iTerm2 is a free, open-source terminal for macOS and a popular replacement for the built-in Terminal app. It is known for having a feature for almost every need a terminal user might have, from split panes and a hotkey window to shell integration and a built-in password manager. If you spend a lot of time in the command line, iTerm2 gives you more control over how it looks and works.

Key Features

• Split Panes: Divide a tab into many panes, each showing a different session. You can split vertically and horizontally in any arrangement, and inactive panes are slightly dimmed so you can see which one is active.
• Hotkey Window: Set a hotkey that brings iTerm2 to the front from any app, so a terminal is always one keypress away.
• Search and Global Search: Find text on the page with highlighted matches and regular expression support, or search all your tabs at once.
• Autocomplete and Paste History: Autocomplete words that have appeared in your window, and look back at recently copied or pasted text.
• Instant Replay: Go back in time to recover text that was erased from the terminal.
• Shell Integration: iTerm2 learns where your prompt is, which commands you run, which host you are on, and your current directory. This lets you jump between previous prompts and see your most used directories.
• Profiles and Automatic Profile Switching: Store settings for many hosts in a searchable profile list, and have iTerm2 switch profiles by host, user name, or directory.
• Triggers: Run actions when text matches a regular expression, such as highlighting a word or sending you a notification.
• Built-In Password Manager: Store passwords encrypted in the macOS keychain, and only enter them at a password prompt.
• Inline Images and 24-Bit Color: Show images, including animated GIFs, right in the terminal, and enjoy full 24-bit color.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Is iTerm2 free?

Yes. iTerm2 is completely free and open source under the GPLv3 license.

How do I install iTerm2?

You can download it from the iTerm2 website, or install it with Homebrew using the command brew install --cask iterm2.

What macOS version does iTerm2 need?

The current version of iTerm2 needs macOS 13 or later.

How is iTerm2 different from the built-in Terminal app?

iTerm2 adds features Terminal does not have, including flexible split panes, a hotkey window, instant replay, triggers, shell integration, a password manager, and many more settings.

What is the hotkey window?

It is a terminal window you can call up with a keyboard shortcut from any app. It gives you an always-available terminal, similar to Guake or Yakuake on Linux.

Can I go back to text I deleted in the terminal?

Yes. Instant Replay lets you step back in time and recover text that was erased from the screen.

What is the difference between iTerm2 and newer terminals like cmux or Muxy?

iTerm2 is a long-established, full-featured terminal with a very large number of settings. cmux and Muxy are newer terminals built on libghostty, with a focus on vertical tabs, project workspaces, and working with AI coding agents.