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The default male hyur player character of Final Fantasy 14 leads a team of adventurers through a town in Tural, the new setting of Dawntrail.
Image via Square Enix

How long is the AFK Timer in Final Fantasy XIV Dawntrail?

Final Fantasy XIV waits for no one.

Everyone goes AFK in Final Fantasy XIV Dawntrail, but it’s worth knowing your limits. You’ll be disconnected from the servers if you remain away from your keyboard for one minute more than the allowed limit.

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While the idea of an AFK limit could sound less than ideal for many, such a feature exists to prevent players from clogging the servers. After all, realms can’t house an infinite number of players.

How long is Final Fantasy XIV Dawntrail’s AFK Timer?

Y'shtola, a silver-haired miqo'te sorceress from Final Fantasy 14, stares at something just past the camera.
Someone’s timing your mini vacation. Image via Square Enix

Final Fantasy XIV Dawntrail’s AFK timer is capped at 30 minutes. This means your character automatically disconnects from the server after staying idle for half an hour.

The AFK timer is the same for all players, and many confirmed its duration after finding out about it the hard way.

Can you turn off the AFK Timer in Final Fantasy XIV Dawntrail?

No, the AFK timer isn’t a setting that players can change in Final Fantasy XIV Dawntrail. But a few clever players use ways to avoid the AFK timer.

These dodge methods include creating mouse or keyboard macros to keep characters moving. Alternatively, you can start cutscenes before going AFK or craft.

Why do players try to avoid Final Fantasy XIV Dawntrail’s AFK Timer?

The mysterious brown-haired woman featured in story trailers for Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail.
Half an hour is a short time. Image via Square Enix

The main reason why players try to trick Final Fantasy XIV Dawntrail’s AFK timer is because of server congestion. Considering the number of players online during peak hours, it may take a while before you get into your desired server due to queue times.

While playing low-populated servers is always an option, some players log into their favorite servers and then do everything in their power to remain online until prime time. This includes battling with the AFK timer, which will try its best to kick inactive players.

Overall, tricking the AFK timer isn’t something I recommend. Instead, I focus on choosing medium-populated servers to find the perfect balance between availability and population. When you aren’t in one of the most popular servers, getting into the game becomes easier and makes up for drawbacks like competition and economy.

Can you get banned for avoiding the AFK Timer in Final Fantasy XIV Dawntrail?

No, Square Enix doesn’t punish those dodging the AFK Timer in Final Fantasy XIV. Though some players expressed it should be a bannable offense, not everyone feels that way.

Avoiding the AFK timer can be necessary for players who only have time to play during peak hours, and it’s also relatively complex to detect from a developer’s standpoint.


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Author
Image of Gökhan Çakır
Gökhan Çakır
Gökhan is a Staff Writer and Fortnite Lead at Dot Esports. Gökhan graduated as an industrial engineer in 2020 and has since been with Dot Esports. As a natural-born gamer, he honed his skills to a professional level in Dota 2. Upon giving up on the Aegis of Champions in 2019, Gökhan started his writing career, covering all things gaming, while his heart remains a lifetime defender of the Ancients.