DECSET 1047 — Alternate screen buffer (clear on exit)

CSI ? 1047 h switches to the alternate screen buffer; CSI ? 1047 l switches back to the normal buffer AND clears the alternate buffer as it leaves. Unlike 47 it tidies the alt buffer on exit, but unlike 1049 it does not save/restore the cursor. Usually combined with 1048; 1049 is the all-in-one.

terminal-dec-private-mode kind control-sequence status de-facto verification verified tier B terminal-escape@1

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DEC-private-mode introducer: \x1b[? ESC [ ? (0x1B 0x5B 0x3F)

terminator (none): ST · BEL

parameters / subcommands

id	name	bytes (ST)	meaning
set	Enable (DECSET)	\x1b[?1047h	CSI ? 1047 h switches to the alternate screen buffer.
reset	Disable (DECRST)	\x1b[?1047l	CSI ? 1047 l switches back to the normal buffer and CLEARS the alternate buffer on the way out (unlike legacy mode 47).

gotchas

1047 CLEARS the alt buffer when leaving (better than 47) but does NOT save/restore the cursor — pair it with 1048, or just use 1049 which bundles save-cursor + clear + switch.
Because it doesn't save the cursor, leaving 1047 can drop you at an unexpected cursor position; restore it yourself or use 1048/1049.
Don't mix 1047 enter with 1049 leave (or vice versa) — the save/clear semantics won't match.
tmux/screen interpret alt-screen modes; be consistent within a multiplexer.
For new code prefer DECSET 1049.

provenance

source: https://invisible-island.net/xterm/ctlseqs/ctlseqs.html
version: xterm ctlseqs, patch #410, 2026/04/19
retrieved: 2026-05-29 · updated: 2026-05-29T00:00:00Z

per-fact attribution:

#summary — https://invisible-island.net/xterm/ctlseqs/ctlseqs.html xterm ctlseqs: Ps = 1 0 4 7 -> Use Alternate Screen Buffer; clears it first if returning to the normal buffer (i.e. clears on exit).

DECSET 1047 — Alternate screen buffer (clear on exit)

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parameters / subcommands

gotchas

provenance

see also