Access other ttys
From Pengwings
Linux normally has multiple terminals (ttys) running. You can switch between the different terminal sessions using keyboard shortcut. It's essentially the old-school version of having multiple terminal windows open.
In the world of desktop Linux, the login screen and the main desktop are usually run in terminals #1 and #2 respectively. This leaves terminals 3-6 free to still be used. You can use this to log in from the command line and recover your system in the event of the desktop not starting or crashing etc.
Keyboard shortcuts and purpose of each terminal
| Key combo | tty# | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| CTRL+ALT+F1 | tty1 | login screen |
| CTRL+ALT+F2 | tty2 | desktop |
| CTRL+ALT+F3 | tty3 | terminal |
| CTRL+ALT+F4 | tty4 | terminal |
| CTRL+ALT+F5 | tty5 | terminal |
| CTRL+ALT+F6 | tty6 | terminal |
