A Lambda function processes uploaded images. Processing occasionally takes 20 minutes and the function times out. What is the maximum Lambda execution timeout, and what's the right fix if the task regularly exceeds it?
A.5 minutes — split the work across more invocations
5 minutes is below the actual limit.
B.15 minutes — use Step Functions to orchestrate or move to ECS/Fargate for longer tasks
Correct. 15 minutes is the cap; beyond it, use Step Functions or containers.
C.60 minutes — just increase the timeout setting
No Lambda timeout setting goes to 60 minutes.
D.Unlimited if memory is increased
Memory affects CPU/power, not the execution time ceiling.
Why this answer
Lambda's maximum execution timeout is 15 minutes. For workloads exceeding it, the standard pattern is orchestrating with Step Functions (task decomposition) or moving to containerized compute like ECS/Fargate with no per-request time cap.
Correct answer: B · Last reviewed 2026-10-26
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