In-Game Menu
Everything you can do from the pause menu while playing a game
The pause menu is your control center during gameplay. Access save states, fast forward, cheats, screen filters, controller settings, and more — all without leaving your game.
Opening the Pause Menu
On-screen
Tap the Menu / Pause button on the controller overlay
Physical controller
Press the Menu / Options button
Keyboard
Press ~ (tilde)
Menu Options
Save States
Create, load, and manage save state snapshots:
Save State — Freeze the game at this exact moment
Load State — Resume from a previously saved snapshot
Auto Save — Provenance automatically creates a save state when you leave a game or background the app
Overwrite / Delete — Manage existing states (each shows a screenshot preview)
Save states are tied to specific emulator cores. If you switch cores, old save states won't work. Use in-game saves (battery saves) for long-term progress. See Game Saves for details.
Fast Forward
Speed up gameplay — useful for grinding, slow cutscenes, or text-heavy RPGs:
Toggle Fast Forward — Increases emulation speed (typically 2-4x, varies by core)
Fast forward stays active until you toggle it off or exit the game
See Fast Forward for full details.
Screen Filters
Change visual filters without leaving your game:
Switch between CRT, LCD, smoothing, and other shader effects
Preview how each filter looks in real-time
Per-game filter settings override global defaults
See Screen Filters & Shaders for all available filters.
Cheats
Enable or disable cheat codes mid-game:
Toggle individual cheats on/off
Access the RetroArch cheats interface (RetroArch-based cores)
Changes take effect immediately
See Cheats for setup instructions and code formats.
Controller Settings
Adjust controller configuration during gameplay:
Player assignment — Reassign controllers to different player slots
Controller skin — Switch to a different on-screen skin
View current controller mapping
RetroArch Settings
For games running on RetroArch-based cores, access the full RetroArch settings interface:
Advanced shader configuration
Core-specific options (resolution scaling, audio settings)
RetroAchievements settings
Netplay / online multiplayer configuration
Save/load RetroArch core overrides
RetroArch settings are only available for RetroArch-based cores. Native cores (emuThreeDS, Dolphin) have their own configuration systems.
Screenshot
Capture a screenshot of the current game frame.
Reset
Restart the game from the beginning (simulates a console power cycle). Your save states and battery saves are preserved — this only resets the current play session.
Quit to Library
Return to the game library. If auto-save is enabled, a save state is created automatically before quitting.
Quick Actions
Some actions can also be triggered without opening the full pause menu:
Quick Save
Configurable controller shortcut
Quick Load
Configurable controller shortcut
Fast Forward Toggle
Configurable controller shortcut
Screenshot
Configurable controller shortcut
Check Settings → Controllers to configure quick action shortcuts for your physical controller.
See Also
Fast Forward — Speed up gameplay
Game Saves — Save states vs battery saves
Screen Filters & Shaders — Visual filter options
Cheats — Cheat code support
Controllers & Controls — Controller setup
Need help? Ask on Discord.
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