How do I clear/delete the current line in terminal?

951
votes

If I'm using terminal and typing in a line of text for a command, is there a hotkey or any way to clear/delete that line?

For example, if my current line/command is something really long like:

> git log --graph --all --blah..uh oh i want to cancel and clear this line <cursor is here now>

Is there a hotkey or command to go from the above to:

>

?

Usually I will press the ↓ key, and if my current line is a brand new one on the history, that will clear it. But if I'm going through my command history via the ↑ key and start editing or using those commands, ↓ will only change the prompt to the next newest command in history, so it doesn't work here unless I press ↓ multiple times.

15
bashterminal
Shortcuts to Move Faster in Bash Command Line This page is more illustrative and explains better I think - Gab是好人
FYI How can I clear the current line of the Windows command prompt? - Franck Dernoncourt
Possible duplicate of In bash, how does one clear the current input? - Cas
You will find a solution to your problem here https://askubuntu.com/questions/470966/shortcut-to-clear-command-line-terminal - HayadS DZ

15 Answers

1781
votes

You can use Ctrl+U to clear up to the beginning.

You can use Ctrl+W to delete just a word.

You can also use Ctrl+C to cancel.

If you want to keep the history, you can use Alt+Shift+# to make it a comment.

Bash Emacs Editing Mode Cheat Sheet

653
votes

Just to summarise all the answers:

  • Clean up the line: You can use Ctrl+U to clear up to the beginning.
  • Clean up the line: Ctrl+E Ctrl+U to wipe the current line in the terminal
  • Clean up the line: Ctrl+A Ctrl+K to wipe the current line in the terminal
  • Cancel the current command/line: Ctrl+C.
  • Recall the deleted command: Ctrl+Y (then Alt+Y)
  • Go to beginning of the line: Ctrl+A
  • Go to end of the line: Ctrl+E
  • Remove the forward words for example, if you are middle of the command: Ctrl+K
  • Remove characters on the left, until the beginning of the word: Ctrl+W
  • To clear your entire command prompt: Ctrl + L
  • Toggle between the start of line and current cursor position: Ctrl + XX
206
votes

I have the complete shortcuts list:

  1. Ctrl+a Move cursor to start of line
  2. Ctrl+e Move cursor to end of line
  3. Ctrl+b Move back one character
  4. Alt+b Move back one word
  5. Ctrl+f Move forward one character
  6. Alt+f Move forward one word
  7. Ctrl+d Delete current character
  8. Ctrl+w Cut the last word
  9. Ctrl+k Cut everything after the cursor
  10. Alt+d Cut word after the cursor
  11. Alt+w Cut word before the cursor
  12. Ctrl+y Paste the last deleted command
  13. Ctrl+_ Undo
  14. Ctrl+u Cut everything before the cursor
  15. Ctrl+xx Toggle between first and current position
  16. Ctrl+l Clear the terminal
  17. Ctrl+c Cancel the command
  18. Ctrl+r Search command in history - type the search term
  19. Ctrl+j End the search at current history entry
  20. Ctrl+g Cancel the search and restore original line
  21. Ctrl+n Next command from the History
  22. Ctrl+p previous command from the History
27
votes

Ctrl+A, Ctrl+K to wipe the current line in the terminal. You can then recall it with Ctrl+Y if you need.

17
votes

or if your using vi mode, hit Esc followed by cc

to get back what you just erased, Esc and then p :)

12
votes

I'm not sure if you love it but I use Ctrl+A (to go beginning the line) and Ctrl+K (to delete the line) I was familiar with these commands from emacs, and figured out them accidently.

11
votes

An alternative to Ctrl+A, Ctrl+K is Ctrl+E, Ctrl+U.

7
votes

Another nice complete list:

TERMINAL Shortcuts Lists:

Left            Move back one character
Right           Move forward one character
Ctrl+b          Move back one character
Ctrl+f          Move forward one character

Alt+Left        Move back one word
Alt+Right       Move forward one word
Alt+b           Move back one word
Alt+f           Move forward one word

Cmd+Left        Move cursor to start of line
Cmd+Right       Move cursor to end of line
Ctrl+a          Move cursor to start of line
Ctrl+e          Move cursor to end of line

Ctrl+d          Delete character after cursor
Backspace       Delete character before cursor

Alt+Backspace   Delete word before cursor
Ctrl+w          Delete word before cursor
Alt+w           Delete word before the cursor
Alt+d           Delete word after the cursor

Cmd+Backspace   Delete everything before the cursor
Ctrl+u          Delete everything before the cursor
Ctrl+k          Delete everything after the cursor

Ctrl+l          Clear the terminal

Ctrl+c          Cancel the command
Ctrl+y          Paste the last deleted command
Ctrl+_          Undo

Ctrl+r          Search command in history - type the search term
Ctrl+j          End the search at current history entry and run command
Ctrl+g          Cancel the search and restore original line

Up              previous command from the History
Down            Next command from the History
Ctrl+n          Next command from the History
Ctrl+p          previous command from the History

Ctrl+xx         Toggle between first and current position
6
votes
  • Ctrl+u: move up to the beginning of your line to a ring buffer
  • Ctrl+k: move up to the end of your line to a ring buffer

  • Ctrl+w: move characters and (multiple) words left from your cursor to a ring buffer

  • Ctrl+y: insert last entry from your ring buffer and then you can use Alt+y to rotate through your ring buffer. Press multiple times to continue to "previous" entry in ring buffer.

4
votes

CTRL+R and start typing to search for previous commands in history. Will show full lines.
CTRL+R again to cycle.

4
votes

To delete the whole line no matter where the cursor is, you can use the kill-whole-line command, but it is unbound by default. It can be bound to, for example, Ctrl+Alt+K by inserting

"\e\C-k": kill-whole-line

into your Readline init file (conventionally ~/.inputrc).

Various remarks:

  • To avoid accidentally re-assigning a key sequence that is already in use for something else, you can check all your bindings with bind -P. Check for the suggested binding with

    bind -P | grep '\\e\\C-k'
  • The Readline init file name is is taken from the shell variable INPUTRC. If it is unset, the default is ~/.inputrc, or (if that doesn't exist) /etc/inputrc. Notice that if you have ~/.inputrc, /etc/inputrc will be ignored.
  • To reload your Readline init file, you can use Ctrl+X Ctrl+R.
  • Links to relevant manual sections:
3
votes

In order to clean the whole line (2 different ways):

  • Home , Ctrl+K
  • End , Ctrl+U
2
votes

Add to the list:

In Emacs mode, hit Esc, followed by R, will delete the whole line.

I don't know why, just happens to find it. Maybe it's not used for delete line but happens to have the same effect. If someone knows, please tell me, thanks :)

Works in Bash, but won't work in Fish.

2
votes

Ctrl+W will clear the word to the left.

0
votes

Alt+# comments out the current line. It will be available in history if needed.