# Breakpoint Suspend Policy

A breapoint's suspend policy determines what should be suspended when a breakpoint is hit.

There are two options for Java breakpoints:

- Suspend thread - suspends only the thread that encountered the breakpoint
- Suspend VM - suspends the entire VM when the breakpoint is encountered

This option can be changed in the Breakpoints View detail pane, with the Breakpoint Properties..., or by right-clicking a breakpoint.

You can also change the default setting for the suspend policy for all newly created breakpoints.

To do this go to the Java >Debug preference page and change it there.

### Related concepts

Breakpoints

### Related tasks

Adding breakpoints
Removing breakpoints
Launching a Java program
Running and debugging

### Related references

Enabled Option
Hit Count