How to pause in Baldur's Gate 3

Looking for instructions on how to pause in Baldur's Gate 3? The newest RPG from Larian Studios offers an immersive real-time gaming experience, allowing the game world to remain active even when you're not fully engaged.

While this feature enhances the game's realism, it can become inconvenient when you need to step away or make swift decisions. That naturally has fans asking how to pause in Baldur’s Gate 3. So, in this guide, we'll explore a few techniques that will help to pause or temporarily hold the game.

This will give you time to check our Baldur's Gate 3 class tier list and race tier list to double-check you're running the best build. They'll go nicely alongside the best weapons in Baldur's Gate 3!

How to pause in Baldur's Gate 3

Before we move ahead, let's make a point clear: If you are looking for a hard pause in the game, then we are sorry to inform you that Larian Studios hasn't provided any feature to completely freeze the game environments in Baldur's Gate 3. That's why we will aim to utilise a few temporary methods.

The first and most recognised method is the "Turn-Based Mode." It allows players to control their characters one at a time, rather than in real-time. This gives players more time to think about their actions and make strategic decisions.

More importantly, it can be used as a tool to pause the action in the game. This is the closest thing to a true pause, as it will freeze all action until you take your next turn.

• Read more: Baldur's Gate 3 - How to dual wield

To enter Turn-Based Mode, simply press the spacebar. Once you have finished with a character's turn, press space again to move on to the next character.

However, keep in mind that while using Turn-Based Mode, game environments will still run as usual. Therefore, while using this option, don't leave your character in a vulnerable position.

And as for the second option, it might not be liked by everyone. This involves simply quitting the game, but only if you require a much more necessary or slightly longer pause.

Will Baldur's Gate 3 add an option for a pause in the future?

Unfortunately, it is very unlikely that Larian Studios is looking for any option for pausing their real-time RPG title. Why do we think, you ask? The most genuine cause is likely engine limitation, or maybe Larian Studios wants to focus on being multiplayer-friendly.

• Read more: How to level up fast in Baldur's Gate 3

While it could be technically possible to add a pause for solo players, the developers at Larian Studios might not have prioritised it since it doesn't align with their intended gameplay experience for Baldur's Gate 3.

The absence of a true pause can be inconvenient for players who need to step away or make quick decisions. As a result, some fans have continuously expressed a desire for this feature to be implemented.

So, that's all you need to know about how to pause in Baldur's Gate 3. Be sure to also check out if you can play Baldur’s Gate 3 solo or read through our the best Baldur's Gate 3 Steam Deck settings to figure out how to get it running on the handheld PC.