Offline mode

  • Release version: Australia
  • Updated June 8, 2026
  • 2 minutes to read
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    Summary of Offline mode

    Offline mode in ServiceNow’s mobile apps enables users without internet access to continue working seamlessly by caching specific applications, screens, or functions on their devices. Administrators explicitly configure what data and functionalities are available offline, ensuring a tailored experience aligned with user needs.

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    Planning Your Offline Mode Strategy

    Effective offline mode implementation requires careful planning and configuration decisions. Administrators must determine which apps, screens, and functions to enable offline, and how much data to store on devices. Key considerations include:

    • Identifying target users and their device usage scenarios (e.g., field work vs. office use)
    • Choosing the relevant screens and functions they need offline
    • Estimating expected data size and connectivity patterns

    These decisions help keep offline mode lightweight, maintainable, and aligned with operational needs. ServiceNow provides offline mode setup options to assist in making informed configuration choices.

    How Offline Mode Works

    Offline mode creates a cache of records on the user’s mobile device, limited to the data from enabled applications. This cache expires 48 hours after download. If users do not sync changes within this time, modifications move to an Outbox for synchronization upon next online access or logout.

    • Only configured screens with cached data are accessible offline.
    • Users can create, update, or delete cached records; all changes queue in the Outbox.
    • Upon regaining connectivity, users can sync Outbox data with the ServiceNow instance.
    • Automatic synchronization handles updates unless conflicts arise, which users then resolve.

    Note that cache expiry display differs by OS: iOS shows expiry time; Android shows cache size and last cached time without expiry.

    Practical Considerations for ServiceNow Customers

    • Explicitly enable only necessary apps and screens for offline use to optimize device storage and performance.
    • Plan offline mode configurations based on users’ work context and connectivity patterns to ensure relevant data availability.
    • Monitor and manage cache expiry and synchronization to maintain data consistency.
    • Use offline mode setup options and system properties to customize and control offline experience effectively.

    Configure offline mode to enable your users who have no internet connection to continue working from a mobile device.

    Configure specific applications, screens, or functions for users to use offline in your mobile apps. For a description of how offline mode features enhance end users' experience, see Offline mode for mobile.

    Plan an offline mode strategy

    Offline mode involves a series of configuration and planning decisions. These range from which apps, screens, and functions to enable, to how much data to store on a device. Every item included in the offline payload must be explicitly enabled by an administrator, meaning each configuration choice directly shapes what gets cached. Planning your offline mode strategy helps verify that what you configure is relevant and maintainable.

    Before making configuration decisions, identify your target users, the screens they need access to, expected data size, and connectivity patterns such as field versus office use. This gives you the context to make the right choices at each level of the app, screen, and function hierarchy, keeping your offline mode lightweight and aligned with your users’ needs.

    The offline mode setup options walk you through the key decisions involved in planning your offline configuration. Review each option to help you determine which approach best fits yours and your users' needs and working patterns, when constructing your offline mode strategy. For more information, see Offline mode setup options.

    Offline mode process

    Offline mode works by creating a cache of records on your mobile device that your users can view and update while offline. This cache is a limited set of data based on the applications your users can access. By default, this cache expires 48 hours after it is downloaded to a mobile device. Any changes your users make to the cache that aren't synchronized within 48 hours are moved to the outbox, where they can be synced to your instance at the user’s next log out.
    Note:
    There is a difference in how operating systems display cache expiry time. iOS displays cache expiry time via the Expires field. Android displays the cache size and last cached time with no expiry indication.

    Example screens of downloading data in Offline mode and the Download Complete success message.

    While in offline mode, only the parts of the app with cached data are accessible. This depends on which screens are configured to be available offline. For example, if offline mode is enabled only for Tasks and Inventory, all other areas of the mobile app are unavailable while the device is offline.

    Launcher screen in offline mode
    While in offline mode, users can create, update, or delete cached records directly from their mobile device. Each action performed is automatically added to the Outbox, which stores all pending operations until the user is back online. Action performed in offline mode

    When your users have network access again, they can disable offline mode and synchronize their data stored in the outbox on their device with the data on the instance. Updates between the mobile and the instance are automatic, unless there is a conflict. Users can resolve conflicts in their outbox.

    Screens showing how to synchronize data.