> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://help.craftsmanplus.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://help.craftsmanplus.com/play/general/actions/play-pause-scene.md).
# Play/Pause Scene
Pause the current scene's playback, and resume it later.
The **Pause Scene** and **Play Scene** actions stop and resume the current scene. Pause Scene freezes the scene at its current moment. Play Scene continues from where it stopped.
This is useful for patterns like:
* Pausing on a tutorial hint until the user taps
* Holding a scene still while a choice is on screen
* Resuming playback once the user makes a choice
### How it Works
Neither action has any settings. Select it and it is ready.
**Pause Scene** stops:
* The scene's playhead, so layers stop entering and leaving
* Videos and Sequences
* Game Mechanics
* [Scene Events](/play/layers/scenes/scene-events.md)
**Play Scene** resumes all of the above from the paused moment. Using it on a scene that is already playing does nothing.
Some things keep running while a scene is paused:
* The [Global Timer](/play/settings/global-timer.md) keeps counting.
* Idle [animations](/play/properties/animations.md) keep looping.
* Taps on visible layers keep working, so users can tap to resume.
### Where You Can Use It
**Pause Scene** is available in most action dropdowns, including Interactions, Layer **On Finish**, Scene Events, the Global Timer, and Progression [Triggers](/play/settings/progression/triggers.md).
**Play Scene** is available in the same places, except Scene Events.
Neither appears in a scene's **On finish**, since the scene has already ended at that point.
### Setting Up a Pause and Resume
{% stepper %}
{% step %}
### Add a Scene Event at the moment the scene should pause, and set its action to **Pause Scene.**
{% endstep %}
{% step %}
### Select the layer the user should tap to continue.
{% endstep %}
{% step %}
### Add a [Single Tap](/play/properties/interactions/gestures/single-tap.md) interaction with the action **Play Scene.**
{% endstep %}
{% step %}
### Preview to confirm the scene pauses and resumes.
{% endstep %}
{% endstepper %}
{% hint style="info" %}
Make sure the tap target is on screen when the scene pauses. A layer that has not entered yet, or has already left, cannot be tapped.
{% endhint %}
---
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