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The PostgreSQL psql prompt is controlled by three variables in a startup file: PROMPT1 for the normal prompt, PROMPT2 while a statement is unfinished, and PROMPT3 while entering COPY FROM STDIN data. Put those settings in ~/.psqlrc on Unix-like systems or %APPDATA%\postgresql\psqlrc.conf on Windows, then start a new psql session. A useful starting point is \set PROMPT1 '%n@%/%R%# ', which shows the connected user, database, input state, and privilege-sensitive prompt character without making every command line unnecessarily long.
What psqlrc controls
psqlrc is the startup configuration file read by the psql client. It lets you set prompt variables and other client behavior without retyping commands every time you connect. PostgreSQL reads the system-wide psqlrc and then the personal startup file when psql starts, unless you supply the -X option. The personal file is read after connection and before normal commands are processed.
The prompt itself is not generated by the PostgreSQL server. It is assembled by the local psql client from a template containing ordinary text and documented substitution sequences. That distinction matters when you troubleshoot: changing a server setting will not change the prompt, and a prompt problem can usually be isolated by starting the client with -X.
Find the right startup file
Unix-like systems
Create or edit ~/.psqlrc in the home directory of the account that launches psql. The leading dot makes it a hidden file on most Unix-like systems. If several operating-system users run psql, each account can have a different personal file.
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Use %APPDATA%\postgresql\psqlrc.conf. The directory is normally under the current Windows user’s roaming application-data folder. The filename is psqlrc.conf, rather than the Unix-style hidden filename.
Choose another location with PSQLRC
If you maintain configuration outside the default location, set the PSQLRC environment variable to the desired file path before launching psql. This is useful for a team-shared template, a dotfiles setup, or a temporary configuration used for a particular client profile. Keep in mind that the variable changes which personal startup file is loaded; it does not change the prompt syntax.
Keep settings separate by client version
Version-specific files can isolate settings that should apply only to one psql client release. Examples include ~/.psqlrc-16 and ~/.psqlrc-16.15. This prevents assumptions about escape sequences, defaults, or other client behavior from silently carrying over when you switch versions. Use the version-specific naming pattern supported by your installation and keep a general file only for settings that are safe across the clients you actually use.
Create a safe baseline prompt
Open the appropriate file and add these three lines:
\set PROMPT1 '%n@%/%R%# '
\set PROMPT2 '%w%R%# '
\set PROMPT3 '>> 'Save the file, exit any existing session, and start psql again. A new session is the simplest way to verify startup parsing. The baseline deliberately shows useful identity and state while keeping the line short.
- Confirm the file path. On Unix-like systems, verify that the file is in the home directory used by the account running
psql. On Windows, verify theAPPDATAlocation and thepostgresqlsubdirectory. - Enter one setting per line. Use psql’s
\setcommand, the variable name, and a quoted template. Keep the trailing space inside the quotes so your SQL does not touch the prompt. - Start a fresh client. Run
psqlnormally. If the old prompt remains, you may be editing a file that this client is not reading, or the process may not have been restarted. - Check the three states. Enter an incomplete statement to see
PROMPT2, and begin aCOPY ... FROM STDINoperation to seePROMPT3.
Understand PROMPT1, PROMPT2, and PROMPT3
| Variable | When it appears | Recommended purpose |
|---|---|---|
PROMPT1 |
Normal interactive input | Show identity, database, host or port, and the current input state. |
PROMPT2 |
The previous statement is incomplete | Make it obvious that psql is waiting for more input and preserve alignment with the normal prompt. |
PROMPT3 |
Entering rows for COPY FROM STDIN |
Use a distinct, unmistakable marker so data entry is not confused with SQL input. |
PROMPT1: the normal prompt
In %n@%/%R%# , %n expands to the connected database user, %/ to the database name, %R to the current input-state indicator, and %# to a privilege-sensitive prompt character. The result identifies where you are before you run a command and can distinguish a privileged connection from a regular one through the final character.
PROMPT2: incomplete input
PROMPT2 appears when psql has not received a complete statement. The %R substitution can indicate that the client is waiting because of an unterminated command, block comment, quoted string or identifier, dollar-quoted string, or unmatched parenthesis. This is more useful than a generic continuation mark when you are diagnosing why pressing Enter did not execute anything.
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The baseline uses %w before %R. %w inserts whitespace whose width matches the latest PROMPT1, so continuation lines begin under the same input column rather than shifting left or right as the prompt changes.
PROMPT3: COPY data entry
PROMPT3 is used while psql is accepting data for COPY FROM STDIN. The simple >> marker separates this mode from SQL entry. In this state, %R produces no text, so putting a state marker there would not identify COPY input; use a literal label or arrow instead.
Build a prompt that matches your work
Minimal identity prompt
For a busy terminal or a narrow window, keep only the account and database:
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\set PROMPT2 '%w%R%# '
\set PROMPT3 '>> 'This gives the most important context with little visual noise. Retain the space before the final prompt character if you want the command text separated from the marker.
Host and port for multi-server work
If you regularly connect to several servers, add the host and port so a command is less likely to be run in the wrong environment:
\set PROMPT1 '%n@%/%M:%p%R%# '
\set PROMPT2 '%w%R%# '
\set PROMPT3 '>> '%M expands to the full host name and %p to the server port. The related %m substitution shows a truncated host name, which can be preferable when a fully qualified name makes the line too wide. Choose one host form rather than displaying both.
Transaction-aware prompt
When transaction state is important, include %x:
\set PROMPT1 '%n@%/%x%R%# '
\set PROMPT2 '%w%R%# '
\set PROMPT3 '>> '%x supplies the transaction status. Place it near the database name or use a short separator so the status is visible without making the prompt difficult to scan. This is particularly helpful when a session may be left inside a transaction while you inspect data or test a change.
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Include the statement line number
%l expands to the current statement line number. A prompt using it can help when a multi-line command is long:
\set PROMPT1 '%n@%/%l%R%# '
\set PROMPT2 '%w%R%# '
\set PROMPT3 '>> 'Line numbering is a diagnostic aid, not a replacement for %R. Keep both if you need to distinguish the line count from the reason the client is waiting.
Expose a psql variable
The %:name: form inserts the value of a psql variable named name. This lets you add a value you maintain in the session rather than hard-coding it into the template. Define the variable with \set before it is referenced, and use the colon-delimited form exactly as documented.
Use command substitution sparingly
Backtick command substitution can place the output of a command in the prompt. It can provide context that psql does not expose through a built-in substitution, but it also makes every prompt redraw more complex. Keep the command short, make sure its output is stable and compact, and remove it if the prompt becomes slow or distracting.
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Use %% when the prompt should contain an actual percent sign. A single percent begins a substitution sequence, so writing a literal one without doubling it can produce an unexpected result.
Use colors without breaking Readline
ANSI color sequences contain control bytes that do not occupy visible columns. Readline, which handles line editing, still needs to know where those non-printing bytes begin and end; otherwise its cursor calculations can drift, causing wrapped lines, backspace behavior, or editing positions to look wrong.
Wrap the non-printing portions with %[ and %]. PostgreSQL’s documented pattern for a bold yellow-on-black prompt is:
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\set PROMPT1 '%[%033[1;33;40m%]%n@%/%R%[%033[0m%]%# 'The first section enables the terminal color and text style, the user/database/state text remains visible, and the second section resets the terminal before the privilege-sensitive prompt character. The reset is important because it prevents subsequent command text from inheriting the prompt’s style.
Test color in the terminal you actually use
- Use a terminal that supports ANSI escape sequences; otherwise the control sequence may display as literal characters or have no visible effect.
- Keep every non-printing escape inside the
%[and%]pair. Do not wrap visible text that Readline must count. - Check editing behavior by moving left and right, using Backspace, and entering a command long enough to wrap. If the cursor lands in the wrong place, inspect the escape delimiters first.
- Remove color temporarily when diagnosing a syntax or alignment problem. A plain prompt makes it easier to tell whether the substitution itself is wrong.
When plain text is better
Color is optional. A short plain prompt is often easier to read over a remote connection, in logs, or in a terminal with an unusual color scheme. Information density and reliable editing matter more than decoration; add color only when it helps you distinguish states quickly.
Choose the right information density
| Prompt style | What it shows | Best fit | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimal | User and database, plus state and privilege marker | One or two familiar environments | Does not identify the server when several hosts use the same database names. |
| Server-aware | User, database, full or shortened host, port, state, and privilege marker | Operations across development, staging, and production | Longer lines can wrap in narrow terminals. |
| Transaction-aware | Identity plus transaction status | Sessions where uncommitted work is a frequent concern | Adds a status code that must be learned and interpreted. |
| Colored | Any of the above with ANSI styling | Readers who benefit from visual state cues | Incorrectly delimited escapes can confuse Readline; unsupported terminals may not render the style. |
Start with the smallest prompt that prevents mistakes. Add host, port, transaction status, line numbers, or color one feature at a time. This incremental approach makes it clear which substitution introduced a problem and avoids a prompt that takes longer to read than the command you are about to type.
Reload and test changes methodically
The reliable test cycle is to save one change, launch a new client, and exercise each prompt state. Use a scratch connection when experimenting with complex substitutions or command substitution.
- Save a copy of the working startup file before changing it.
- Replace the existing prompt lines with a plain three-variable baseline if the current file is difficult to understand.
- Launch
psqlwithout extra options and verifyPROMPT1. - Type an opening quote, parenthesis, block comment, or dollar-quoted string without completing it. Confirm that
PROMPT2appears and that%Rgives a useful state marker. - Cancel or complete the unfinished input, then test a
COPY FROM STDINcommand to confirm thatPROMPT3is distinct. - If the prompt is colored, test cursor movement and a wrapped command before treating the configuration as finished.
Changing a file does not retroactively alter an already running session. Start a new psql process after edits. For a quick temporary experiment, you can also issue the same \set PROMPT1, \set PROMPT2, or \set PROMPT3 command directly at the psql prompt; once the result is correct, copy the setting into the startup file.
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Troubleshoot a broken or ignored psqlrc
The prompt did not change
- Confirm that you edited the file belonging to the operating-system account running
psql. - On Windows, check the
%APPDATA%\postgresql\psqlrc.confpath and filename. - If you use
PSQLRC, verify that it points to the file you intended; it can override the default personal location. - Exit and restart
psql. A session already in progress will retain its current prompt settings. - Check whether the client was started with
-X. That option bypasses startup files, so no psqlrc prompt settings will be loaded.
Startup reports an error
Run psql -X to bypass the startup file temporarily. This gives you a working client from which you can inspect the file and correct the syntax. Restore the settings incrementally: add the three baseline lines first, launch a new session, and then add host, transaction, variable, command-substitution, or color features one at a time. A single unmatched quote or malformed substitution can prevent the intended prompt from loading.
Readline cursor behavior is wrong
Strip the prompt back to plain text. If the problem disappears, inspect ANSI escapes and make sure every non-printing control sequence is enclosed by %[ and %]. Also check that the reset sequence is present and that visible characters are outside those delimiters.
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Continuation lines are misaligned
Use %w in PROMPT2 when PROMPT1 contains a variable-width host, database, or other context. If you changed PROMPT1, test PROMPT2 again; a continuation template designed for an earlier prompt may no longer line up.
The prompt is too long or distracting
Remove optional context in reverse order of importance: command substitution, full host name, port, line number, transaction status, and color. Keep the identity and state markers that prevent real mistakes. The goal is a prompt you can recognize instantly, not a dashboard that competes with your SQL.
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A configuration that works on one workstation may not be appropriate everywhere. Unix-like systems and Windows use different default filenames, terminals vary in ANSI support, and different psql client versions may have different assumptions about defaults or escape handling. A portable setup should therefore separate universal plain-text settings from optional platform or version-specific enhancements.
- Keep a plain baseline in the default personal file so a new terminal remains usable.
- Use version-specific files such as
~/.psqlrc-16or~/.psqlrc-16.15when a setting should not affect another client release. - Use
PSQLRCfor an explicitly selected profile rather than repeatedly editing the default file. - Document any terminal color requirement next to the colorized lines, and retain a plain alternative for terminals that do not support ANSI sequences.
- Keep
PROMPT2andPROMPT3defined even when you focus onPROMPT1; incomplete SQL and COPY input are precisely the states in which an ambiguous prompt is most costly.
Practical prompt recipes
Everyday local development
\set PROMPT1 '%n@%/%R%# '
\set PROMPT2 '%w%R%# '
\set PROMPT3 '>> 'Use this when the database name and account are enough to identify the session. It is compact, readable, and does not depend on terminal color.
Several environments with the same database name
\set PROMPT1 '%n@%/%m:%p%R%# '
\set PROMPT2 '%w%R%# '
\set PROMPT3 '>> 'The shortened host and port make environment differences visible while limiting the width added by a long fully qualified host name.
Color plus identity, with Readline-safe delimiters
\set PROMPT1 '%[%033[1;33;40m%]%n@%/%R%[%033[0m%]%# '
\set PROMPT2 '%w%R%# '
\set PROMPT3 '>> 'Use this only after confirming that the terminal renders ANSI styling and that line editing remains correct. The non-printing sequences are deliberately bracketed; do not remove those markers.
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Final checklist
- The file is in the correct Unix-like or Windows location, or
PSQLRCpoints to it. PROMPT1identifies the user and database and includes%Rand%#when those states matter.PROMPT2uses%wif alignment with a variable-widthPROMPT1is important.PROMPT3is visually distinct from SQL prompts.- Host, port, transaction status, line number, psql variables, or command substitution are included only when they answer a real operational need.
- ANSI escapes are enclosed in
%[and%], followed by a reset sequence. - A new
psqlsession has been tested in normal, incomplete-input, and COPY input states. psql -Xremains available as a recovery path if startup customization causes errors.
PostgreSQL’s documentation summarizes the feature simply: “The prompts psql issues can be customized to your preference.” The most dependable customization is a short prompt that identifies the connection, exposes the state that affects your next command, and remains correct when you move between terminals and client versions.
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