The "Maximum run time has been reached" error appears in your Phantom's console when a single launch runs for more than 5 hours, which is the maximum allowed run time per launch. The fix is to reduce the amount of work per launch by lowering the number of inputs, splitting large input files, and enabling automatic relaunches so your Phantom can continue across multiple runs.
Why you’re seeing this
Each Phantom has a maximum run time of 5 hours per launch. This limit prevents tasks from running indefinitely and consuming your execution time.
The error usually means your job was too large or complex for a single run (e.g. extracting too many profiles or processing a very large input file).
How to fix it
Reduce the number of inputs per launch
Go to the Behavior step in your Phantom setup and lower the maximum number of rows processed in each run.
Enable automatic relaunches
In the Launch Settings step, turn on scheduled or automatic launches. This lets the Phantom to continue working on the same input file across multiple runs.
Break large input files into smaller ones
If your file has more than 500 rows, split it into several smaller Google Sheets, CSV files, or separate sheets within a spreadsheet before uploading.
Monitor execution time usage
Open the Usage page in your Workspace to check how much execution time your Phantoms are consuming.
When reusing the same input file, PhantomBuster will automatically skip already-processed rows, so splitting across runs won’t cause duplicates.
Frequently asked questions
What is the maximum run time for a Phantom?
Each Phantom has a maximum run time of 5 hours per launch. If a single run exceeds this limit, it stops and returns the "Maximum run time has been reached" error.
Why is there a 5-hour limit on Phantom runs?
The limit prevents tasks from running indefinitely and consuming your execution time. It keeps Phantoms predictable and protects your workspace from runaway jobs.
Will I get duplicate results if I split my input across multiple runs?
No. When reusing the same input file, PhantomBuster automatically skips already-processed rows, so splitting a job across multiple runs won't create duplicates.
How do I know how much execution time I've used?
Open the Usage page in your Workspace to see how much execution time your Phantoms are consuming.
What happens to rows already processed when the error is triggered?
Rows processed before the timeout are saved to your results file. When the Phantom relaunches with the same input, it picks up from where it stopped instead of restarting from scratch.
How many rows should I put in a single input file?
As a general rule, keep input files under 500 rows. For larger jobs, split the file into smaller Google Sheets, CSVs, or separate sheets and let automatic relaunches work through them over multiple runs.
If the error keeps showing up
If the error keeps showing up after reducing inputs, splitting your file, and enabling automatic relaunches, get in touch with our Customer Care Team. Please include:
- The Phantom name and a link to the run
- The exact error message from the console
- The size of your input file (number of rows)
- A screenshot of your Behavior and Launch Settings steps