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Offline Mode

Your team is not available around the clock — and that is perfectly fine. When your business is offline, the Knock Knock widget adjusts automatically so your visitors still have a good experience and know what to expect.

How Visitors Know You Are Offline​

When your team is outside of working hours, the widget changes to reflect your offline status:

  • No Live badge — the "Live" indicator that normally appears on the widget is hidden, so visitors know no one is available for real-time conversation
  • Offline heading — a custom heading appears on the widget (for example, "We're currently away")
  • Offline message — a custom message explains when the visitor can expect a response (for example, "We'll be back Monday at 9 AM EST. Leave a message and we'll get back to you!")

Both the heading and message are customizable from your dashboard, so the tone matches your brand.

note

The offline heading and message are set by the business owner. If you have not customized them, default text will appear. It is a good idea to update these with your actual hours and a friendly message.

What Changes When You Are Offline​

Depending on your configuration, some features may be adjusted when your team is offline:

Calls May Be Disabled​

If your business disables calls during offline hours, visitors will not see the Audio or Video call buttons. This prevents visitors from starting calls that no one can answer.

Chat May Be Limited​

Chat may still be available with your AI agent handling conversations. If the AI is enabled, visitors can still ask questions and get instant answers — even at 2 AM.

If chat is disabled during offline hours, the visitor will see a message inviting them to leave their question or contact information.

Leaving Messages​

Even when live chat and calls are unavailable, visitors can still leave a message. The message is saved and delivered to your team when they come back online. This typically includes:

  • The visitor's message or question
  • Their contact information (if they provide it through Contact Capture)
tip

Enabling your AI agent during offline hours means visitors always get some help, even when your team is sleeping. The AI can answer common questions, capture contact information, and even book meetings for when your team is back.

Working Hours and Timezone​

Offline mode is determined by your company's working hours and timezone settings. For example:

  • If your working hours are Monday through Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM Eastern
  • A visitor arriving at 6 PM Eastern on a weekday will see the offline state
  • A visitor arriving at 10 AM Eastern on a Tuesday will see the live state

The transition happens automatically based on your schedule — there is nothing to toggle manually each day.

What Happens When You Come Back Online​

When your team's working hours start again:

  1. The widget switches back to live mode with the Live badge visible
  2. Any messages left by visitors during offline hours appear in your dashboard
  3. Your team can respond to those messages, and the visitors will receive notifications if they return to your site
  • Widget Types — how the offline state looks on different widget styles
  • Notifications — how visitors are notified when you respond to their offline messages
  • Contact Capture — collecting visitor information during offline hours
  • Live Chat — the full chat experience when your team is online