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Kernel browsers enter standby mode during periods of inactivity. When a browser goes into standby mode, the browser’s state remains the same but incurs zero usage costs. Kernel browsers automatically start entering standby after ten seconds with no activity. After it enters standby, the browser’s timeout countdown begins. A browser is considered active while any of the following is happening:
  • A CDP client is connected (Playwright, Puppeteer, or a raw CDP client)
  • A WebDriver/BiDi client is connected
  • A Live View client is connected
  • A telemetry stream is connected
  • A computer controls API request is in flight (clicks, keypresses, screenshots, etc.)
Any of the above resets the standby idle timer. Once none are active for ten seconds, the browser starts entering standby. That’s the minimum idle time before standby can start. Usage is billed until the transition completes, which may take several more seconds.
See here to learn about destroying browsers. GPU-accelerated browsers do not support standby mode.