Your body stores creatine whether you exercise or not, but its effects are less obvious without physical effort. Creatine does not create new muscle tissue by itself. It increases the reserves available to your muscles, and you then need to use those reserves for anything to happen.
That does not mean a period without exercise makes the supplement pointless. It means you should know what to expect, and the answer differs for some groups.
How creatine works in your muscles
Some of the creatine you consume is converted into phosphocreatine, which can quickly regenerate ATP, the immediate energy currency of your cells. This matters most during short, intense efforts, such as a heavy set of squats or a sprint.
In practice, this means you can work a little harder before fatigue sets in, which makes it easier to build strength over time. The authorised claim describes precisely this: creatine increases physical performance in successive bursts of short-term, high-intensity exercise, with a daily intake of 3 grams. The condition in that sentence is physical effort. Without it, there is nothing for those replenished stores to contribute to.
Why the difference is less noticeable at rest
Without regular exercise, the signal that initiates muscle growth is missing. Your stores replenish as usual, but they are not being used for anything that produces a noticeable result.
You might notice a little more capacity during brief everyday efforts, such as carrying shopping upstairs or running for the bus. This is a small effect and difficult to distinguish from day-to-day variation.
Your diet determines your starting point
This is where the most interesting difference lies. Creatine occurs naturally in meat and fish, so starting levels vary considerably between people. Vegetarians, vegans and others who eat little meat often have lower baseline stores and may therefore notice a clearer difference when they start taking a supplement, even during periods with less exercise. If you already eat plenty of meat and fish, your stores are often well supplied, and the effect without exercise is less marked because there is simply less to replenish.
Continue or pause during a break
If you know your break will be short, there is no particular reason to stop. Noop's creatine monohydrate is dosed at 3 grams a day and does not require a loading phase, so you can simply maintain your routine and have your stores ready when you return. For many people, maintaining a habit is also easier than rebuilding it.
If you choose to pause, your levels gradually decline over a few weeks and replenish again when you restart. Neither approach is wrong. It mostly depends on which is easier to maintain.
For a longer period without planned exercise, it may be just as straightforward to wait until your next training phase. If you want to feel a difference now, sleep, regular meals and a few short home workouts will almost always do more than another tub of supplements.