How do I handle timeout errors in n8n?

Dev

Handling timeout errors in n8n is crucial for building reliable and responsive workflows—especially when calling external APIs, running long loops, or using webhooks. Below is a complete guide to understanding and fixing timeout issues in your workflows.

⏰ Why Timeout Errors Happen in n8n

Timeouts usually occur when:

A node (like an HTTP request or Function) takes too long to execute
A webhook response takes too long, causing the sender to timeout
The workflow execution exceeds a global or node-level timeout
An external service takes too long to respond

🧰 How to Handle Timeout Errors in n8n

✅ 1. Use the "Continue On Fail" Option

If a node times out but you want the workflow to continue:

Click the node → enable ✅ Continue On Fail
Add an IF node to check:

{{$json["error"] !== undefined}}

Then handle fallback logic, like sending an alert or skipping.

🌐 2. Increase Timeout for HTTP Request Node

By default, HTTP nodes time out after 2 minutes (120s).

Fix:

Open the HTTP Request node
Scroll to “Options” → Set Timeout (in milliseconds, e.g., 300000 for 5 minutes)

"options": {
  "timeout": 300000
}

⌛ 3. Break Long Tasks into Smaller Batches

Symptoms:

Long loops or data-heavy operations cause timeout

Fix:

Use the SplitInBatches node to divide large arrays
Add Wait nodes between batches if needed

🧮 4. Move Long Logic to a Sub-Workflow

For time-consuming logic (e.g., data sync, reports, uploads):

Create a sub-workflow and call it with the Execute Workflow node
This lets you isolate and retry long-running parts

🧘 5. Use Async Wait Strategy Instead of Delays

If you use Wait or Delay nodes, long waits can block executions.

Fix:

Use a database or flag system to store status
Use Webhook trigger + polling to resume logic when ready

⚙️ 6. Adjust Global Execution Timeout (Self-hosted Only)

If entire workflows are timing out:

Fix:

Add to your .env or Docker Compose:

EXECUTIONS_TIMEOUT=600  # seconds (e.g., 10 minutes)

Or disable timeout entirely:

EXECUTIONS_TIMEOUT=0

⚠️ Be cautious: disabling timeout may cause workflows to hang forever.

🧱 7. Fix Timeout in External Services

If the error is from the remote API (not n8n):

Confirm that the API is working via Postman or curl
Add retry logic with a delay node or:
- Use try/catch in Function node
- Add multiple HTTP nodes with retry fallback paths

🧪 8. Debug Timeout Causes

Enable verbose logging:

n8n start --log-level=debug

Use timestamps in Set or Function nodes to track duration

console.log('Step X at: ' + new Date().toISOString());

✅ Timeout Handling Checklist

| ✅ Check | Description |
| ------------------------------------ | -------------------------------------- |
| Continue on Fail enabled? | Avoid full workflow crash |
| HTTP timeout increased? | Set higher timeout per node |
| Split large tasks? | Use SplitInBatches |
| Using sub-workflows? | Isolate heavy logic |
| External API slow? | Add retries or delay |
| Workflow execution timeout adjusted? | Self-hosted configs |
| Monitoring in place? | Send timeout alerts via Telegram/Slack |