The auction may finish before its maximum time if the required responses are already complete. Increasing the timeout permits a longer wait; it does not mean every auction will use the whole allowance. (Prebid timeout documentation ↗)
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Comparing two timeout settings
In an illustrative test, one group allows up to 500 milliseconds and another allows up to 1,000. A response arriving at 700 milliseconds misses the shorter limit but may be usable in the longer auction. Measure actual revenue and time to display, because a longer allowance does not guarantee an extra bid or sale.
Auction timeout or failsafe?
Prebid’s auction timeout controls its normal bidding window. A separate failsafe can call the ad server if the expected callback never arrives. Shortening the failsafe below the intended auction window can prevent bids from being used; test the complete sequence, not just one number.
What to count in a timeout test
Suppose a shorter wait delivers fewer bids but speeds up the page. Compare revenue per eligible opportunity and the reader’s delay together. Counting only winning auctions discards precisely the opportunities the shorter wait might have changed.