: Switch to bash from zsh After installing all these packages you are set to switch to Zsh. ZSH has been a trusty companion, and we’ve done quite a bit of campaigning together. If you install any other shell, bash will still be present Other shells use separate config files so you don't need to uninstall or change anything related to bash To use the zsh shell you need to open a terminal and execute zsh To change your default shell you need to use chsh command I'm trying to change my default shell in RHEL5 from zsh to bash. Learn how to set up Zsh on Ubuntu Linux with Oh My Zsh. To remedy this, I looked into how I could set Sep 25, 2009 · I have a . By installing Bash, changing the default shell, and migrating your configuration, you can seamlessly switch to Bash and enjoy its simplicity and compatibility. bash_profile to ~/. How do I change my default shell to bash on Macos Catalina or above using the command line or GUI options? A Unix shell is nothing but a program that accepts Unix commands from the keyboard and executes them. And things like chsh have no effect. Before Starting You should be familiar with using the macOS Terminal command line. In the same way we can switch back to Bash with “ tobash “. For a long time, the bash was a default shell in macOS. As you can see above, I was on the bash shell ($) before and typing zsh switched me to Z Shell (%) ️ Since macOS Catalina Zsh is the default shell, you might see "The default interactive shell is now zsh. I typically use the bash shell on Linux servers, so I prefer using it on my Mac. Mar 26, 2024 · Zsh is the default login and interactive shell on Mac. That's why the prompt looks weird. ZSH or Z Shell is a Unix shell that can be used as an interactive login shell and as a command interpreter for shell scripting. zprofile file. Nov 12, 2022 · 17 You are running bash. zshrc, and it caused a lot of errors when I tried to use bash again. You can read the original post here. Discover their unique features, customization options, scripting capabilities, and user preferences. And then you log out and you will see a different shell in neofetch. The next time that you launch Terminal, when it spawns a default shell, that's when you'll be put into zsh. Jul 20, 2025 · Enhance your Linux terminal with Zsh and Oh My Zsh! Learn to install, configure, and customize on Debian/Ubuntu with popular themes and plugins. My age is showing. I did sudo apt-get install fish and then chsh -s /usr/bin/fish. Bash has better tooling and I write bash more than I write ZSH. Tip If replacing bash, users may want to move some code from ~/. Aug 10, 2023 · Those who recently moved, switched, or changed their default bash shell to the zsh shell. Nov 21, 2022 · How to Switch the Default Shell to Bash on macOSApple is now using Zsh as the default shell on macOS. This guide provides simple steps and tips to make your shell transition smooth and swift. Learn how to install zsh and make the default shell in your system. Apr 15, 2017 · Bash comes pre-installed on most terminals, but its not the best shell out there. Apr 4, 2024 · Infrastructure / Automation / PythonI’ve used ZSH as my interactive shell for almost 10 years now. com Jan 11, 2017 · Explains how to set or change shell to bash (Bourne-again shell) on a Linux, macOS, FreeBSD, and Unix-like OS using the chsh command. But Catalina replaced it with zsh. But lately you‘ve been hearing about more powerful shells like zsh and fish. Sep 25, 2009 · I have a . - Insert here some garbage about zsh being a perfect drop-in replacement for bash - Which is why we have it implemented via the Konsole Profile. To be clear: to set up Homebrew, you do not need to install bash manually or anything. Dec 26, 2024 · In most Linux systems, the default shell is bash but we can change that to any other shell-like zsh, fish, sh, and any other. Well my friend, you‘ve come to the right place! Switching […] Oct 31, 2019 · How to Install ZSH to Replace your Bash on Linux. bash_profile But normally that Nov 18, 2023 · Trying out different Linux shells, like Zsh, can be a beneficial and easy process to find the one that aligns with your preferences. zshrc or . Are you looking to enhance your terminal and command-line workflow on Mac? Then setting Zsh as the default shell is an impactful upgrade. So if you were in bash when you entered it, you'll still be in bash afterwards. bashrc directly to my . bash_profile But normally that Sep 25, 2009 · I have a . bashrc, . Dec 1, 2021 · This article explains how to change the default shell in Linux. Using this you can set Bash, sh, Zsh, Csh, Fish, etc. And I set my default (login) shell to zsh, and I confirmed it's set properly by seeing that when I launc Nov 7, 2021 · Initially had bash as default shell prompt and the ~ had . Follow step by step instructions to get started using ZSH on Mac OS X. u/apathyzeal was able to walk me through to find the solution. Then to have the default shell as zsh, I tried chsh -s ~/local path/zsh pointing to my local zsh. Although they are the same, I just feel comfortable with the layout of bash in some situations. Jan 8, 2023 · Did you change it from /bin/bash or did it not have anything in that and the default shell radio button was selected? If the default shell button was selected and you were getting bash, it might be in the . It covers an overview of both shells, the steps for setting them up, May 8, 2024 · Conclusion Changing from Zsh to Bash can be a smooth transition with the right steps and considerations. zprofile (e. How can you export your . Of course, I could set up the shell as I want it under WSL, but WSL doesn’t always play nicely with Windows-native applications and tools. However, Apple replaced Bourne Again SHell Aug 9, 2024 · Want to change your default Linux shell? Learn how to find your current shell and change it to another installed shell using various methods. See full list on howtogeek. It works fine, but I want to change the default shell environment for the subsystem. Nov 30, 2021 · 358 I'm learning to develop in Rails, and have discovered the power of zsh. Why switch back to Bash and ble. Zsh is an extended Bourne shell with many improvements, including some features of Bash, ksh, and tcsh. This tutorial will help you for switching between Zsh and Bash on macOS systems. These things are needed on ArcoLinuxD or Arch Linux. Sep 6, 2023 · I felt comfortable using bash shell on MacOS. If you’re looking for something with more features than the Bash Shell, a good alternative to check out is the Z Shell (aka Zsh). I personally prefer bash and I'm going to have to do a full reset of ubuntu if I can't figure this out. Nov 27, 2025 · This post guide you to change the default shell from zsh to bash on Mac step by step. Help Please! Edit: thanks to everyone for the suggesrions. In this article, we are going to show how to change that default shell to any other shell in Linux systems. It doesn't kill the one you're currently running, and somehow spawn a new one transparently under you. Bash vs Zsh Bash is the default shell on Linux and Mac OS X. The chsh command allows you to change your default shell. In this post, I'll show you how to setup Zsh as your default shell. " message when you switch from zsh to bash. Discover how to change from zsh to bash effortlessly. I have tried all the conventional methods found in tutorials (such as chsh) but I can't change my default shell back to bash. Nov 11, 2021 · I’ve recently started using Windows again. In this article, I guide you on Sep 24, 2014 · I am trying to move to zsh from bash. May 31, 2015 · Just saying. See Command-line shell#Changing your default shell. Nov 28, 2023 · Learn how to configure and install Zsh Ubuntu 20. Aug 2, 2023 · Switch from Zsh to Bash on Mac using one of the two methods described in this article. After a long time using a customised Zsh shell on macOS and Linux though, I’ve started to miss some of the small productivity boosts that Zsh plugins offered me. By typing sudo /usr/bin/chsh -s /bin/bash, the system says sudo: /usr/bin/chsh: co Jan 2, 2021 · If I switch the current root shell from zsh to bash, could there be any negative side effects that might result from this switch? For example, will processes be killed because their parent process (the shell) has been switched? Switching from zsh to bash on your Mac is a straightforward process that enhances your command-line experience if you prefer the simplicity and familiarity of bash. Mar 9, 2020 · How To Switch From Bash To ZSH On LinuxLinux users that spend a lot of time in the terminal become very familiar with the Bash Shell. I tried common way which is chsh but it doesn't work. sh? Spoiler: For me, it’s mainly two reasons. To change the user's shell, first, let's find the current shell. Jun 11, 2014 · I am using my school's computers and would like to use zsh instead of bash. Feb 21, 2024 · Zsh is an awesome shell for Linux systems. Bash and zsh both use the PS1 variable as the main setting for the prompt, but they have different escape sequences (backslash-character in bash, percent-character in zsh, and the second characters have different meanings). bashrc to ~/. Jan 2, 2021 · I've just installed zsh on Ubuntu 20. Why? Can I switch it back? If so, how? Does it make sense to do so? Any gotchas? Discover how to change from zsh to bash on Fedora effortlessly. The tutorial covers steps for the CLI and GUI methods. zshrc in the ~ path. bash_profile in my home directory, but it isn't getting run on login. How to Install ZSH In this tutorial i am using Ubuntu. I tried to the methods mentioned in this thead. But the trusty old Bash shell is still included with macOS, and you can quickly switch back to Bash if you prefer. ZSH has Make sure you copy that to your homefolder. Maximize your performance with Z Shell, the best interactive login shell, customization options. Apr 6, 2024 · A step-by-step illustrated guide on how to change the default terminal in Visual Studio Code, on Windows, macOS and Linux. However, for some of my other tasks, I wish to use normal bash. . Jun 25, 2017 · So no matter how you try to set zsh as the default shell through chsh -s $(which zsh), it doesn’t work if you still call to bash. I copied my . If I do the following, then things seem to be as I expect: ssh myhost bash source ~/. May 5, 2012 · I am trying to set ZSH as my default shell, however it keeps reverting back to bash. Zsh became the default in macOS Catalina and higher version of macOS. Switching to Zsh is done via the alias “ tozsh “. Each shell has its own unique features and way of performing tasks, and different shells can greatly impact your workflow. In addition, there’s a bunch of things Zsh can do to make your terminal experience better. Nov 12, 2023 · So you‘ve been using the standard bash shell for years on your Ubuntu system. Dec 29, 2021 · Recent versions of macOS now use zsh as the default command line shell. bashrc to . You‘re tempted to try them out, but unsure how to actually switch your default shell to something new. 04 and decided to change it back to bash. Change the default shell in Terminal on Mac The default shell is zsh. I've installed Linux subsystem for Windows 10. 04. bash_profile etc file. This guide simplifies the transition while spotlighting zsh's powerful features. Mar 20, 2024 · Explains how to change your default shell in Linux using the chsh command, which changes the user login shell permanently. g. The big problem they face, some commands stop working with the z shell. as your shell. Feb 24, 2023 · Its kinda funky … but its preferable to them actually trying to change the system shell to zsh. How do I switch back and forth, or turn zsh on and off? Apr 26, 2025 · The latest macOS systems comes with Z Shell (Zsh) as default shell, but who still preferred to use bash can still use it by switching the default shell. After entering the password, it got changed and was able to run and test things. bash_profile But normally that Feb 15, 2024 · The command changes your default shell. Dec 27, 2023 · In this comprehensive guide, you‘ll learn: The history behind shells on Mac OSX and why Zsh became the default Key reasons for switching from Zsh to Bash Step-by-step instructions for changing shells How to customize Bash to suit your workflows Tips for avoiding issues down the road Ready to unlock the power of Bash on Mac? Let‘s get started! A Brief History of Shells on MacOS To Jan 12, 2021 · As you can see above, I was on the bash shell ($) before and typing zsh switched me to Z Shell (%) ️ Since macOS Catalina Zsh is the default shell, you might see "The default interactive shell is now zsh. This post is going to describe how to switch from the zsh shell to the bash shell. the code that starts the X Window System). Mar 13, 2022 · A detailed guide to find out which shell you're using, and how to switch from one shell to another, such as from bash to zsh. the prompt and the aliases) and from ~/. May 16, 2025 · Want a cool looking Linux terminal? Try Zsh. I have tried this code: sudo chsh -s $(which zsh) I've also tried: sudo chsh -s /bin/zsh Also tried these co By following this comprehensive guide on how to change shell to bash mac, you can seamlessly transition from Zsh to Bash, customize your environment, and utilize the many powerful features Bash offers. Which they tried by the way, but it broke things too obviously to let stand. Zsh is an interactive shell which incorporates a lot of useful features from other shells. You can change the shell that new Terminal windows and tabs open with. It’s versatile and reliable, though lacking features that make it feel modern. Sep 29, 2023 · Explore the differences between Zsh and Bash, two powerful command-line shells. zshrc (e. zshrc? Apr 16, 2020 · How to correctly migrate bash_profile to zsh using both zshrc and zshenv. This concise guide walks you through each step for a smooth transition. Apple includes a bash install with macOS, it's just an older version (tl;dr Apple doesn't want to deal with GPLv3 licensing and therefore switched to zsh by default rather than bundle newer versions of bash). I'd like to make it the default shell, but I cannot run a command such as $ chsh -s $(which zsh) because I don't have admin Making Zsh your default shell Change your shell to /usr/bin/zsh. You can switch from zsh to bash on macOS Ventura, Monterey, Big Sur, and Catalina after reading. Enhanced auto-completions and globbing, spell correction, path replacement, the list Jun 8, 2023 · I noticed that my default shell set to zsh on Macos Catalina/Big Sur/Monterey/Ventura. Nov 3, 2021 · Switching from Bash to Zsh? Getting your terminal on board can be tricky. And why it needs to be changed there. Learn which shell aligns with your command-line needs in this comprehensive comparison. It’s based on Bash but has major improvements Discover seamless ways to switch from bash to zsh and enhance your command line experience. However, you can switch to bash from zsh, if you prefer. Apr 23, 2014 · I've used bash for two years, and just tried to switch to zsh shell on my OS X via homebrew. To try zsh, I installed the zsh locally and also have the . Reference: changing shell from zsh to bash Current shell wolf@li Aug 16, 2014 · I have know about zsh for a long time now but have never really had a compelling reason to switch my default shell from bash until just recently, I have been hearing more and more people talking about how powerful and awesome zsh is. exe every time you use WSL.

Switch to bash from zsh. However, Apple replaced Bourne Again SHell .