How to use basic screen commands on Linux

List screen sessions:

screen -ls

Name and open new screen session:

screen -S session_name

Reattach screen session:

screen -r sessions_name

Screen shortcuts

Split screen

New split

• Ctrl + a then | : vertical split.
• Ctrl + a then S : horizontal split.

Close split

• Ctrl + a then X : closes active split.
• Ctrl + a then Q : closes all splits.

Move around splits

• Ctrl + a then n : navigate between window sessions (lowest to highest index).
• Ctrl + a then Tab : move input cursor to the next split area.

New command

• Ctrl + a then c : create a new window within the current screen instance.

Other

• Ctrl + a then d : detach from the session and return to the original shell. Screen continues running in the background.
• Ctrl + a then x : lock the screen session with a password.

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