How to stop Minecraft from pausing when you Alt+Tab

There can be several instances where you will Alt+Tab or minimize Minecraft to look at other files or applications on your device. When you do so, the game will automatically pause. This can be quite useful in most scenarios, as you will not die from an unexpected cause while you are away. However, some of you might want it to continue even after you have minimized it in the background.

Hence, here is a short guide on how to stop Minecraft from pausing even when you Alt+Tab or minimize the game.

Ways to prevent Minecraft from pausing when minimizing

Java Edition

Java Edition pause menu can be prevented in two ways (Image via Sportskeeda Gaming || Mojang Studios)

In Java Edition, there are two ways to prevent the game from pausing when minimizing it. The first and simplest method is to open the inventory and then Alt+Tab or minimize the game. If your inventory is open, or if you have opened a chest, the game will no longer pause, even if you are not playing the game.

The other method is a bit more technical but permanent, which uses various debug options that Java Edition allows you to use. If you press F3+P buttons simultaneously, the "Pause on lost focus" can be enabled and disabled. Pause on lost focus means that if the focus from the game is lost, it will pause.

Hence, if this setting is disabled, your game will no longer pause if you minimize it without even opening your inventory.

Bedrock Edition

You need to open a GUI in Bedrock Edition to prevent it from pausing (Image via Sportskeeda Gaming || Mojang Studios)

While there is a set debug option to prevent the pause menu in Java Edition, there is no such thing in Bedrock Edition.

Hence, you only have the option to either open your inventory or a chest in order to prevent Bedrock Edition from pausing when you minimize the game by Alt+Tab or any other method.

Of course, this is not a massive issue since opening your inventory is quite easy. However, you need to remember to do this if you want to keep the game running in the background more frequently. If you forget and the game pauses, your AFK strategies can become pointless.

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Edited by Akshat Kabra