How to Clear the Terminal Screen in Cisco Packet Tracer (Easy CLI Guide)

 

When practicing networking labs in Cisco Packet Tracer, the terminal can quickly become cluttered with commands and outputs. Knowing how to clear the terminal screen properly helps improve readability, efficiency, and focus—especially for CCNA students and beginner network engineers.

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How to Clear Terminal in Cisco Packet Tracer

Cisco Packet Tracer uses Cisco IOS, not Windows CMD. Therefore, standard Windows commands like cls will not work.

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Method 1: Clear Screen Using Cisco CLI Command

This is the most commonly used and reliable method.

clear

Press Enter, and the terminal screen will be cleared immediately.

Supported devices:

• Routers
• Switches
• Layer 3 switches
• PC Command Prompt (inside Packet Tracer)

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Method 2: Clear Screen Using Keyboard Shortcut

For faster workflow during labs:

Ctrl + L

This shortcut refreshes and clears the terminal screen instantly.

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Clearing PC Command Prompt in Packet Tracer

If you are using a PC → Desktop → Command Prompt inside Cisco Packet Tracer:

• Use:

clear

or

Ctrl + L

Windows CMD command cls does not work inside Packet Tracer PCs.

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Common Mistakes to Avoid

The following commands do not clear the Cisco Packet Tracer terminal:

• cls ❌
• clear screen ❌
• reset ❌

These commands are either Windows-specific or serve a different purpose in Cisco IOS.

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Why Clearing the Terminal Matters

• Keeps long configurations readable
• Reduces confusion during troubleshooting
• Improves lab documentation and screenshots
• Saves time during CCNA practice

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Quick Reference Table

Purpose	Command
Clear Cisco terminal	clear
Clear using shortcut	Ctrl + L
Windows CMD only	cls

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Conclusion

Clearing the terminal screen in Cisco Packet Tracer is simple but essential. By using the clear command or the Ctrl + L shortcut, you can maintain a clean workspace and work more efficiently during networking labs and CCNA exam preparation.