Microsoft Flight Simulator: How To Active Pause - Game Rant

The world of Microsoft Flight Simulator is filled with a myriad of stunning landscapes, bustling cities, and more, and indeed many players will want to take screenshots of these sights as they encounter them. The first step to doing this is to use Active Pause in this brand new flight simulator, and while fans have likely seen this feature referenced in various tooltips, it is not something that is detailed thoroughly. Fortunately, it is quite simple to Active Pause, and this guide has all of the details that players need.

To get right to it, all that a fan must do in order to use Active Pause in Microsoft Flight Simulator is press the "Pause" key on their keyboard. Typically, this key is located at the top-right of a keyboard, near the "Print Screen" key, and pressing it will cause everything to freeze. From there, fans are free to take in the sights around them without worrying about staying on course, and they can make further adjustments to what appears onscreen if they so wish.

RELATED: Microsoft Flight Simulator: How to Find Your Real-World House

More specifically, players can remove many UI elements and gain control of the game's camera by setting it to "Showcase." This is done in the "Camera" menu that is accessed through the toolbar at the top of the screen, and fans can adjust things like focus, zoom level, and more from here. Then, once a player has gotten things exactly how they like them, they can use their preferred method to take a Flight Simulator screenshot, with the Windows key + Print Screen being the most straightforward option.

To note, it is simply not possible to exit Active Pause when in Showcase mode, and Microsoft Flight Simulator players will need to return to the Cockpit or External camera before they can resume their flights. When that has been done, fans can again hit Pause on their keyboards, and this will allow them continue their trips to one of the many airports in Flight Simulator, or wherever their final destination may be.

One last thing to say about Active Pause is that it cannot be initiated in this new title from developer Asobo Studio using just an Xbox controller. While it is unlikely that this will be case with the Xbox One version of Microsoft Flight Simulator, which is currently in the works, PC players that want to take photos of their journeys should make sure to keep their keyboards close at hand.

GR Report: Subscribe and never miss what matters

Level up your gaming knowledge with Game Rant, packed with news, reviews, and insights from the gaming world. Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

Microsoft Flight Simulator is out now for PC, with an Xbox One version in development.

MORE: 12 Biggest Game Releases of August 2020