Where Is The Pause/Break Key On A Laptop?

On most laptops, the Pause/Break function lives on an Fn combo (often Fn+B or Fn+P), not a standalone key.

Laptop keyboards trade dedicated keys for space. That often hides legacy functions under the Fn layer. The Pause and Break actions still exist in Windows and some apps, but many notebooks don’t print them on a keycap. The good news: you can trigger the same actions with simple shortcuts, check your model’s built-in combos in seconds, or map your own for everyday use.

Finding The Pause/Break Key On Your Laptop: Fast Checks

Start with these quick checks that solve it for most models:

Try the brand’s default Fn combos. Common pairs are Fn+B for Break and Fn+P for Pause on many business laptops, including popular ThinkPad lines. Some HP models use Fn+R for Break, while many Dells map Break to Fn+B. (Model charts later in this guide.)
Press Win+Pause to test. In Windows 10 and 11, Windows key + Pause opens the System > About page. If your laptop exposes a Pause action at all, that shortcut should still work.
Check your manual or support page. Brands publish combo charts for each model. Lenovo’s function key pages list Fn+B as Break and Fn+P as Pause on multiple ThinkPads; Dell manuals often show Fn+B on Latitude and Inspiron lines; select HP ZBooks list Break on Fn+R.

What The Pause And Break Actions Still Do

These keys started on old terminals, yet they still help in a few places:

Open system details fast: The Windows shortcut Win+Pause jumps straight to About. Handy when you need device specs or a quick name check.
Interrupt or pause tasks: Some tools respond to a Break signal; many terminal tasks stop with Ctrl+C. In emulators or games, Pause may halt animation or freeze output.
Read firmware screens: On many desktops, Pause can freeze POST text during boot so you can read it. Laptops vary, and this behavior isn’t universal.

Why Your Keyboard Hides It

Notebook makers squeeze full layouts into tight spaces. That means Num Lock, Scroll Lock, and these legacy keys often move under the Fn layer or drop entirely. The actions still exist in Windows and in apps that expect them; they’re simply reached through a combo or a remap instead of a printed key.

Brand-By-Brand Combos That Commonly Work

The pairs below come from vendor documentation and widespread model guides. Your exact unit may differ, so treat these as reliable starting points and check your manual if a combo doesn’t respond.

Lenovo ThinkPad

ThinkPad keyboards keep many legacy actions on the Fn layer. Lenovo’s support pages document two combos again and again:

Break: Fn+B
Pause: Fn+P

Reference: Lenovo’s function key charts list these mappings across several generations.

Dell Latitude And Inspiron

Several Dell manuals mark Fn+B as the Pause/Break action, particularly on Latitude laptops. Newer Inspiron guides show the same mapping on their “Keyboard function keys” pages, and some articles offer a registry hotkey method if your exact model lacks a printed label.

HP ProBook, EliteBook, And ZBook

HP’s business lines vary by model. On some ZBook devices, the Break action appears on Fn+R. You may also see Play/Pause media on F10; that’s separate from the legacy Pause function used by Windows shortcuts or developer tools.

Don’t See Any Label? Three Ways To Trigger The Action Anyway

If nothing on the keycaps hints at Pause or Break, try one of these routes that work on any modern Windows setup:

Use the On-Screen Keyboard. Hit Win+R, type osk, press Enter. Look for a key labeled Pause. Hold your physical modifiers (like Ctrl) if your task needs them, then click Pause in the on-screen window.
Map a spare key with PowerToys Keyboard Manager. If you hit these actions often, remap something like Right Alt+F12 to “Pause” and Right Alt+F11 to “Break.” It takes a minute and saves guesswork later.
Attach an external full-size keyboard. A compact laptop may hide legacy actions; a desktop-style board brings them back with dedicated keys.

How To Test That Your Shortcut Worked

Here are quick ways to prove the action fired, without any special tools:

System screen test: Press Win+Pause. Windows should jump to About. If it does, your Pause path is alive.
Console test: Launch Windows Terminal or Command Prompt and start a repeating command like ping -t 8.8.8.8. Then try your Break method. If the tool supports Break, the output should stop or the task should end. If not, use Ctrl+C to interrupt.

Windows Shortcut That Doubles As A Finder

If you only need the Pause action, memorize one combo: Win+Pause. It opens the About screen and proves your system recognizes a Pause event. That makes it the quickest way to test any remap or to confirm that a laptop still exposes the function under the hood.

Create Your Own Pause Or Break Key With PowerToys

A one-time remap pays off if you use debuggers, emulators, or terminal tools often. Microsoft’s free PowerToys includes Keyboard Manager, which can assign these actions to a friendly combo. Here’s a clean setup that works well on compact keyboards:

Install PowerToys from the Microsoft Store.
Open Keyboard Manager → Remap a key.
Add a mapping from Right Alt+F12 → Pause.
Add a mapping from Right Alt+F11 → Break.
Apply. Test with the methods above.

If PowerToys isn’t your style and you prefer a text-based approach, AutoHotkey can send a Pause signal from any combo you like. Drop the snippet below into a .ahk file and run it:

; Map Right Alt + F12 to Pause
RAlt & F12::Send {Pause}

; Map Right Alt + F11 to Break (Ctrl+Break)
RAlt & F11::Send {Ctrl down}{Break}{Ctrl up}

Tip: pick combos that won’t clash with your editor or IDE. Test by triggering the About screen or a long-running console task as shown earlier.

Mac And ChromeOS: What To Do Instead

macOS

Mac keyboards don’t include these legacy keys. If you’re using Microsoft Remote Desktop to control a Windows machine, the simplest path is to map a spare shortcut inside the Windows session (with PowerToys) or plug in an external USB keyboard when a debugger or emulator needs Break. That avoids guesswork across different Mac hardware layouts.

ChromeOS

Chromebooks ship without legacy locks and breakers. Use media keys for playback and consult Google’s official keyboard shortcuts list when you need system actions. For Windows-specific tasks inside a remote session, the Windows host’s mappings will still decide how Pause or Break gets handled.

When A Combo Still Doesn’t Work

If your laptop ignores every attempt, run this checklist to pinpoint the snag:

Toggle Fn Lock. Many laptops swap F-key behavior with Fn+Esc. If your top row is stuck on media icons, your Pause/Break combo may not register until you switch modes.
Update firmware and drivers. Out-of-date firmware can make special keys flaky. Pull the latest BIOS/UEFI and hotkey packages from your vendor’s support page.
Test with an external keyboard. If a desktop board’s dedicated Pause or Break work, the OS is fine and the issue lies with the laptop’s top-row mappings.
Use the on-screen route for one-off tasks. When you only need the action once, osk is faster than hunting for the perfect combo.

Table: Common Laptop Combos For Pause And Break

The table summarizes combos from vendor docs. If yours differs, check the manual for your exact model.

Brand/Model	Break Combo	Pause Combo / Notes
Lenovo ThinkPad (multiple models)	`Fn`+`B`	`Fn`+`P`
Dell Latitude / Inspiron (select models)	`Fn`+`B`	Some manuals show “Pause/Break” on the same combo
HP ZBook (select models)	`Fn`+`R`	Media Play/Pause often sits on F10; not the same as legacy Pause
Chromebook	Not present	Use media keys; see official shortcut list

Model-Specific Proof Sources

Here are two vendor pages that confirm the most-used shortcuts mentioned above. Link targets are the specific pages, not homepages, and open in a new tab:

Quick Reference: What To Try First

Use this order of operations to stop the hunt and get back to work:

Press Win+Pause. If About opens, the Pause action is available.
Try your brand’s likely combo: Fn+B (Break), Fn+P (Pause), or Fn+R on some HP models.
If those fail, open osk and click Pause, or map your own keys with PowerToys.
For frequent use, keep the remap so you never guess again.