# Why pause in background? **URL:** \ **Category:** Feature Requests and Game feedback\ **Created:** [February 20, 2016, 5:11am UTC](https://community.gemsofwar.com/t/why-pause-in-background/3873 "2016-02-20T05:11:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lyya](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/community.gemsofwar.com/lyya/32/3650_2.png) [@Lyya](https://community.gemsofwar.com/u/Lyya)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2016, 5:11am UTC](https://community.gemsofwar.com/t/why-pause-in-background/3873/1 "2016-02-20T05:11:56Z")
Hi everyone. I play Gems of War on mobile and PC, and I’m more than a little addicted! I was wondering if there’s a reason why the PC client pauses when it goes into the background (that is, when another app is activated overtop, or when you alt-tab away). Some of the animations that cover up loading or long chains take a while, and I tend to multitask while I’m waiting. As well, when I tab away even when the game is idle, I see the loading screen every time I come back. I’d like to see the developers address this, or at least make an option to allow the game to continue playing when not active. Thanks for listening! ---
**Author:** ![Serale](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/community.gemsofwar.com/serale/32/1081_2.png) [@Serale](https://community.gemsofwar.com/u/Serale)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2016, 5:22am UTC](https://community.gemsofwar.com/t/why-pause-in-background/3873/2 "2016-02-20T05:22:46Z")
+1 To this. A very much needed improvement. ---
**Author:** ![dhjl](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/community.gemsofwar.com/dhjl/32/3981_2.png) [@dhjl](https://community.gemsofwar.com/u/dhjl)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2016, 5:35am UTC](https://community.gemsofwar.com/t/why-pause-in-background/3873/3 "2016-02-20T05:35:13Z")
It’s something I’d like to see as well. I also found this, posted on Steam over a year ago: > [@Tharob](#): > > If anyone is interested, I wrote the developer and got a response. Apparently, there is some engine (Adobe Air) limitation that means that it is currently not possible. However, the person that wrote back said that he also found this to be an issue and that they are investigating possible solutions. Soon™. [Game in background // alt-tabbing](http://steamcommunity.com/app/329110/discussions/0/618453594749871315/) ---
**Author:** ![Teddy](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/community.gemsofwar.com/teddy/32/2534_2.png) [@Teddy](https://community.gemsofwar.com/u/Teddy)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2016, 6:14am UTC](https://community.gemsofwar.com/t/why-pause-in-background/3873/4 "2016-02-20T06:14:46Z")
@dhjl You know… you’ve already provided the solution a while ago 🙂 Bluestacks 2. Since gems of war runs inside of the emulator… if you tab out of the emulator, it does not stop running the process. ---
**Author:** ![Shimrra](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/community.gemsofwar.com/shimrra/32/87_2.png) [@Shimrra](https://community.gemsofwar.com/u/Shimrra)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2016, 7:33am UTC](https://community.gemsofwar.com/t/why-pause-in-background/3873/5 "2016-02-20T07:33:28Z")
I suspect its something to do with how mobile apps work. Given that the Steam version is basically the same as the mobile version… what happens if you ‘tab out’ on a mobile? You can’t have it chugging away _then_. Obviously we’d rather PC did though - or at least had the option to. ---
**Author:** ![Zelfore](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/community.gemsofwar.com/zelfore/32/22295_2.png) [@Zelfore](https://community.gemsofwar.com/u/Zelfore)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2016, 12:07pm UTC](https://community.gemsofwar.com/t/why-pause-in-background/3873/6 "2016-02-20T12:07:07Z")
Actually you can leave it running. (I do it regularly when playing against goblins.) The trick is to use the Windows keyboard button, then select the program you’re wishing to run from the taskbar. ![](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/uploads/gemsofwar/original/2X/c/c6f2ff6c8bcb3472429ef389007001f1fa2c4e43.jpg) I can’t promise this’ll work for all systems (especially ones without the Windows button), but I know it works fine for me. ---
**Author:** ![dhjl](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/community.gemsofwar.com/dhjl/32/3981_2.png) [@dhjl](https://community.gemsofwar.com/u/dhjl)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2016, 12:26pm UTC](https://community.gemsofwar.com/t/why-pause-in-background/3873/7 "2016-02-20T12:26:58Z")
Thanks @Zelfore, I didn’t know about that. [quote=“Zelfore, post:6, topic:3873”] I can’t promise this’ll work for all systems[/quote] Which OS are you on? For me, it works on Windows 7 but not 8. ---
**Author:** ![Zelfore](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/community.gemsofwar.com/zelfore/32/22295_2.png) [@Zelfore](https://community.gemsofwar.com/u/Zelfore)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2016, 12:27pm UTC](https://community.gemsofwar.com/t/why-pause-in-background/3873/8 "2016-02-20T12:27:59Z")
> [@dhjl](#): > > Which OS are you on? For me, it works on Windows 7 but not 8. Also 7. I’d love to here whether it works on Windows 10 though. ---
**Author:** ![Shimrra](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/community.gemsofwar.com/shimrra/32/87_2.png) [@Shimrra](https://community.gemsofwar.com/u/Shimrra)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2016, 12:34pm UTC](https://community.gemsofwar.com/t/why-pause-in-background/3873/9 "2016-02-20T12:34:24Z")
Doesn’t seem to work on Windows 10 here. ---
**Author:** ![Macawi](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/community.gemsofwar.com/macawi/32/21289_2.png) [@Macawi](https://community.gemsofwar.com/u/Macawi)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2016, 2:38pm UTC](https://community.gemsofwar.com/t/why-pause-in-background/3873/10 "2016-02-20T14:38:40Z")
I can concur with @Shimrra. It doesn’t work for me either on win 10 ☹