Code & computing / QUICK REFERENCE
GNU screen
Keep remote work attached to a persistent session and navigate windows, regions and scrollback.
Start and reattach
- Start a session
screenOpens the first window of a new session. [1]
- Name a new session
screen -S workGives the session a recognizable label. [1]
- List sessions
screen -lsShows detached and attached sessions. [1]
- Reattach a named session
screen -r workReconnects when a matching detached session exists. [1]
- Create or resume
screen -R workReattaches a suitable session or starts one. [1]
- Detach this display
- Ctrl+a, d
Leaves session windows running. [1]
- Detach elsewhere and reattach
screen -d -r workDisconnects the previous display; coordinate with collaborators. [1]
- Check the version
screen --versionIdentifies the installed Screen release. [1]
Work with multiple windows
- Create a window
- Ctrl+a, c
Starts another shell window. [2]
- Next window
- Ctrl+a, n
Advances through windows. [2]
- Previous window
- Ctrl+a, p
Moves back through windows. [2]
- Toggle last window
- Ctrl+a, Ctrl+a
Swaps between the current and previous window. [2]
- Select window zero
- Ctrl+a, 0
Selects window number 0. [2]
- Choose from window list
- Ctrl+a, "
Opens the interactive window list. [2]
- Show window summary
- Ctrl+a, w
Displays window numbers and titles. [2]
- Set window title
- Ctrl+a, A
Prompts for a new title; uppercase A matters. [2]
Split the display into regions
- Split top and bottom
- Ctrl+a, S
Uppercase S creates another display region. [2]
- Split left and right
- Ctrl+a, |
Creates side-by-side regions when supported. [2]
- Move to next region
- Ctrl+a, Tab
Changes which region receives input. [2]
- Remove this region
- Ctrl+a, X
Removes the viewport, not its running window. [2]
- Keep only this region
- Ctrl+a, Q
Removes other viewports from the display. [2]
- Put a window in a region
- Ctrl+a, " then select a window
Choose what the focused region displays. [2]
- Resize current region
- Ctrl+a, : then resize +5
Grows the current region where layout permits. [2]
- Balance regions
- Ctrl+a, : then resize =
Gives regions comparable sizes. [2]
Scrollback, help and terminal controls
- Enter copy/scrollback mode
- Ctrl+a, [
Navigate the saved terminal output. [2]
- Start and finish selection
- Space, move, Space
Marks a range in the default copy mode. [2]
- Paste the saved selection
- Ctrl+a, ]
Sends the buffer to the current window. [2]
- Send literal Ctrl+a
- Ctrl+a, a
Useful for readline in a nested shell. [2]
- Open command prompt
- Ctrl+a, :
Accepts Screen commands. [2]
- Show bindings
- Ctrl+a, ?
Displays help for the installed key map. [2]
- Redraw the screen
- Ctrl+a, l
Lowercase l refreshes a disrupted display. [2]
- Show session information
- Ctrl+a, i
Displays information about the active window. [2]
Reserved placement, separate from reference controls. No ad network is active.
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Sources
cheatsheetatlas.com/sheets/screen/ · Updated 2026-10-19 · GNU Screen 4.x / 5.x · default bindings