A handheld work apparatus has a tool and a brake assembly for the tool. The brake assembly has an actuating element which acts on a brake element of the brake assembly. The actuating element is movable between a fixed position wherein the tool is not braked, and a released position, wherein the brake element brakes the tool. To fix the actuating element in the fixed position, an electromagnet is provided. The electromagnet interacts with an anchor on the actuating element. The anchor is mounted via a pivot joint on an anchor pin to be pivotable about a pivot axis. A guide includes a guide part connected to the anchor and a guide part connected to the yoke, wherein, in the fixed position of the actuating element, the guide parts guide the anchor relative to the yoke in a transverse direction of an outrigger of the apparatus.