Idle messages
Overview
Idle messages automatically prompt users during periods of inactivity to maintain engagement and reduce call abandonment. They work alongside silence timeout messages to handle conversation flow during calls.
Idle messages help you:
- Re-engage users who become distracted or experience audio delays
- Reduce call abandonment rates during silent periods
- Provide proactive assistance when users hesitate or need guidance
Idle messages are automatically disabled during tool calls and warm transfers to avoid interrupting system processes.
How idle messages work
When a user stops speaking, Vapi starts a timer. After the configured timeout period, it randomly selects and speaks one of your idle messages. This process repeats until either the user responds or the maximum message count is reached.
Timer starts when user stops speaking
Random message plays after timeout
Counter resets when user responds (optional)
Configuration
Configure idle messages in your assistant’s messagePlan
:
Configuration options
Core settings
Advanced configuration
Basic setup
With reset counter
With silence timeout
Multilingual support
Handle multiple languages by creating language-specific assistants or dynamically updating messages:
Language-specific assistants
Dynamic updates
Best practices
Message content guidelines
- Keep messages concise - Users may be distracted, so shorter is better
- Use encouraging tone - Avoid demanding or impatient language
- Offer specific help - Guide users toward productive next steps
Good examples: - “Are you still there?” - “Is there anything specific you need help with?” - “I’m here whenever you’re ready to continue.”
Avoid: - “Why aren’t you responding?” - “Hello? Hello? Are you there?” - Long explanations or complex questions
Timing recommendations
Choose timeout duration based on your use case:
5-10 seconds For transactional or time-sensitive interactions
10-20 seconds For general customer service and assistance
20-30 seconds For problem-solving or decision-making conversations
Frequency management
Balance engagement with user experience:
Enable idleMessageResetCountOnUserSpeechEnabled
to give users multiple
chances to engage throughout long conversations.
Troubleshooting
Messages not triggering
Common issues and solutions
Messages trigger too frequently
Solution: Increase the timeout duration
Max count reached too quickly
Solution: Enable reset on user speech and increase max count
Messages interrupt processing
Solution: This shouldn’t happen - idle messages are automatically disabled during tool calls and transfers. If it persists, contact support.
Limitations
- Static content: Messages cannot be dynamically generated based on conversation context
- No context awareness: Messages don’t adapt to the current conversation topic
- Character limits: Each message is limited to 1000 characters
- Processing delays: Account for 2-3 seconds of audio processing time in your timeout settings
Next steps
Now that you have idle messages configured:
- Background messages: Add contextual information silently
- Assistant hooks: Handle call events and state changes
- Voice formatting plan: Control speech patterns and delivery