diff --git a/src/backend/ssh/file-manager.ts b/src/backend/ssh/file-manager.ts
index 8eae5798..9f5edf5b 100644
--- a/src/backend/ssh/file-manager.ts
+++ b/src/backend/ssh/file-manager.ts
@@ -93,11 +93,11 @@ function scheduleSessionCleanup(sessionId: string) {
     // Clear existing timeout
     if (session.timeout) clearTimeout(session.timeout);
 
-    // Set new timeout for 10 minutes of inactivity
+    // Increase timeout to 30 minutes of inactivity
     session.timeout = setTimeout(() => {
       fileLogger.info(`Cleaning up inactive SSH session: ${sessionId}`);
       cleanupSession(sessionId);
-    }, 10 * 60 * 1000); // 10 minutes
+    }, 30 * 60 * 1000); // 30 minutes - increased from 10 minutes
   }
 }
 
@@ -321,6 +321,41 @@ app.get("/ssh/file_manager/ssh/status", (req, res) => {
   res.json({ status: "success", connected: isConnected });
 });
 
+// SSH keepalive endpoint - extends session timeout and verifies connection
+app.post("/ssh/file_manager/ssh/keepalive", (req, res) => {
+  const { sessionId } = req.body;
+
+  if (!sessionId) {
+    return res.status(400).json({ error: "Session ID is required" });
+  }
+
+  const session = sshSessions[sessionId];
+
+  if (!session || !session.isConnected) {
+    return res.status(400).json({
+      error: "SSH session not found or not connected",
+      connected: false
+    });
+  }
+
+  // Update last active time and reschedule cleanup
+  session.lastActive = Date.now();
+  scheduleSessionCleanup(sessionId);
+
+  fileLogger.debug(`SSH session keepalive: ${sessionId}`, {
+    operation: "ssh_keepalive",
+    sessionId,
+    lastActive: session.lastActive,
+  });
+
+  res.json({
+    status: "success",
+    connected: true,
+    message: "Session keepalive successful",
+    lastActive: session.lastActive
+  });
+});
+
 app.get("/ssh/file_manager/ssh/listFiles", (req, res) => {
   const sessionId = req.query.sessionId as string;
   const sshConn = sshSessions[sessionId];
diff --git a/src/ui/Desktop/Apps/File Manager/FileManagerModern.tsx b/src/ui/Desktop/Apps/File Manager/FileManagerModern.tsx
index a804118a..a3007715 100644
--- a/src/ui/Desktop/Apps/File Manager/FileManagerModern.tsx	
+++ b/src/ui/Desktop/Apps/File Manager/FileManagerModern.tsx	
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ import {
   moveSSHItem,
   connectSSH,
   getSSHStatus,
+  keepSSHAlive,
   identifySSHSymlink,
   addRecentFile,
   addPinnedFile,
@@ -144,6 +145,36 @@ function FileManagerContent({ initialHost, onClose }: FileManagerModernProps) {
     sshHost: currentHost!,
   });
 
+  // SSH keepalive function
+  const startKeepalive = useCallback(() => {
+    if (!sshSessionId) return;
+
+    // Clear existing timer
+    if (keepaliveTimerRef.current) {
+      clearInterval(keepaliveTimerRef.current);
+    }
+
+    // Send keepalive every 5 minutes (300000ms)
+    keepaliveTimerRef.current = setInterval(async () => {
+      if (sshSessionId) {
+        try {
+          await keepSSHAlive(sshSessionId);
+          console.log("SSH keepalive sent successfully");
+        } catch (error) {
+          console.error("SSH keepalive failed:", error);
+          // If keepalive fails, session might be dead - could trigger reconnect here
+        }
+      }
+    }, 5 * 60 * 1000); // 5 minutes
+  }, [sshSessionId]);
+
+  const stopKeepalive = useCallback(() => {
+    if (keepaliveTimerRef.current) {
+      clearInterval(keepaliveTimerRef.current);
+      keepaliveTimerRef.current = null;
+    }
+  }, []);
+
   // Initialize SSH connection
   useEffect(() => {
     if (currentHost) {
@@ -151,6 +182,20 @@ function FileManagerContent({ initialHost, onClose }: FileManagerModernProps) {
     }
   }, [currentHost]);
 
+  // Start/stop keepalive based on SSH session
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (sshSessionId) {
+      startKeepalive();
+    } else {
+      stopKeepalive();
+    }
+
+    // Cleanup on unmount
+    return () => {
+      stopKeepalive();
+    };
+  }, [sshSessionId, startKeepalive, stopKeepalive]);
+
   // Track if initial directory load is done to prevent duplicate loading
   const initialLoadDoneRef = useRef(false);
   // Track last path change to prevent rapid navigation issues
@@ -158,6 +203,8 @@ function FileManagerContent({ initialHost, onClose }: FileManagerModernProps) {
   const pathChangeTimerRef = useRef<NodeJS.Timeout | null>(null);
   // Track current loading request to handle cancellation
   const currentLoadingPathRef = useRef<string>("");
+  // SSH keepalive timer
+  const keepaliveTimerRef = useRef<NodeJS.Timeout | null>(null);
 
   // Debounced directory loading for path changes
   const debouncedLoadDirectory = useCallback((path: string) => {
diff --git a/src/ui/main-axios.ts b/src/ui/main-axios.ts
index cbf6e90d..52486737 100644
--- a/src/ui/main-axios.ts
+++ b/src/ui/main-axios.ts
@@ -1002,6 +1002,17 @@ export async function getSSHStatus(
   }
 }
 
+export async function keepSSHAlive(sessionId: string): Promise<any> {
+  try {
+    const response = await fileManagerApi.post("/ssh/keepalive", {
+      sessionId,
+    });
+    return response.data;
+  } catch (error) {
+    handleApiError(error, "SSH keepalive");
+  }
+}
+
 export async function listSSHFiles(
   sessionId: string,
   path: string,