> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://api.smartlead.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Pause Lead

> Temporarily pause email sending for a specific lead in a campaign

<Note>
  Pausing a lead stops all scheduled emails. The lead status changes to `PAUSED` and any drafted emails are marked as `STOPPED`.
</Note>

## Path Parameters

<ParamField path="campaign_id" type="number" required>
  The campaign ID containing the lead
</ParamField>

<ParamField path="lead_id" type="number" required>
  The lead ID to pause
</ParamField>

## Query Parameters

<ParamField query="api_key" type="string" required>
  Your SmartLead API key
</ParamField>

<RequestExample>
  ```bash cURL theme={null}
  curl -X POST "https://server.smartlead.ai/api/v1/campaigns/123/leads/456/pause?api_key=YOUR_KEY"
  ```

  ```python Python theme={null}
  import requests

  API_KEY = "YOUR_API_KEY"
  campaign_id = 123
  lead_id = 456

  response = requests.post(
      f"https://server.smartlead.ai/api/v1/campaigns/{campaign_id}/leads/{lead_id}/pause",
      params={"api_key": API_KEY}
  )

  result = response.json()
  if result.get('ok'):
      print(f"Lead {lead_id} paused successfully")
  ```

  ```javascript JavaScript theme={null}
  const API_KEY = 'YOUR_API_KEY';
  const campaignId = 123;
  const leadId = 456;

  const response = await fetch(
    `https://server.smartlead.ai/api/v1/campaigns/${campaignId}/leads/${leadId}/pause?api_key=${API_KEY}`,
    { method: 'POST' }
  );

  const result = await response.json();
  if (result.ok) {
    console.log(`Lead ${leadId} paused successfully`);
  }
  ```
</RequestExample>

## Response Codes

<ResponseField name="200" type="Success">
  Lead paused successfully
</ResponseField>

<ResponseField name="401" type="Unauthorized">
  Invalid or missing API key
</ResponseField>

<ResponseField name="404" type="Not Found">
  Campaign not found or you don't have access to it
</ResponseField>

<ResponseField name="500" type="Internal Server Error">
  Server error occurred
</ResponseField>

<ResponseExample>
  ```json 200 - Success theme={null}
  {
    "ok": true,
    "data": "success"
  }
  ```

  ```json 401 - Unauthorized theme={null}
  {
    "message": "Invalid API Key"
  }
  ```

  ```json 404 - Not Found theme={null}
  {
    "error": "Campaign not found - Invalid campaign_id."
  }
  ```
</ResponseExample>

## Behavior Notes

<Info>
  When a lead is paused:

  * Lead status changes to `PAUSED`
  * The `next_timestamp_to_reach` is cleared
  * All drafted emails for this lead are marked as `STOPPED`
  * No new emails will be scheduled until the lead is resumed
</Info>

## Related Endpoints

* [Resume Lead](/api-reference/leads/resume)
* [Delete Lead](/api-reference/leads/delete)
* [Get Campaign Leads](/api-reference/leads/get-by-campaign)