How to reset Terminal to initial settings?

Hi all,

I lately have been trying to learn programming through online sources (particularly YouTube). I managed to fiddle around with the terminal application successfully but I am afraid I have done some damage. Since my knowledge of computers is so small, I don't know what I have done. I just know that it is not behaving the way tutorials expect it to.

I would like to reset the Terminal to how it was without me touching it. Is there away to delete my progress and start fresh?

Thanks.

MacBook Air, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.2)

Posted on Dec 31, 2012 9:05 PM

Top-ranking reply

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,739 points

Posted on Dec 31, 2012 11:57 PM

Assuming that you haven't changed anything outside your home folder, and that you're using the default shell, you can reset the shell to its defaults by running this command:

rm -i ~/.profile ~/.bash*

and you can reset the Terminal application by deleting this file:

~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.Terminal.plist

Quit Terminal and relaunch.

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18 replies

hljiang

Level 1

0 points

Jan 25, 2014 8:37 PM in response to Linc Davis

Thank you so much! Save my one day time!

WelshDog

Level 1

18 points

Aug 1, 2016 12:42 PM in response to BobHarris

Thanks Bob that worked. I had found the same article once I understood what I was seeing thanks to you.

hakem001

Level 1

4 points

Nov 21, 2016 3:39 PM in response to joefolino

How's is this done in version 10.12

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How to reset Terminal to initial settings?