How to Use Continue in C#: Syntax and Examples

In C#, the continue statement skips the rest of the current loop iteration and moves to the next iteration immediately. It works inside loops like for, while, and foreach to control flow by ignoring certain steps conditionally.

Syntax

The continue statement is used inside loops to skip the remaining code in the current iteration and jump to the next iteration.

It can be used in for, while, and foreach loops.

Basic syntax:

• continue; - skips to the next loop iteration immediately.

csharp

for (int i = 0; i < 5; i++)
{
    if (i == 2)
    {
        continue; // Skip when i is 2
    }
    Console.WriteLine(i);
}

Output

0
1
3
4

Example

This example shows how continue skips printing the number 3 in a loop from 1 to 5.

csharp

using System;

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        for (int i = 1; i <= 5; i++)
        {
            if (i == 3)
            {
                continue; // Skip printing 3
            }
            Console.WriteLine(i);
        }
    }
}

Output

1
2
4
5

Common Pitfalls

Common mistakes when using continue include:

• Using continue outside of loops causes a compile error.
• Forgetting that continue skips only the current iteration, not the entire loop.
• Placing continue where it causes infinite loops, especially in while loops without updating the loop variable.

Example of a wrong and right usage:

csharp

int i = 0;
while (i < 5)
{
    i++;
    if (i == 3)
    {
        continue; // Correct: increments i before continue
    }
    Console.WriteLine(i);
}

// Wrong usage (infinite loop):
// int j = 0;
// while (j < 5)
// {
//     if (j == 3)
//     {
//         continue; // j never increments, loop stuck
//     }
//     j++;
//     Console.WriteLine(j);
// }

Output

1
2
4
5

Quick Reference

Summary tips for using continue in C# loops:

Tip	Description
Use inside loops only	Works only in for, while, and foreach loops.
Skips current iteration	Jumps to the next iteration immediately.
Avoid infinite loops	Ensure loop variables update before continue.
Use for conditional skipping	Commonly used with if statements to skip certain cases.

Key Takeaways

The continue statement skips the rest of the current loop iteration and moves to the next one.

Use continue only inside loops like for, while, and foreach.

Always update loop variables before continue to avoid infinite loops.

Continue is useful to conditionally skip specific steps in a loop.

Using continue outside loops causes a compile-time error.