Clear may refer to any of the following:

  1. Clear describes removing all text or images from a section of the screen. When working with text, a user may use the backspace or delete key on their keyboard to clear any text. Users trying to clear all the information on their screen at a command prompt may use the “cls” command in MS-DOS or “clear” command in Linux and Unix.

  2. When referring to a button or key on a keyboard, the clear key is a key found on Apple computers with numeric pads. It clears input like the C button does on a calculator. Other keyboards may replace the delete or Del key with a clear button that performs the same functions as a delete key.

  • See the cls command page for additional information about this command.
  • See the Linux clear command page for additional information about this command.
  • How to clear screen in a Windows command line (MS-DOS).
  1. Some users may use “clear” in place of “delete” when describing removing a file or another object from the computer. In this context, it is better to use the word “delete” instead. For example, when removing files from a computer, you are “deleting files” not “clearing files.” See our delete page for further information and related links to this term.

Cleartext, Delete, Keyboard terms