The clc command clears all text from your MATLAB Command Window in one line

To clear the Command Window in MATLAB, type clc at the prompt and press Enter. That is the entire command — it removes all the text that has accumulated on your screen, giving you a clean workspace to see your next output without scrolling through old results.

The Command Window is where MATLAB displays the results of your code, error messages, and any text your program prints. Over time, especially during development and testing, this window fills up with old output that can make it harder to find what you are looking for. The clc command (short for "clear command window") wipes the display clean without affecting any of your variables, functions, or data in memory.

Key Takeaways

  • Type clc and press Enter to clear all text from the Command Window display.
  • The clc command only clears what you see on screen — your variables and workspace data remain unchanged.
  • You can use clc at any time during a MATLAB session, either at the prompt or inside a script or function.
  • Clearing the Command Window is useful during development to reduce visual clutter and focus on recent output.

Using clc in scripts and functions

You can also place clc inside a MATLAB script or function file, not just at the command prompt. When MATLAB runs your script, it will clear the Command Window at that point in the execution. This is often done at the beginning of a script to start with a clean display before showing results.

For example, if you have a script that performs calculations and displays results, you might write:

clc x = [1 2 3 4 5]; mean_value = mean(x); disp(mean_value);

When you run this script, MATLAB clears the Command Window first, then runs the rest of your code. This ensures that anyone reading the output sees only the results from this particular run, not leftover text from previous commands.

The difference between clc and clear

A common point of confusion: clc and clear do different things. The clc command clears only the display — what you see on screen. The clear command removes variables from your workspace memory. You can use both together if you want a completely fresh start.

If you type clear alone, your Command Window still shows all the old text, but your variables are gone. If you type clc alone, the screen is blank, but your variables still exist and you can use them. In most cases during development, clc is what you want because you are clearing visual clutter, not erasing your work.

Clearing the Command Window with a keyboard shortcut

In addition to typing clc, you can also clear the Command Window using your keyboard. On Windows and Linux, press Ctrl + L. On Mac, press Cmd + L. This shortcut does the same thing as typing clc — it clears the display when ready without affecting your variables or workspace.

The keyboard shortcut is faster if you find yourself clearing the window frequently during a long session. However, the shortcut only works when the Command Window is the active window (the one you are currently typing in), so make sure your cursor is in the Command Window before using it.

When to clear the Command Window during development

Clearing the Command Window is most useful when you are testing code repeatedly and want to see only the output from your most recent test run. If you run the same script five times while debugging, the Command Window will show output from all five runs stacked on top of each other. Adding clc at the start of your script means each run shows only its own output.

It is also helpful when you are learning MATLAB and experimenting with different commands. After trying several approaches, clearing the window lets you focus on the current experiment without visual noise from earlier attempts. However, if you need to review what happened in previous runs, you may want to scroll through the old output before clearing it.

What clc does not do

The clc command does not close any windows, stop any running code, or change any settings in MATLAB. It only removes text from the Command Window display. If you have plots open, they stay open. If you have variables in your workspace, they remain there. If you have a script running, clc will not interrupt it — it just clears the display as part of the script execution.

This is why clc is safe to use at any point in your work. It is purely a visual cleanup tool with no side effects on your actual data or computations.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does clc delete my variables?

No. The clc command only clears the text displayed in the Command Window. All your variables, functions, and data in the workspace remain unchanged and available to use.

Can I undo a clc command?

No, you cannot undo clc — the text that was displayed is gone from the screen. However, since clc does not affect your actual data, you can recreate the output by running the same commands again.

What is the difference between clc and closing the Command Window?

Closing the Command Window closes MATLAB entirely or closes that window pane. The clc command just clears the text within the window and leaves MATLAB running. Use clc to clean up your display; closing the window is a much more drastic action.

Can I clear the Command Window automatically when my script starts?

Yes. Add clc as the first line of your script or function. Every time that script runs, the Command Window will be cleared before any other code executes, giving you a clean display for the results.