> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.stepsecurity.io/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.stepsecurity.io/developer-machines/installation/settings.md).

# Settings

The **Settings** page manages organization-wide Dev Machine Guard configuration: the telemetry key that agents authenticate with, the scan schedule that controls how often devices run a full scan, and the device-activity threshold that controls when a device is marked inactive.

These settings apply to every device in your organization.

### Telemetry Key

<figure><img src="/files/yp6Lnn3bd1SLgdWKTEOi" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

Dev Machine Guard agents authenticate to the StepSecurity backend using a telemetry key. The key is used by all Dev Machine Guard agents on your tenant.

{% hint style="info" %}
Viewing or rotating the telemetry key requires the Dev Machine Guard **write** permission. Without it, this section shows a message in place of the key controls.

Access levels are set per feature on a role. See Roles for how permissions are assigned, or contact your admin.
{% endhint %}

The backend supports two keys, **Primary** and **Secondary**, and accepts either one. This lets you rotate keys without downtime: agents keep using their baked-in key until they are redeployed.

**Fields**

* **Key selector**: switch between the **Primary** and **Secondary** key.
* **Key value**: masked by default. Use the reveal (eye) icon to view it and the copy icon to copy it.
* **Rotate**: generate a new value for the selected key.
* **Last rotated**: shows when the selected key was last rotated (`Never` if it has not been rotated).

#### Rotating the telemetry key

Because the backend accepts either key, rotate in this order to avoid interrupting agents:

1. Rotate the **Secondary** key.
2. Redeploy your fleet with the new Secondary key so agents pick it up.
3. Rotate the **Primary** key.

Agents continue authenticating with their baked-in key until they are redeployed, so following this order ensures no device loses connectivity mid-rotation.

### Scan Schedule

<figure><img src="/files/CnIf2WieAmKORt7bcBJe" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

Scan Schedule controls how often each device runs a full scan.

Agents check in with StepSecurity every few minutes and scan when one is due. A change here therefore reaches your whole fleet on the next check-in, without redeploying agents and without touching your MDM.

The default is a full scan every 4 hours.

{% hint style="warning" %}
Agents older than **1.15.0** ignore this schedule and scan on every launch. Upgrade to 1.15.0 or later for schedule changes to take effect on a device.
{% endhint %}

**Fields**

* **Full scan every (minutes)**: the interval between full scans. Enter a value in the **Minutes** field. A human-readable equivalent appears beside it, so `240` displays as *4 hours*. Between scans, agent launches check in and exit without scanning.
* **Add temporary boost**: opens the Temporary boost panel.
* **Save schedule**: applies your changes.

#### **Temporary boost**

<figure><img src="/files/8GSPI5a6to1FEaj78PI1" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

A temporary boost scans more aggressively for a limited period, for example during an incident, and then reverts to the regular schedule automatically at the end time. You do not need to remember to change it back.

Select **Add temporary boost**, then set:

* **Every (minutes)**: the scan interval to use while the boost is active. Defaults to `60`.
* **until**: the date and time the boost ends.

Select **Save schedule** to apply the boost. To end a boost before its scheduled end time, select **Remove boost** and then **Save schedule**.

### Device Activity

<figure><img src="/files/i5rb8fgCiJ6mPv0m6SXS" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

Device Activity controls when a device is marked inactive in the device list. This applies to every device in your organization.

**Current setting** shows the active threshold in plain language, for example: *Devices are marked inactive after 3 days without telemetry.*

**Inactive after (days)**: mark a device inactive once it has not reported telemetry for this many days. Enter a value in the **Days** field and select **Save device activity** to apply it.

{% hint style="info" %}
This is the same threshold exposed as **Inactive threshold** in Step 3 of the [Script](/developer-machines/installation/script.md) wizard. Changing it in either place updates the organization-wide setting.
{% endhint %}


---

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