How to clean the Command Prompt screen

This article explains how to clean the screen in the Command Prompt application on Windows. You can use a simple command or just close and reopen the Command Prompt. The article also has an extra section at the end of this tutorial to delete a line, character or word.

Clean up the Command Prompt screen with one command

Unlike many things on a computer, there isn’t some way to clear the screen in Command Prompt. But there is a basic command that will remove the screen’s history. Enter the following command and press Enter:

cls

Then you’ll have a nice and clean Command Prompt screen where you can start doing new things.

Clear the screen by closing and reopening the Command Prompt

If for some reason you cannot use the above command to clear the screen, simply close and then reopen the Command Prompt.

Just close Command Prompt by clicking X in the top right corner of the window. You can also right-click the icon on the Taskbar and select Close Window.

Then reopen it as usual and you’re back with a completely clean screen.

To quickly exit and close Command Prompt at the same time, type: exit and press Enter.

See also: Delete text on the Command Prompt screen

You probably don’t need to clear the entire Command Prompt screen, but just the current line or some text in it. Here are some useful keys to keep in mind.

• Escape: Delete the current line of text. This will clear the text and move your cursor back to the prompt.
• Backspace: Deletes a character to the left of the cursor.
• Ctrl + Backspace: Delete a word to the left of the cursor.
• Ctrl +: Stop the line you are typing or the command you are running and go to the new prompt on the next line.

If you are new to using Command Prompt on Windows, check out some useful Command Prompt tips that Quantrimang.com Have synthesized.