How to Change Time in Hogwarts Legacy
Exploring the expansive open world of Hogwarts Legacy often requires players to navigate between day and night cycles to complete specific quests and collect rare items. While the game features a dynamic day-night cycle, waiting for the sky to shift naturally can take up valuable playtime. Fortunately, an in-game feature allows wizards and witches to manually adjust the time of day with ease.
How to Access the Wait Function in Hogwarts Legacy
To change the time of day, players must first open their main map screen during normal gameplay. At the bottom right corner of the display, a prompt for the Wait command will appear depending on your platform. Pressing the corresponding button—such as F on PC, R3 on PlayStation and Xbox, or the Right Stick on Nintendo Switch—triggers the prompt.
After confirming the action, your character will briefly rest, instantly transitioning the world from day to night or night to day. This feature can be used almost anywhere on the map, provided your character is standing safely on the ground. However, you cannot advance time while airborne on a broom, riding a mount, or actively engaged in combat.
Why Changing Time Is Essential for Exploration
Adjusting the time of day is crucial for completing certain quests and finding time-sensitive collectibles scattered across Hogwarts and the Highlands. For instance, Demiguise Statues can only be gathered under the cover of darkness, making the night phase mandatory for unlocking higher levels of Alohomora. Similarly, specific magical beasts like Mooncalves only emerge from their dens during nighttime hours.
In addition to quest requirements, shifting the time can be used strategically to reset vendor inventories throughout Hogsmeade. Merchants refresh their stock after a set amount of in-game time passes, allowing players to quickly replenish potions, ingredients, and gear. Mastering this simple mechanic saves hours of unnecessary waiting and streamlines your adventure.
Troubleshooting Time Skip Issues
If you find that the Wait prompt is missing from your map screen, ensure that you are not currently inside a restricted story instance or actively pursued by enemies. Certain main story missions lock the clock at a specific hour to maintain narrative atmosphere and pacing. Stepping away from hostile creatures or completing active quest steps typically restores full control over the map's time feature.
Additionally, players looking to optimize their daily routines can check out to enhance their gameplay experience. By taking advantage of fast-travel Floo Flames right after advancing time, you can reach nocturnal objectives instantly without traveling through dangerous terrain in the dark.