Start a new session with session name screen -S
List running sessions / screens screen -ls
Attach to a running session screen -x
Attach to a running session with name screen -r
Detach a running session screen -d
Kill a running session screen -X -S [session # you want to kill] kill
Quit a running session screen -X -S [session # you want to quit ] quit
All screen commands are prefixed by an escape key, by default Ctrl-a (that’s Control-a, sometimes written ^a).
To send a literal Ctrl-a to the programs in screen, use Ctrl-a a. This is useful when when working with screen within screen.
For example Ctrl-a a n will move screen to a new window on the screen within screen.
detach Ctrl-a d
detach and logout (quick exit) Ctrl-a D D
exit screen Ctrl-a : quit or exit all of the programs in screen.
force-exit screen Ctrl-a C- (not recommended)
See help Ctrl-a ? (Lists keybindings)
Create new window Ctrl-a c
Change to last-visited active window Ctrl-a Ctrl-a (commonly used to flip-flop between two windows)
Change to window by number Ctrl-a
Change to window by number or name Ctrl-a ’
Change to next window in list Ctrl-a n or Ctrl-a
Change to previous window in list Ctrl-a p or Ctrl-a
See window list Ctrl-a " (allows you to select a window to change to)
Show window bar Ctrl-a w (if you don’t have window bar)
Kill current window Ctrl-a k (not recommended)
Kill all windows Ctrl-a (not recommended)
Rename current window Ctrl-a A
Split display horizontally Ctrl-a S
To get a vertical split use:
C-a | // Create a split
C-a
C-a c // Create a new window within the split
Jump to next display region Ctrl-a tab
Remove current region Ctrl-a X
Remove all regions but the current one Ctrl-a Q
Redraw window Ctrl-a C-l
Enter copy mode Ctrl-a [ or Ctrl-a
Paste Ctrl-a ]
Monitor window for activity Ctrl-a M
Monitor window for silence Ctrl-a _
Enter digraph (for producing non-ASCII characters) Ctrl-a Ctrl-v
Lock (password protect) display Ctrl-a x
Enter screen command Ctrl-a :
Enable logging in the screen session Ctrl-a H