About OAuth Token Expiry
OAuth tokens have a limited lifespan for security purposes. The expires_in value in OAuth responses indicates how many seconds until the access token expires. To ensure uninterrupted API access, you should refresh tokens before they expire.
How This Calculator Works
This calculator helps you determine the optimal time to refresh your OAuth tokens by applying a buffer percentage. Instead of waiting until the last second, refreshing early provides a safety margin against network delays and processing time.
Refresh Time = expires_in x (1 - buffer%)
expires_in = Token lifetime in seconds
buffer% = Safety margin percentage
Recommended Buffer Values
- 5-10% - Standard applications with reliable network connections
- 10-15% - Applications with variable network conditions
- 15-20% - Critical systems requiring high reliability
Common Token Lifetimes
- 3600 seconds (1 hour) - Google, Microsoft, and most OAuth providers
- 7200 seconds (2 hours) - Some enterprise applications
- 86400 seconds (24 hours) - Long-lived tokens for background services