Escape Characters

It is possible to control the SSH client while being logged in to a server:

• Sending escape sequences:

  1. Default escape character: ~

  2. Escape sequences must always follow a newline (press enter before entering such a sequence)

  3. Escaping the escape character: ~~

  this is useful for sending escape sequences to a certain ssh client after using ssh over several hops.

• Setting the escape character:

  • Command line: ssh -e CHAR USER@HOST

  • Configuration directive: EscapeChar CHAR

  • Selected escape sequences:

    Sequence	Description
    ~?	Display a list of supported escape characters
    ~.	Disconnect from the server
    ~^Z	Put the SSH client in the background
    ~#	List forwarded connections
    ~<	Put ssh in the background at logout to keep it waiting for forwarded connections or X11 sessions to terminate
    ~C	Open command line (only useful for adding port forwardings using the -L and -R options)

Please note that this list is not exhaustive.