How to Factory Reset Terminal on Mac [Bash and Zsh]

"What is Terminal on Mac?"

If you've worked as a software developer, IT engineer, or in related roles, you're likely very familiar with the Terminal app on a Mac. If you're unfamiliar with terminal interfaces, fear not, because this article has got you covered!

A Terminal is a tool that enables you to run scripts and system commands by typing them directly into your Mac instead of clicking on a desktop icon. On a Mac, the Terminal is referred to as CLI, short for Command Line Interface, which is used for the macOS base system. It is primarily utilized by advanced users and network administrators to execute actions that are not supported by the graphical user interface (GUI) of the operating system.

So, you're wondering how to reset the Terminal on macOS? Here are the top 2 methods for performing a factory reset on Terminal on your Mac, along with 3 ways to open Terminal on your Mac. Let's dive in!

How to Reset Terminal on Mac: Two Methods

As a versatile tool for managing your Mac, the Terminal can be accessed and reset using various methods. Here are the top 3 ways to open the Terminal on a Mac, and the top 2 ways to reset the Terminal if that's what you're looking for!

1. How to Launch the Terminal on Mac: Three Methods

Method 1: Open Terminal via Finder

The first method to open a Terminal on a Mac is through the Finder. To access Finder, ensure that the menu bar displays Finder and not any arbitrary application:

Step 1. Select "Go" and click "Utilities" from the menu bar.

Step 2. Double-click on "Terminal" once the Utilities folder opens.

Method 2: Open Terminal using Spotlight

Opening Terminal using Spotlight is the easiest and fastest method on a Mac. Here's how to do it: 1. Press the `Command` + `Space` keys together. This will launch Spotlight search. 2. In the Spotlight search bar that pops up, type "Terminal", and you should see the Terminal app icon show up in the search results. 3. Click on the Terminal app icon to open it right away. That's all there is to it! Your Terminal will be running.

Step 1. Click on the Spotlight search icon located in the menu bar. If you don't have this search button, you can use the keyboard shortcut Command + Space.

Step 2. Type "Terminal" in the search bar.

Step 3. You'll find the Terminal app under the "Top Hit" section. Double-click on "Terminal" to open it.

Method 3: Open Terminal using Siri

Another great way to open Terminal on a Mac is using Siri. Here are the steps: 1. Press and hold the Siri button on your Mac's keyboard or click the Siri icon in the menu bar, usually represented by a speech bubble. 2. Once Siri opens, say "Open Terminal" or type "Open Terminal" if you prefer to use the keyboard. 3. Siri will locate the Terminal app and display it. 4. Click on the "Open" button that appears next to the Terminal app's icon, or simply hit Enter if you typed the command. Terminal will then launch, ready for you to use.

Step 1. Press the Siri button to activate Siri, or you can open it from the Applications folder.

Step 2. You can also use its voice feature by simply saying "Open Terminal" into the microphone.

2. How to Perform a Factory Reset on a Mac?

There are two methods to reset your Terminal on a Mac, and you can effortlessly follow this guide to accomplish it. Here are the steps for resetting or hard resetting on a Mac. Prior to that, it's advisable to backup your crucial files using a data recovery tool to prevent unintentional data loss:

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Fix 1: Factory Reset Terminal on Mac using the Reset Option

How to perform a factory reset on the Terminal on a Mac? If you're concerned about this, there are primarily two methods to reset the Mac Terminal. You can either clear all the commands you've executed from the Terminal window or reset the shell. Follow the steps outlined below: 1. **Clear Terminal Commands:** - Open Terminal on your Mac (usually found in the Applications > Utilities folder). - In the Terminal window, type `clear` and press Enter. This will clear the current session's commands and display a fresh prompt. 2. **Reset the Shell (bash):** - In the Terminal, type `exec $SHELL -l` and press Enter. - This command restarts the current shell session, effectively resetting it. If you want to completely reset the Terminal to its default settings, follow these additional steps: 3. **Reset Terminal Preferences:** - Quit Terminal by clicking on Terminal in the menu bar and selecting "Quit Terminal" or using the keyboard shortcut `Command + Q`. - Open Terminal again. - Type ` defaults write com.apple.terminal ResetOnLaunch -bool true` and press Enter. - Close and reopen Terminal. This will launch it with default settings. 4. **Remove Customizations:** - Navigate to `~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.terminal.plist` in Finder. You might need to enable "Show Library Folder" in the View menu to access this location. - Move `com.apple.terminal.plist` to the Desktop as a backup. - Relaunch Terminal. It should now use the default profile without any customizations. 5. **Restore Backup (optional):** - If you want to revert to your previous settings, move the backed-up `com.apple.terminal.plist` back to `~/Library/Preferences/` and replace the new one. - Restart Terminal. Remember that resetting the Terminal will remove any custom configurations or profiles you've created. Always make a backup before making significant changes if needed.

Reset Terminal on Mac by Resetting the Shell

There are two ways to reset the shell: a normal reset and a hard reset.

Step 1. You need to open the Terminal application on your macOS.

Step 2. The Shell option must be selected, located in the menu bar.

Step 3. Next, select the "Reset" option from the menu, or you can press and hold the Option + Command + R keys on your Mac keyboard.

These steps will allow you to reset the Terminal state, but you won't see any difference on the Terminal screen.

Perform a Factory Reset on Mac using Hard Reset Shell

Each command will continue to appear in the Terminal window if you opt for the regular reset. However, a hard reset is your best option to clear the Terminal screen. To perform a hard reset on your Mac, follow these steps:

Step 1. You need to open the Terminal on your Mac.

Step 2. Likewise, select the Shell option from the menu bar.

Step 3. Instead of tapping on Reset, choose Hard Reset at this stage. Alternatively, you can press Control + Option + Command + R on your Mac's keyboard.

This hard reset option will erase everything from your Mac and clear the Terminal screen. Upon completion, you will see a black screen.

Fix 2: How to Reset Terminal Preferences on Mac in Library

For most users, performing a hard or soft reset of the shell resolves any issues with the Terminal software. If you have already reset your Mac's shell and are still unable to execute commands, try refreshing the Terminal Preferences.

There is a workaround since Apple doesn't officially provide an option to reset Terminal Preferences. This involves deleting the Terminal Preferences file from your Mac's Preferences folder. The steps are as follows:

Step 1. While keeping the "Option" key pressed, access the Library folder on your Mac. Immediately open the Library folder!

Step 2. You need to search for "Preferences" within the Library option and open it. This will display all the preference files for the applications installed on your Mac, allowing you to view them.

Step 4. Look for a file named "com.apple.Terminal.plist" within the preferences folder. If you can't locate it, tap on the search icon in the top left corner to search for the file by name.

Step 5. Once you've found the file, right-click on it and select "Transfer to Bin" from the context menu.

Step 6. At this point, you'll need to reopen Terminal to see your Mac's Terminal reset to its factory default settings.

Bonus Tip: How to Delete Files on Mac Using the Terminal

How to delete files on MacBook? Using the Terminal, you can quickly and easily remove multiple files at once or handle a troublesome file that won't delete from your Mac. The steps are as follows:

Step 1. Use the Finder window to open Applications, and then launch Utilities on your Mac to access Terminal.

Tip: You need to press Command + Space to activate Spotlight, then type "Terminal" and press Enter.

Step 2. It is recommended to type "rm" followed by a space in the Terminal window. Then, to delete a file, drag it into the Terminal.

Step 3. After pressing Enter, the file will be deleted permanently.

Recover Deleted Files from Terminal on Mac Using Software

Have you ever accidentally deleted files on your Mac? Are you now seeking to recover them and unsure how to proceed? You might have come across the concept of using Terminal to factory reset your Mac, but it's time to acquaint yourself with a professional file recovery tool. Yes, we're referring to tools Data Recovery Wizard for Mac! As the top-rated Mac data recovery software, it aids in restoring countless lost files following unintended deletion.

Are you aware that you can recover various files and folders in different data loss situations? The Mac Data Recovery Software data recovery software is capable of retrieving files of any size, ranging from a single Office Word document to a large collection of images stored on your Mac, and it can handle multiple data loss scenarios. Here are some common data loss cases:

• Formatting
• Hard drive damage
• macOS incorrectly retrieved
• Virus attack
• Partition errors
• Unmounted drive

On the other hand, various types of files can be retrieved using the Data Recovery Tool, as illustrated below:

• Photo - NEF, RAW, NRW, JPG/JPEG, and others.
• Music - OGG, AIF/AIFF, RealAudio, APE, etc.
• Document - PDF, DOC/DOCX, XLS/XLSX, etc.
• Video - RM(RMVB), MP4, 3GP, MXF, etc.

There are detailed operational steps:

Step 1. Search for Lost Files

Choose the disk location to search for missing files (it can be an internal HDD/SSD or an external storage device) on macOS Sierra, High Sierra, Mojave, Catalina, Big Sur, Monterey, Ventura, and the latest Sonoma. Click the "Search for lost files" button.

Heads up: Before you attempt data recovery, it's recommended to back up your Mac by clicking "Disk Backup" from the left sidebar to prevent further data loss. Once backed up, the software can restore data from the Mac backup, and your computer can then write new data again.

Step 2. Review the scanning results

Data Recovery Wizard for Mac will immediately scan your selected disk volume and display the scanning results.

Step 3. Select the file(s) and recover

In the scan results, select the file(s) you wish to preview and click the "Recover" button to retrieve them.

Summary: This text provides a brief summary of the content. It highlights the key points or main ideas in a concise manner, allowing readers to quickly grasp the essence without reading the entire text.

The Terminal program on Mac is an excellent tool for users who require executing operating system-level commands to perform specific tasks, troubleshoot issues, or gain deeper insights into their system.

A virtually limitless number of commands and scripts can be executed through the Terminal, which can be configured in various ways. You can always reset the Terminal on your Mac using the methods outlined above.

If you're wondering what will happen to the file you just deleted, don't worry about the deleted file. Should the files have been accidentally lost due to resetting the Terminal, you can swiftly recover them using a tool like Data Recovery Tool for Mac.

"Reset Terminal on Mac" FAQs

Below are the frequently asked questions (FAQs) to help you better understand how to reset the Terminal on a Mac:

1. Is the Mac Terminal the same as the command prompt? Yes, the Mac Terminal is similar to the command prompt on Windows. It is a text-based interface that allows users to interact with the operating system using commands. In Terminal, you can execute various commands, navigate through directories, and run programs, just like you would in the command prompt on a Windows system.

An interface of this kind is a command line, also referred to as a command prompt. A terminal emulator application, often called a terminal, runs a shell and facilitates command input. Within this context, the console is a window that displays open text-mode applications. You can manage your Mac using the Terminal app by interacting with the command prompt.

2. How to recover deleted files using Terminal on Mac?

You can recover deleted files from a hard drive using this guide, or you can recover deleted files on Mac through the Terminal with the assistance of Mac Trash recovery. The steps are as follows:

Step 1. On a Mac, open Utilities, and then launch Terminal. Next, type the following command: `cd .Trash` and press Return.

Step 2. Next, enter the command `ls -al ~/.Trash` to view the contents of your trash folder.

Step 3. Next, type mv filename../ and press Return again. You must include the entire file name in the command for it to work.

Step 4. Type "quit," and this command ends a Terminal session.

3. How do I reset my Terminal on macOS Ventura? To reset the Terminal on macOS Ventura, follow these steps: 1. Close all open Terminal windows. 2. Open Finder and navigate to the Applications folder. 3. Within the Applications folder, find and launch Utilities. 4. In the Utilities folder, locate and open Terminal. 5. In the Terminal window, type the following command and press Enter: ``` sudo rm -rf /Library/Preferences/com.apple.terminal.plist ``` This will remove the settings file for Terminal. 6. Next, enter your macOS administrator password when prompted and press Enter again. 7. Terminal will now restart with default settings. Please note that this process will erase any customizations or profiles you've made in Terminal. If you want to keep a backup of your preferences, you can copy the `com.apple.terminal.plist` file to another location before resetting.

On your macOS Ventura, open the Terminal application. To do this, click on "Shell" in the menu bar and then choose "Reset" from the dropdown options. Alternatively, you can use the keyboard shortcut Option+Command+R to restart the Terminal.

4. Should I use Bash or Zsh on Mac Terminal? Whether you should use Bash or Zsh on your Mac Terminal ultimately depends on your personal preferences and specific needs. Here's a brief overview of both: - **Bash (Bourne-Again SHell)**: Bash is the default shell for many Linux distributions and was also the default on macOS until macOS Catalina (10.15), where it was replaced by Zsh. It's widely used, has a large user base, and many tutorials and scripts are written with Bash in mind. - **Zsh (Z Shell)**: Zsh is a more advanced and feature-rich shell compared to Bash. It includes many built-in enhancements, such as autocompletion, syntax highlighting, and improved command history. It's highly customizable with a wide range of plugins and themes available through frameworks like Oh My Zsh. If you're new to terminal usage or prefer stability and widespread compatibility, Bash might be a good choice. However, if you're looking for additional features and a more modern shell experience, Zsh could be the way to go. You can easily switch between the two, and since Zsh is now the default on recent versions of macOS, it might be worth giving it a try first.

The Z shell, commonly referred to as zsh, is a Unix-based terminal that expands upon the capabilities of Bash, which is the default shell in macOS. This is why it is often recommended to use zsh over bash. Zsh offers more features since it was built upon the foundation of Bash.

The native shell for Kali Linux and macOS is Zsh. It provides various features such as plugin support, enhanced customization, theme support, spell checking, and more, granting users maximum control over their environment.