---
summary: "When OpenClaw shows typing indicators and how to tune them"
read_when:
  - Changing typing indicator behavior or defaults
title: "Typing indicators"
---

Typing indicators are sent to the chat channel while a run is active. Use
`agents.defaults.typingMode` to control **when** typing starts and `typingIntervalSeconds`
to control **how often** it refreshes.

## Defaults

When `agents.defaults.typingMode` is **unset**, OpenClaw keeps the legacy behavior:

- **Direct chats**: typing starts immediately once the model loop begins.
- **Group chats with a mention**: typing starts immediately.
- **Group chats without a mention**: typing starts when the admitted run has
  user-visible activity, such as harness execution activity or message text.
- **Heartbeat runs**: typing starts when the heartbeat run begins if the
  resolved heartbeat target is a typing-capable chat and typing is not disabled.

## Modes

Set `agents.defaults.typingMode` to one of:

- `never` - no typing indicator, ever.
- `instant` - start typing **as soon as the model loop begins**, even if the run
  later returns only the silent reply token.
- `thinking` - start typing on the **first reasoning delta** or on active
  harness execution after the turn is accepted.
- `message` - start typing on the **first user-visible reply activity**, such as
  active harness execution or a non-silent text delta. Silent reply tokens such
  as `NO_REPLY` do not count as text activity.

Order of "how early it fires":
`never` → `message`/`thinking` → `instant`

## Configuration

Set the agent-level default:

```json5
{
  agents: {
    defaults: {
      typingMode: "thinking",
      typingIntervalSeconds: 6,
    },
  },
}
```

Override mode or cadence per session:

```json5
{
  session: {
    typingMode: "message",
    typingIntervalSeconds: 4,
  },
}
```

## Notes

- `message` mode does not start from silent reply tokens, but active execution
  can still show typing before any assistant text is available.
- `thinking` still reacts to streamed reasoning (`reasoningLevel: "stream"`),
  and it can also start from active execution before reasoning deltas arrive.
- Heartbeat typing is a liveness signal for the resolved delivery target. It
  starts at heartbeat run start instead of following `message` or `thinking`
  stream timing. Set `typingMode: "never"` to disable it.
- Heartbeats do not show typing when `target: "none"`, when the target cannot
  be resolved, when chat delivery is disabled for the heartbeat, or when the
  channel does not support typing.
- `typingIntervalSeconds` controls the **refresh cadence**, not the start time.
  The default is 6 seconds.

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