> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://agno-v2.mintlify.site/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Background Mode

> Run GPT-5.4 in background mode with automatic polling and a 600-second default maximum wait.

Background mode submits a Responses request and polls automatically for completion. Agno stops after `background_max_wait`, which defaults to 600 seconds.

> [!WARNING]
>
> The source docstring overstates background-mode resilience. Polling requires connectivity, stops after `background_max_wait`, and surfaces polling failures.

```python background.py theme={null}
"""
Background Mode
===============

Background mode enables long-running tasks on reasoning models like GPT-5.4
without worrying about timeouts or connectivity issues. The API returns
immediately and Agno polls for the result automatically.

Requires: openai>=2.0.0
"""

from agno.agent import Agent
from agno.models.openai import OpenAIResponses

# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
# Create Agent with background mode enabled
# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

agent = Agent(
    model=OpenAIResponses(
        id="gpt-5.4",
        background=True,
        background_poll_interval=2.0,  # seconds between polls (default)
    ),
    markdown=True,
)

# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
# Run Agent
# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
if __name__ == "__main__":
    agent.print_response("Explain the history of quantum computing in detail")
```

## Run the Example

<Snippet file="create-venv-step.mdx" />

**1. Install dependencies**

```bash theme={null}
uv pip install -U agno openai
```

**2. Export your OpenAI API key**

```bash Mac/Linux theme={null}
export OPENAI_API_KEY="your_openai_api_key_here"
```

```bash Windows theme={null}
$Env:OPENAI_API_KEY="your_openai_api_key_here"
```

**3. Run the example**

Save the code above as `background.py`, then run:

```bash theme={null}
python background.py
```

Full source: [cookbook/90\_models/openai/responses/background.py](https://github.com/agno-agi/agno/blob/v3.0.4/cookbook/90_models/openai/responses/background.py)


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