diff --git a/components/src/stores/vm.store.ts b/components/src/stores/vm.store.ts
index 8fbddd131..f7c8d9e35 100644
--- a/components/src/stores/vm.store.ts
+++ b/components/src/stores/vm.store.ts
@@ -314,6 +314,9 @@ export function makeVmStore(
         return true;
       }
     },
+    setPaused(paused = true) {
+      vm.setPaused(paused);
+    },
     step() {
       showHighlight = true;
       try {
diff --git a/simulator/src/vm/os/keyboard.ts b/simulator/src/vm/os/keyboard.ts
index 5eb6ada58..76fcb9099 100644
--- a/simulator/src/vm/os/keyboard.ts
+++ b/simulator/src/vm/os/keyboard.ts
@@ -29,13 +29,15 @@ export class KeyboardLib {
 
       let exit = false;
 
-      if (!pressed && this.keyPressed() !== 0) {
-        pressed = true;
-        c = this.keyPressed();
-      }
-      if (pressed && this.keyPressed() === 0) {
-        exit = true;
-        resolve(c);
+      if (!this.os.paused) {
+        if (!pressed && this.keyPressed() !== 0) {
+          pressed = true;
+          c = this.keyPressed();
+        }
+        if (pressed && this.keyPressed() === 0) {
+          exit = true;
+          resolve(c);
+        }
       }
 
       if (!exit) {
@@ -73,34 +75,38 @@ export class KeyboardLib {
 
       let exit = false;
 
-      if (!pressed && this.keyPressed() != 0) {
-        pressed = true;
-        c = this.keyPressed();
-      }
-      if (pressed && this.keyPressed() == 0) {
-        pressed = false;
-        // key was released
-        if (c == BACKSPACE) {
-          if (this.os.string.length(str) > 0) {
-            this.os.output.backspace();
-          }
-          this.os.string.eraseLastChar(str);
-        } else if (c == NEW_LINE) {
-          resolve(str);
-          exit = true;
-        } else {
-          this.os.string.appendChar(str, c);
-          if (this.os.sys.halted) {
-            resolve(0);
+      if (!this.os.paused) {
+        if (!pressed && this.keyPressed() != 0) {
+          pressed = true;
+          c = this.keyPressed();
+        }
+        if (pressed && this.keyPressed() == 0) {
+          pressed = false;
+          // key was released
+          if (c == BACKSPACE) {
+            if (this.os.string.length(str) > 0) {
+              this.os.output.backspace();
+            }
+            this.os.string.eraseLastChar(str);
+          } else if (c == NEW_LINE) {
+            resolve(str);
+            exit = true;
+          } else {
+            this.os.string.appendChar(str, c);
+            if (this.os.sys.halted) {
+              resolve(0);
+            }
+            this.os.output.printChar(c);
+            this.os.output.drawCursor();
           }
-          this.os.output.printChar(c);
-          this.os.output.drawCursor();
         }
       }
+
       if (!exit) {
         this.animationFrameId = requestAnimationFrame(loop);
       }
     };
+
     loop();
   }
 
diff --git a/simulator/src/vm/os/os.ts b/simulator/src/vm/os/os.ts
index ef13b033c..e6ebaa8f0 100644
--- a/simulator/src/vm/os/os.ts
+++ b/simulator/src/vm/os/os.ts
@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@ export class OS {
   keyboard: KeyboardLib;
   sys: SysLib;
 
+  paused = false;
+
   constructor(memory: VmMemory) {
     this.vmMemory = memory;
     this.screen = new ScreenLib(this.vmMemory, this);
diff --git a/simulator/src/vm/vm.ts b/simulator/src/vm/vm.ts
index a7cedf1a3..189084950 100644
--- a/simulator/src/vm/vm.ts
+++ b/simulator/src/vm/vm.ts
@@ -615,6 +615,10 @@ export class Vm {
     }
   }
 
+  setPaused(paused = true) {
+    this.os.paused = paused;
+  }
+
   step(): number | undefined {
     if (this.os.sys.halted) {
       return this.os.sys.exitCode;
diff --git a/web/src/pages/vm.tsx b/web/src/pages/vm.tsx
index 960a90b4a..c7262175e 100644
--- a/web/src/pages/vm.tsx
+++ b/web/src/pages/vm.tsx
@@ -100,6 +100,7 @@ const VM = () => {
       }
 
       override toggle() {
+        actions.setPaused(!this.running);
         dispatch.current({ action: "update" });
       }
     })();
@@ -119,6 +120,7 @@ const VM = () => {
       }
 
       override toggle() {
+        actions.setPaused(!this.running);
         dispatch.current({ action: "update" });
       }
     })();