diff --git a/backend/app/models/file_lock.py b/backend/app/models/file_lock.py
index 8e8698c..09cf7c7 100644
--- a/backend/app/models/file_lock.py
+++ b/backend/app/models/file_lock.py
@@ -2,8 +2,9 @@ from datetime import datetime, timezone, timedelta
 
 from app.extensions import db
 
-# Lock expires after 5 minutes without heartbeat
-LOCK_TIMEOUT_MINUTES = 5
+# Lock expires after 15 minutes without heartbeat
+# Client sends heartbeat every 10 seconds and refreshes JWT every 10 minutes
+LOCK_TIMEOUT_MINUTES = 15
 
 
 class FileLock(db.Model):
diff --git a/clients/desktop/src-tauri/src/lib.rs b/clients/desktop/src-tauri/src/lib.rs
index f110cee..9c89628 100644
--- a/clients/desktop/src-tauri/src/lib.rs
+++ b/clients/desktop/src-tauri/src/lib.rs
@@ -481,19 +481,35 @@ fn start_background_sync(
         }
     });
 
-    // Heartbeat every 60s + check if opened files are still in use
+    // Heartbeat + token refresh + check if opened files still in use
     let app_hb = app.clone();
     let api_hb = api.clone();
     std::thread::spawn(move || {
         let rt = tokio::runtime::Runtime::new().unwrap();
+        let mut api_mut = api_hb.clone();
+        let mut token_refresh_counter = 0u32;
+
         loop {
             std::thread::sleep(Duration::from_secs(10));
             let state = app_hb.state::<AppState>();
 
+            // Refresh JWT token every 10 minutes (before 15 min expiry)
+            token_refresh_counter += 10;
+            if token_refresh_counter >= 600 {
+                token_refresh_counter = 0;
+                if let Ok(new_token) = rt.block_on(api_mut.refresh_token()) {
+                    // Update the shared API instance with new token
+                    if let Some(ref mut api) = *state.api.lock().unwrap() {
+                        api.access_token = new_token;
+                    }
+                    eprintln!("[Auth] Token refreshed");
+                }
+            }
+
             // Heartbeat for locked files
             let locked = state.locked_files.lock().unwrap().clone();
             for file_id in &locked {
-                let _ = rt.block_on(api_hb.heartbeat(*file_id));
+                let _ = rt.block_on(api_mut.heartbeat(*file_id));
             }
 
             // Check if opened files are still in use by another process