---
name: "ungetc"
section: "3"
platform: "linux"
package: "man-pages"
version: "6.19-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux", "freebsd", "macos"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/fgetc"
---

# ungetc(3)

FILE get character

Part of [fgetc(3)](/fgetc/3.md).

## NAME

fgetc, getchar, ungetc - FILE get character

## LIBRARY

Standard C library (*libc*, *-lc*)

## SYNOPSIS

```
#include <stdio.h>
```

**int fgetc(FILE \****stream***);** **int getchar(void);**

**int ungetc(int** *c***, FILE \****stream***);**

## DESCRIPTION

**fgetc**() reads the next character from *stream* and returns it as an *unsigned char* cast to an *int*, or **EOF** on end of file or error.

**getchar**() is equivalent to *fgetc(stdin)*.

**ungetc**() pushes *c* back to *stream*, cast to *unsigned char*, where it is available for subsequent read operations. Pushed-back characters will be returned in reverse order; only one pushback is guaranteed.

Calls to the functions described here can be mixed with each other and with calls to other input functions from the *stdio* library for the same input stream.

For nonlocking counterparts, see [**unlocked\_stdio**(3)](/unlocked_stdio/3.md).

## RETURN VALUE

**fgetc**() and **getchar**() return the character read as an *unsigned char* cast to an *int* or **EOF** on end of file or error.

**ungetc**() returns *c* on success, or **EOF** on error.

On error, *errno* is set to indicate the error.

## ERRORS

See [**read**(2)](/read/2.md).

## ATTRIBUTES

For an explanation of the terms used in this section, see [**attributes**(7)](/attributes/7.md).

| | | |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **Interface** | **Attribute** | **Value** |
| **fgetc**(), **getchar**(), **ungetc**() | Thread safety | MT-Safe |

## STANDARDS

C11, POSIX.1-2008.

## HISTORY

POSIX.1-2001, C89.

## NOTES

It is not advisable to mix calls to input functions from the *stdio* library with low-level calls to [**read**(2)](/read/2.md) for the file descriptor associated with the input stream; the results will be undefined and very probably not what you want.

## SEE ALSO

[**read**(2)](/read/2.md), [**write**(2)](/write/2.md), [**ferror**(3)](/ferror/3.md), [**fgetwc**(3)](/fgetwc/3.md), [**fgets**(3)](/fgets/3.md), [**fopen**(3)](/fopen/3.md), [**fread**(3)](/fread/3.md), [**fseek**(3)](/fseek/3.md), [**getline**(3)](/getline/3.md), [**gets**(3)](/gets/3.md), [**getwchar**(3)](/getwchar/3.md), [**puts**(3)](/puts/3.md), [**scanf**(3)](/scanf/3.md), [**ungetwc**(3)](/ungetwc/3.md), [**unlocked\_stdio**(3)](/unlocked_stdio/3.md), [**feature\_test\_macros**(7)](/feature_test_macros/7.md)