# stty

_Peios / Using Peios / Peiosutils / System and processes_

> Display or change terminal settings.

`stty` displays and changes the settings of a terminal — how it handles input, output, and special keys.

```
stty [options] [setting...]
```

```
$ stty
speed 38400 baud; line = 0;
-brkint -imaxbel iutf8
```

Run with no arguments, `stty` prints the settings that differ from the usual defaults. Given `setting` arguments, it changes them.

## Viewing the settings

| Option | Effect |
|---|---|
| `-a`, `--all` | Print *every* setting, in a readable layout. |
| `-g`, `--save` | Print every setting in a single compact line — a form that can be fed straight back to `stty` to restore them. |

The `-g` form is how you save and restore a terminal's state:

```
$ saved=$(stty -g)      # capture the current state
$ stty -echo            # ...change something...
$ stty "$saved"         # restore exactly what was saved
```

## Changing the settings

A `setting` argument turns something on or off, or assigns a value. A few common ones:

| Setting | Effect |
|---|---|
| `echo` / `-echo` | Show / hide typed characters — `-echo` is how a password prompt hides input. |
| `rows N` / `cols N` | Tell the terminal its size. |
| A number | Set the connection speed (baud rate). |

`stty` has a large catalog of settings; `stty -a` shows them all with their current values.

## Choosing the terminal

| Option | Effect |
|---|---|
| `-F`, `--file=DEVICE` | Operate on `DEVICE` instead of the terminal on standard input. |

## Exit status

| Code | Meaning |
|---|---|
| `0` | The settings were printed or changed. |
| `1` | A setting was invalid, or the terminal could not be accessed. |

Related content:

- [tty](/peios/using-peios/peiosutils/system-and-processes/tty.md)
- [System and processes](/peios/using-peios/peiosutils/system-and-processes/overview.md)