How long does a backpack stay on the ground in Rust?

A dropped Small Backpack lasts 20 minutes and a Large Backpack 40 minutes. A backpack with items in it adds up one time per stack directly inside it, whatever the stack size: that item's time from the table, or 5 minutes for any item the table lists at 30 seconds. A torch lasts 30 seconds alone but adds 5 minutes. The total is never less than the empty backpack and at most 2 hours, so a Small Backpack with five torch stacks lasts 25 minutes.

How long do heli crates, Bradley crates and supply drops last?

Patrol Helicopter crate: 30 minutes. Bradley APC crate: 30 minutes. Supply Drop: 60 minutes. After that they are removed with their loot.

Does the despawn timer reset in Rust?

The timer starts when the dropped item spawns, so time in the air counts. Adding to a stack on the ground restarts that stack's timer.

How Long Do Items Stay on the Ground in Rust? Despawn Times

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Common

Assault Rifle stays for

60min

on the ground after it drops. 89 other items share this timer.

60 min

40 min

20 min

5 min

30 sec

Category

Stays

100 of 1308

Item	Category	Despawn
12 Gauge Buckshot	Ammunition	20 min
12 Gauge Incendiary Shell	Ammunition	20 min
12 Gauge Slug	Ammunition	20 min
2 Module Car	Misc	40 min
2 Module Car Chassis	Misc	40 min
3 Module Car	Misc	40 min
3 Module Car Chassis	Misc	40 min
4 Module Car	Misc	40 min
4 Module Car Chassis	Misc	40 min
40mm HE Grenade	Ammunition	60 min
40mm Shotgun Round	Ammunition	5 min
40mm Smoke Grenade	Ammunition	40 min
5.56 Rifle Ammo	Ammunition	40 min
50 Cal Turret	Weapon	60 min
8x Zoom Scope	Weapon	40 min
A Barrel Costume	Attire	20 min
Above Ground Pool	Fun	5 min
Abyss Assault Rifle	Weapon	60 min
Abyss Hazmat	Attire	40 min
Abyss Horizontal Storage Tank	Items	5 min
Abyss Metal Hatchet	Tool	20 min
Abyss Metal Pickaxe	Tool	20 min
Abyss Torch	Tool	30 sec
Abyss Vertical Storage Tank	Items	5 min
Accelerated Workbench Upgrade	Component	40 min
Acoustic Guitar	Fun	5 min
Advanced Anti-Rad Tea	Food	40 min
Advanced Blueprint Fragment	Component	60 min
Advanced Cooling Tea	Food	20 min
Advanced Crafting Quality Tea	Food	20 min
Advanced Harvesting Tea	Food	20 min
Advanced Healing Tea	Food	40 min
Advanced Max Health Tea	Food	40 min
Advanced Ore Tea	Food	40 min
Advanced Rad. Removal Tea	Food	40 min
Advanced Scrap Tea	Food	40 min
Advanced Warming Tea	Food	20 min
Advanced Wood Tea	Food	40 min
Advent Calendar	Items	5 min
Aiming Module	Component	60 min
Alien Costume	Attire	5 min
Ammo Storage Box	Items	5 min
Anchor	Items	5 min
Anchovy	Food	5 min
AND Switch	Electrical	5 min
Animal Fat	Resources	5 min
Animal Fence	Construction	5 min
Animal Fence Gate	Construction	20 min
Anti-Radiation Pills	Medical	5 min
Apartment Key	Misc	60 min
Apple	Food	5 min
Apple Pie	Food	5 min
Arctic Scientist Suit	Attire	5 min
Arctic Suit	Attire	40 min
Armor Storage Box	Items	5 min
Armored Cockpit Vehicle Module	Component	40 min
Armored Door	Construction	60 min
Armored Double Door	Construction	60 min
Armored Ladder Hatch	Construction	40 min
Armored Passenger Vehicle Module	Component	40 min
Armored Triangle Ladder Hatch	Construction	40 min
Artist Canvas Large	Items	40 min
Artist Canvas Medium	Items	40 min
Artist Canvas Small	Items	40 min
Artist Canvas Standing	Items	40 min
Artist Canvas XL	Items	40 min
Artist Canvas XXL	Items	40 min
Asbestos Armor Insert	Items	40 min
Assault Rifle	Weapon	60 min
Attack Helicopter	Misc	5 min
Audio Alarm	Electrical	5 min
Auto Turret	Electrical	60 min
Ballista	Weapon	40 min
Ballistic helmet	Attire	60 min
Ballistic leg armour	Attire	60 min
Ballistic vest	Attire	60 min
Bamboo Barrel	Items	5 min
Bamboo Salvaged Shelves	Items	20 min
Bamboo Wall Shelves	Items	5 min
Bandage	Medical	5 min
Bandana Mask	Attire	5 min
Bandit Guard Gear	Attire	5 min
Bar Games Minifridge	Electrical	5 min
Bar Games Shotgun Trap	Traps	40 min
Barbed Wooden Barricade	Construction	20 min
Barbeque	Items	5 min
Base half shelves	Items	5 min
Base horizontal storage barrel	Items	5 min
Base single shelves	Items	5 min
Base vertical storage barrel	Items	5 min
Baseball Bat	Weapon	20 min
Baseball Cap	Attire	40 min
Basic Anti-Rad Tea	Food	20 min
Basic Blueprint Fragment	Component	60 min
Basic Cooling Tea	Food	20 min
Basic Crafting Quality Tea	Food	20 min
Basic Harvesting Tea	Food	20 min
Basic Healing Tea	Food	20 min
Basic Horse Shoes	Attire	5 min
Basic Max Health Tea	Food	20 min

Event crates and drops

Methodology

Every timer on this page is the item's own despawn duration, or the timed-destroy value on event crates and supply drops. Tested on the current version of Rust. Modded servers can change them.

A timer starts when the dropped item spawns, so time in the air counts. Adding to an existing stack on the ground restarts that stack's timer.

Rust despawn times: common questions

How long do items stay on the ground in Rust?: It depends on the item: Assault Rifle and Timed Explosive Charge 60 minutes; Thompson, Satchel Charge and Sulfur 40 minutes; Scrap 20 minutes; Wood and Stones 5 minutes. Search the table for any item.
How long does a backpack stay on the ground in Rust?: A dropped Small Backpack lasts 20 minutes and a Large Backpack 40 minutes. A backpack with items in it adds up one time per stack directly inside it, whatever the stack size: that item's time from the table, or 5 minutes for any item the table lists at 30 seconds. A torch lasts 30 seconds alone but adds 5 minutes. The total is never less than the empty backpack and at most 2 hours, so a Small Backpack with five torch stacks lasts 25 minutes.
How long do heli crates, Bradley crates and supply drops last?: Patrol Helicopter crate: 30 minutes. Bradley APC crate: 30 minutes. Supply Drop: 60 minutes. After that they are removed with their loot.
Does the despawn timer reset in Rust?: The timer starts when the dropped item spawns, so time in the air counts. Adding to a stack on the ground restarts that stack's timer.