Your keyboard is a fairly clear kingdom: There is the council of elders, consisting of W, A, S and of course the indispensable D. Then there is the space character, which interferes in every written conversation without being asked, the enter key, which always is there when a decision has to be made. And if all else fails, the escape key is ready.
But the pause button, do you need it? Let’s be honest, most of us can probably count on one hand how many times it’s been used in the last decade. That’s why we went on a search for the meaning and purpose of the pause button for you. So much can already be revealed: neither on Spotify nor in the VLC Media Player or on YouTube is it of any use to you.
That’s what the pause button is for
The pause button is a relic – there’s no other way to put it. In the early days of MS-DOS, it was originally used to pause command line programs or, in combination with the Ctrl key, to end them altogether.
Modern software hardly ever makes use of this pause function. Nevertheless, there are still a number of potential applications today:
- You can indeed pause the execution of some games and applications, especially older ones, have fun trying them out!
- In some programming languages, the pause button can still play a role
- Other Windows shortcuts, such as opening System Info (Windows key + Pause)
If you don’t know where the pause button is at first glance, you should take a look at the top right of your keyboard. You should find what you are looking for around the print and scroll keys, and you can also use the English name Break
Even modern gaming keyboards still don’t do without the pause button, although the majority of users no longer need it.
If you can’t find a pause button, don’t worry: Notebooks and compact keyboard layouts in particular, such as the TKL variant (without a number pad) popular with gamers, often do without a dedicated pause button due to their design.
However, you can still use their function, with a keyboard shortcut that varies depending on the manufacturer, but always includes the FN key. Try the following variants:
- FN + Ctrl + P
- FN + Ctrl + B
- FN + Alt + P
- UN + P
- FN + B
You can often find the pause function as a secondary label on another key. Just keep your eyes peeled for it and you should find what you are looking for – even if it cannot be assumed that you have really missed it until now.
And what about the scroll button?
Now you’re a whole lot smarter about the pause button, but there are other conspecifics whose usefulness you may have always questioned. Our hardware guru Alex knows all his keys personally and has therefore also taken on the topic:
What is the “scroll” key good for?
And if after reading this you still haven’t quenched your thirst for knowledge, we have another article for you in which we explain the meaning of five more keys.
Can you think of any other questions about computer hardware that may sound terribly simple, but whose answer has always interested you? Then feel free to write us in the comments and we will be happy to take on this task!
