How to Fix Roblox Error 278 (Disconnected for Being Idle)

By FixMyError · Updated October 16, 2026 · 7 min read

What error 278 means

The message "You were disconnected for being idle 20 minutes (Error Code: 278)" pops up as a dialog that boots you back to the Roblox app or browser. Unlike connection errors, this one is not a bug — it is a server-side rule that applies to every experience on the platform. After 20 minutes with no input, the server removes you automatically. Roblox introduced the rule so servers do not fill up with players who are not actually playing, which would lock out people trying to join. It is the same idea as a restaurant clearing a table when nobody is eating there anymore.

Because the kick is deliberate, the usual troubleshooting playbook does not apply. You do not need to reinstall, flush your DNS, or reset your router. The fix is behavioral: rejoin the game, and stop being idle for long stretches. That said, error 278 sometimes shows up when you swear you were playing — a controller that went to sleep, an unfocused game window, a phone screen that locked, or a laggy connection can all make the server think you are not there. This guide covers both cases: the normal AFK kick, and the frustrating false-positive version that boots you in the middle of a session.

Common causes

• Stepping away from the game (the intended case): the number one cause, by far, is simply going AFK — eating dinner, scrolling your phone, falling asleep with Roblox running. Twenty minutes pass, and the server hands you a 278.
• Passive play styles: traders standing at a booth, roleplayers waiting in a lobby, grinders camping one spot in a simulator. If your character is not giving the server any input, the idle clock runs even if you are technically at your desk.
• Screen locks and auto-sleep: on phones and tablets, the screen locking or the app slipping into the background stops your input from reaching the server. Battery-saver modes that throttle background apps make this worse.
• Input devices going quiet: a wireless controller or keyboard that disconnects or enters sleep mode leaves you with no input — the server sees an idle player even while you are sitting there watching.
• Lag spikes that mimic idleness: a bad connection can drop your movement packets long enough that the server registers a stretch of inactivity. This is rare, but it is why some players see error 278 right in the middle of an active session.

How to fix error 278 — step by step

Work through these fixes in order. The first few are all you need for the normal AFK kick; the later ones are for the annoying version that boots you while you are actively playing.

1. Just rejoin — nothing is broken. The kick is temporary and carries no penalty of any kind. Click Reconnect, or pick the experience again from your home page and join a fresh server. Your progress is whatever the game had saved, so jump back in and keep playing.
2. Build a 15-minute habit before you step away. Any real input resets the 20-minute timer. If you know you will be gone a while, nudge your character every 10 to 15 minutes — walk a few steps, jump, open a menu, send a chat message. That small rhythm is the entire prevention strategy.
3. Park your character somewhere safe before going idle. If you grind simulators or trade, move to a safe zone or a quiet corner before your break. That way, even if the kick still gets you, at least you rejoin without finding your character killed or your trade spot taken.
4. Troubleshoot false kicks when you were actively playing. If 278 hits you mid-session, your input is probably not reaching the server. Click back into the Roblox window so it has focus, reconnect or wake your controller, and on mobile turn off auto-lock and background restrictions for the Roblox app. On Android, go to Settings, then Battery, then find Roblox and set it to Unrestricted; on iPhone, turn off Low Power Mode and set Auto-Lock to a longer duration.
5. Stabilize your connection. Move closer to your router, or switch to a wired Ethernet connection if you can. Restart your router, and close downloads or streams that are eating your bandwidth — fewer dropped packets means the server always sees you moving, and it stops mistaking lag for idleness.
6. Clear the cache or reinstall if 278 fires the instant you join. This is rare, but a corrupted client can behave as though it is sending no input at all. On PC, close Roblox, press Win + R, type %localappdata%\Roblox, and clear the logs and downloads folders. On mobile, clear Roblox's cache from your device's app settings. If the problem persists, uninstall Roblox and install a fresh copy from roblox.com or your device's app store.

Did this fix it? Quick checklist

• You can rejoin the experience without getting kicked again right away
• You move or interact every 10–15 minutes whenever you step away from the game
• Your game window stays focused, your controller stays connected, and your phone screen stays awake
• Your connection is stable, so lag spikes cannot fake an idle signal

If error 278 only ever appears after long breaks, everything is working as designed — the kick is Roblox doing housekeeping, not a problem with your setup. If it keeps booting you while you are actively moving around, focus on steps 4 and 5: an input device or a connection problem is convincing the server you are not there, and fixing that ends the kicks.