How to turn on active pause and what it does in Microsoft Flight Simulator

While playing Microsoft Flight Simulator, you’ve likely encountered the tooltip notification on a loading screen telling you that you can mess around with the controls while in active pause. The active pause is different from pausing the game and going into the menu. Microsoft Flight Simulator’s active pause is a way to stop everything you’re doing mid-flight, allowing you to view the landscape. It’s a great time to take a screenshot and add it to your collection, rather than using the autopilot while taking one.

To active the active pause, you need to hit the pause key on your keyboard. You can typically find it in the upper-right corner of your keys, next to the Print Screen key. It may say Pause, or it may say Pause with Break on the bottom. Click this, and everything freezes, but your aircraft remains in the air and none of the menus pop-up. Unfortunately, there’s no alternative button press for those using an Xbox controller. You need to use a keyboard to make it work.

Beyond using it as a way to take screenshots, you can use it to take in the views to take a break from the game. It’s a simulator, making things feel a bit hectic. When you have everything under control, take in the view to enjoy your hard work. You can visit locations all over the world, and for those with a wanderlust, the sights make every trip worth it.