Players progressing through Starfield may notice that some missions are only available after a few in-game days or hours; however, if you use the wait feature, you can access the quest sooner!

Waiting in Starfield is a simple but effective way to pass the time, whether waiting to continue that specific quest or skip to the day or night.

Let’s dive in and discuss using the wait feature to your advantage! It is quite a straightforward mechanic.

How to Wait in Starfield

To wait in Starfield, go up to a piece of furniture that allows you to sit and interact with it to sit down. From here, press the wait button.

We should add that player also need to determine the amount of time they want to wait

  • Find a chair, sofa, bench, bed, or any piece of furniture that lets you sit down.
  • Press A (Xbox) or E (PC) to sit down.
  • Once you have sat down, press Y (Xbox) or B (PC) to wait.
  • This will bring up a scroll wheel where you can toggle how long you wish to wait.
    • Players can choose between 1 to 24 hours as their waiting time.
Starfield wait slider

Sleeping in a bed to pass the time will also activate a well-rested boost. Players will receive a 10% boost to XP gains for 25 minutes as well as replenish their health.

When the timer ends, the number of hours you selected will have gone by.

In Starfield, there are two time zones, universal and local. This can cause some confusion amongst players, so if you are skipping time for a specific quest, we recommend doing so on the planet where it takes place.

Using the wait feature this way will mitigate any timing issues you may run into!

Starfield player waiting on couch

Using Wait in Starfield: All Benefits & Perks

There are a ton of reasons why you should wait or sleep to pass time in Starfield. These include the following:

  • Pass time for a time-specific quest.
  • Change it from day to night or vice versa.
  • To make a companion no longer be angry with you.
  • Wait for a store to re-open to purchase or sell items.
  • Replenish health (Beds only)
  • Gain a 10% XP boost for 25 minutes (Beds only)
  • Cure mild status effects (Beds only)

All of these are some great benefits that you can utilize in-game. For a simple mechanic, the outcomes can be very helpful.