes
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The timeout value is measured in seconds.
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Default value is controlled by the PHP directive
session.gc_maxlifetime. -
Always balance usability with security, avoid excessively long timeouts.
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If unsure, consult ruachost.com support for recommended values.
