A device 1 for gripping and holding substrates 2 with one or several substrate holders 5 arranged in a vacuum chamber 4, 4', 4" and one or several displaceably arranged grippers 3, which can be displaced into a first position through the action of an operating pressure or against the action of a spring 6, and into a second position through the action of a diaphragm 7, which can be exposed to a pneumatic pressure P.sub.a and/or to an operating element 8 cooperating with it, wherein the substrate 2 is held when the diaphragm is in a first position and the substrate 2 is released for being further transported when the diaphragm is in a second position. The diaphragm 7 is integrated into the vacuum chamber in such a way that in an operating position it is exposed to atmospheric pressure P.sub.a on the one side 9 and on the other side 10 to vacuum pressure P.sub.v, and in a second position is exposed to vacuum pressure P.sub.v on both sides.