--- title: "Switch between AI and manual control" description: "Understand how to toggle between AI and manual modes in the Interlinked CRM — take over conversations from the AI agent, send human replies, and let the AI resume automatically with the 15-minute reactivation rule." section: "CRM" url: https://interlinked-ai.com/en/resources/docs/switch-between-ai-and-manual-control lang: en lastUpdated: 2026-04-28 --- # Switch between AI and manual control ## How AI and manual modes work Every conversation in the CRM operates in one of two modes: ### AI mode (default) When a conversation is in AI mode, the AI agent handles it automatically: - The AI reads incoming messages and generates responses based on your published workflow, product catalog, and business context. - A blue **IA: Active** badge appears in the chat header with a pulsing blue dot. - The input area at the bottom shows an animated "AI is managing this conversation" indicator instead of a text field. - A "Take manual control" button is available below the AI indicator. ### Manual mode When you switch to manual mode, you take over the conversation: - The AI agent stops responding to this specific conversation. - An orange **Manual** badge appears in the chat header with a solid orange dot. - The input area activates with a text field, media attachment buttons, and a send button. - You can send text messages, images, videos, documents, and other files.

Note

Switching modes affects only the selected conversation. All other conversations continue operating in their current mode. If conversation A is in manual mode and conversation B is in AI mode, the AI agent continues handling conversation B normally.

## How to switch modes ### The AI/Manual toggle At the top of the chat view, a **toggle pill** sits between the header and the message area. It has two segments: - **IA** — Blue when active, indicating AI mode - **Manual** — Orange when active, indicating manual mode Click the inactive segment to switch modes. The transition is instant — the badge, input area, and AI behavior update immediately.

Screenshot: The AI/Manual toggle pill showing both states — IA active (blue) on the left, Manual active (orange) on the right

### "Take manual control" button When a conversation is in AI mode, a **"Take manual control"** button appears below the AI animation in the input area. Clicking this button is equivalent to clicking the Manual segment on the toggle pill — it switches the conversation to manual mode. ### Switching back to AI To return a conversation to AI control, click the **IA** segment on the toggle pill. The AI agent immediately resumes handling the conversation. ## The 15-minute AI reactivation rule When you switch to manual mode or send a manual message through the messaging platform directly (e.g., replying from the WhatsApp or Instagram app on your phone), the following behavior applies: ### How it works 1. **The AI pauses** for that specific conversation when manual mode is activated. 2. **You handle the conversation** directly — sending messages, sharing media, answering questions. 3. **After 15 minutes of human inactivity** (no messages sent by you), the AI automatically resumes responding to new messages from the customer. ### Timer reset behavior The 15-minute timer resets every time you send a new message: - If you send a message at minute 14, the timer resets to 15 minutes from that point. - If you send messages continuously for 30 minutes, the AI remains paused for the entire time plus 15 minutes after your last message. - The AI only resumes when there have been **15 consecutive minutes** with no human messages.

Important

The 15-minute reactivation is automatic. You do not need to manually switch back to AI mode — if you stop sending messages for 15 minutes, the AI resumes on its own. However, you can manually switch back to AI mode at any time using the toggle pill if you want the AI to resume sooner.

### External message detection If you open WhatsApp, Instagram, or Facebook Messenger on your phone and manually send a message to a customer, the AI detects this external message and automatically pauses for that conversation. The same 15-minute rule applies — the AI resumes after 15 minutes of inactivity. This means you can take over a conversation from any device, not just from the Interlinked CRM, and the AI will respect the handoff. ## What the customer sees The customer **does not see** any indication that they are talking to an AI or a human. From the customer's perspective, they are having a conversation with your business. The switch between AI and manual modes is completely invisible to the customer — there is no notification, no "You are now chatting with a human" message, and no change in the conversation interface. This seamless transition is by design — it maintains a consistent brand experience regardless of who (or what) is handling the conversation. ## When to use manual mode ### Recommended scenarios | Scenario | Why manual is better | |----------|---------------------| | **Complex or unusual requests** | The AI may not have enough context for edge cases or unique situations | | **Angry or frustrated customers** | A human touch can de-escalate emotional conversations more effectively | | **High-value transactions** | Large orders, premium services, or VIP customers deserve personal attention | | **Custom pricing or discounts** | Negotiations and special offers require human judgment | | **Sensitive information** | Medical, legal, or financial details that need careful human handling | | **AI misunderstanding** | When you notice the AI has given an incorrect or incomplete answer | | **Explicit human request** | The customer asked to speak with a person | ### When to let the AI handle it - **Common questions** about business hours, location, pricing, and product availability - **Standard workflow steps** like order placement, appointment booking, or lead qualification - **High-volume periods** where manual handling would create response delays - **After-hours conversations** when no team members are available - **Initial greetings** and conversation starters

Tip

During your first few days after publishing, monitor the AI's conversations in real time from the CRM. Let the AI handle most conversations but take over when you see it struggling with a specific question. Use these observations to improve your business context and AI configuration over time.

## AI/Manual mode and workflows Some workflows include built-in human handoff steps: - **Handoff to human** — Designed to transfer conversations to a person when certain conditions are met. See [Handoff to human](/en/resources/docs/handoff-to-human). - **Qualify and transfer** — Qualifies leads and then transfers to a team member. These workflow-driven handoffs interact with the manual mode system: when the AI reaches a handoff step in the workflow, it effectively triggers a manual mode switch for that conversation, and the 15-minute rule applies. ## What to do next - **Learn about conversation tools** — See [Open and manage a conversation](/en/resources/docs/open-and-manage-a-conversation) - **Understand workflow handoffs** — See [Handoff to human](/en/resources/docs/handoff-to-human) - **Manage your team** — See [Team collaboration and CRM users](/en/resources/docs/team-collaboration-and-crm-users)