Removing All Cron Jobs
crontab -r wipes the entire crontab for the current user with no confirmation. Back it up first, because there is no undo.
The crontab line
crontab -l > ~/crontab.bak && crontab -r
Save a copy first — crontab -r deletes everything instantly and does not ask for confirmation.
Restore from backup
Reload the saved file with crontab ~/crontab.bak.
Avoid the -i typo trap
crontab -e edits, crontab -r removes — they are one key apart. Some systems offer crontab -ri to prompt before deleting.
FAQ
How do I delete all cron jobs?
Run crontab -r to remove every job for your user. Back up first with crontab -l > ~/crontab.bak.
Does crontab -r ask for confirmation?
No. It deletes the whole crontab immediately with no prompt, so back up beforehand.
How do I restore a deleted crontab?
If you saved it, reload with crontab ~/crontab.bak. Without a backup it cannot be recovered.