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Reset background color (OSC 111)

Category: extensions · Tags: Operating System Commands (OSC), Xterm Extensions · Specification ↗

ESC ] 111 BEL
OSC 111 resets the default background color to the terminal's configured default. The sequence is ESC ] 111 BEL. This is the companion to OSC 11 — after changing the background color with OSC 11 ; color BEL, send OSC 111 to restore it. Essential for well-behaved TUI applications that modify terminal colors and need to clean up on exit.
How this is tested: Send OSC 111 BEL and verify the terminal remains responsive (sequence consumed without error).

Supported by 1 of 14 backends (7%)

Terminal Applications

TerminalVersionSupportNotes
iTerm23.6.9? unknown
Ghostty1.3.1? unknown
Kitty0.46.2? unknownOSC 111 background reset requires a real display — headless backends have no color palette to reset
VS Code1.113.0? unknown
Warp0.2026.03.18.08.24.03? unknown
Cursor2.6.21? unknown
Terminal.app2.15? unknown

Headless Backends

Parser correctness only — a means the parser accepts the sequence.

BackendVersionSupportNotes
vterm0.2.0✓ yes
Alacritty0.26.0✗ noOSC 111 background reset requires a real display — headless backends have no color palette to reset
vt100.js0.2.1✗ noNot implemented — pure TypeScript emulator
WezTerm0.1.0-fork.5✗ noOSC 111 background reset requires a real display — headless backends have no color palette to reset
xterm.js5.5.0✗ noOSC 111 background reset requires a real display — headless backends have no color palette to reset