Terminal · Clear the screen
Screen
Windows · Linux
Ctrl+LMac
Ctrl+LBoth systems use the same combination.
Wipes the screen and moves the prompt to the top; the line you were typing survives and the scrollback is still there.
- Group
- Screen
- Keys held
- 2
In a terminal Ctrl+C is not copy; it interrupts whatever is running. Copy is Ctrl+Shift+C in Windows Terminal and Cmd+C on a Mac.
Reading the key names
- Keys joined by + are pressed together: Ctrl+Shift+P means hold Ctrl and Shift, then P.
- On a Mac, Cmd is ⌘, Option is ⌥ (labelled Alt on some keyboards), Control is ⌃ and Shift is ⇧.
- Windows Ctrl usually becomes Cmd on a Mac, but not always — this reference lists both combinations separately.
- With a Korean, Japanese or Chinese input method active, shortcuts built on letter keys may not fire. Switch to Latin input and try again.
- When a combination does nothing, another program has often claimed it as a global shortcut first.
Common questions
Q. What is the shortcut for Clear the screen in Terminal?
Wipes the screen and moves the prompt to the top; the line you were typing survives and the scrollback is still there. It is Ctrl+L on Windows and Ctrl+L on a Mac.
Q. Is it the same on Windows and Mac?
Yes, Ctrl+L on both.
Q. How many keys is that?
2 pressed together. The combination sits under Screen in Terminal.