Quick answer
Netlify documents background function duration as 15 minutes. Background functions also have a much smaller request payload allowance.
Verified Aug 22, 2026Official source
Current limits
| Constraint | Current value | Scope | Verified source |
|---|---|---|---|
| background function durationBackground functions also have a much smaller request payload allowance. | 15 minutes | Background Functions | NetlifyAug 22, 2026 |
Why does this limit matter?
Moving work to the background extends duration but changes request/response and payload semantics.
This value is scoped to Background Functions; a different plan, runtime, model, endpoint, region, or account can produce a different effective constraint.
What should you check?
- Confirm the function suffix/type, input payload size, and durable retry behavior.
- Confirm the exact plan, model, runtime, endpoint, region, and account that serve the failing workload.
- Record the observed value, response headers or configuration, timestamp, and source without logging secrets.
Important caveats
- Background execution should still be idempotent because retries and partial failures can occur.
- Treat the official source and live account configuration as authoritative if they differ from this verified snapshot.
HyperObserve reports the documented platform constraint. Your application, SDK, gateway, provider, region, or account can impose a lower effective limit.
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