⏸️ Pause Button emoji meaning
⏸️ means pause, wait, or take a break, used when someone wants to stop something for a moment or hold a conversation. The Apple artwork shows two white vertical bars on a blue-gray rounded square.
U+23F8 U+FE0F
Download size
Similar emojis
More emojis: Symbols
As a Coupang Partners affiliate, this site earns a commission from qualifying purchases.
What ⏸️ means
People use ⏸️ to say "hold on", to mark a break from work, social media or a show, or to put a plan on hold. It is neutral in tone. It suggests a temporary stop that will resume later, unlike a full stop or ending.
In texting
A single ⏸️ usually means "wait a second" or "give me a minute". It can also mean the sender is stepping away and will come back to the chat.
On Instagram and TikTok
In captions or bios it often signals a break from posting. In videos it can tell viewers to pause at a certain moment to see a detail.
⏸️ How people use it
- Asking someone to wait a moment
- Announcing a break from social media
- Putting a plan or project on hold
- Telling viewers to pause a video
Example messages
⏸️ one sec, someone's at the door
Taking a little social media break ⏸️ see you soon
Wedding plans ⏸️ until we sort the budget
Pause here ⏸️ and look at the background
Common ⏸️ combinations
- ⏸️▶️Paused and now resuming, back to it
- ⏸️📱Taking a break from the phone or social media
⏸️ vs similar emojis
| ⏸️ vs ⏹️ | ⏹️ means stop completely, while ⏸️ means a temporary pause. |
|---|---|
| ⏸️ vs ⏯️ | ⏯️ is the combined play or pause toggle, while ⏸️ only shows pause. |
Emoji details
| Name | pause button |
|---|---|
| Codepoints | U+23F8 U+FE0F |
| Category | Symbols |
| Keywords | bar, button, double, pause, vertical |
How to use
Search
Find emojis by name or keyword (e.g. "smile", "heart", "fire").
Sizes
32, 64, 128, 256 and 512px transparent PNGs. Get all five in one ZIP.
Skin tones and genders
People emojis include five skin tones and gender variants as separate images.
Usage
Apple emoji artwork is Apple's property. Use for personal or non-commercial purposes; check Apple's policy for commercial use.
FAQ
What does the ⏸️ pause button emoji mean?
⏸️ means pause, wait, or take a break, used when someone wants to stop something for a moment or hold a conversation. The Apple artwork shows two white vertical bars on a blue-gray rounded square.
How do you reply to ⏸️?
You can simply reply "ok, take your time" or send ▶️ later to ask if they are ready to continue. It is not a rude or serious signal in most chats.
Does ⏸️ mean a relationship break?
It can, if the context is about the relationship, meaning the person wants time apart without fully ending things. In most chats it just means wait or take a short break.
Are the backgrounds transparent?
Yes, every PNG has a transparent background.