You can set the timeout in [`sessionState`][1] in the `web.config`:



    <system.web>
        <sessionState mode="InProc" timeout="30"  />
    </system.web>

But changes to this value will also get deployed with your application.  Another option would be to use a [conditional compilation preprocessor directive][2] and override the session timeout on session start in `global.asax`:



    void Session_onStart(object sender, EventArgs e)
    {
        #if DEBUG
            Session.Timeout = 6 * 60; // 6 hours
        #endif
    }


[1]: https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/system.web.sessionstate.httpsessionstate.timeout.aspx
[2]: https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/4y6tbswk.aspx

Does the visual studio development server have an equivalent IIS app pool idle timeout setting? If so, how do I change it? I'm having trouble keeping my user's session open while running in a development environment and wonder if this could be the problem.