Waiting in Starfield explained – resting and console command methods

12 September 2023 , 16:00

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Looking to pass the time in Starfield? Here's how you can wait around (Image: Bethesda)

Starfield retains the waiting feature from past Bethesda titles, but it's not as easily accessible as it was in those games.

Starfield – much like past Bethesda titles such as Fallout 4 – has in-game days, which for the most part don't actually affect your experience. That being said, it can be useful to wait around for reasons other than trying to get that perfect shot in photo mode. Some missions and outposts are less guarded at night, making for easier entry for those wanting to take a stealthy approach to their missions.

However, while the waiting mechanic still exists in Starfield, there's just a bit more faff to use it than normal. But unlike those earlier Fallout games, there's sadly no button dedicated to waiting around to pass the time.

How to wait in Starfield

The easiest way to wait in Starfield is to simply find a chair or a bed and you'll be able to choose how long you want to rest for. Your starting ship in Starfield actually has a bed inside it, so that's the most consistent way to rest in the game and the only way to rest for those on Xbox.

That being said, thanks to the beauty of console commands, Starfield players on PC will be able to wait anywhere they want. Here's how you can wait using console commands on the PC version of Starfield:

Three reasons why the leaked Starfield release date could be true

• Open up the console commands menu which is either the @ key or the ` key (the one above TAB and below ESC). The game will pause and a menu for typing in should come up with a warning that some console commands can disable achievements
• Type in showmenu sleepwaitmenu and you should see the menu that comes up when you head to a bed.
• Select how long you want to rest for

And it's as easy as that. Bear in mind that this isn't the intended way to wait in Starfield, but using it doesn't make you a cheater either. As far as we can tell, this one won't disable achievements, but considering you can use console commands to do things like make you invincible, change your carry weight and complete every quest, it's probably the right thing for Bethesda to warn you about it.

We doubt that this specific one could, but also bear in mind that some console commands can break the game in ways just like in Fallout and Elder Scrolls.

Scott McCrae