diff --git a/README.asciidoc b/README.asciidoc
index ffb37da..283621c 100644
--- a/README.asciidoc
+++ b/README.asciidoc
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ Messages
 *presel* _left_|_right_|_up_|_down_ [_SPLIT_RATIO_]::
     Switch to manual mode and select the splitting direction.
 
-*cancel*::
+*cancel* [*--all*]::
     Switch to automatic mode.
 
 *ratio* _VALUE_::
diff --git a/doc/bspwm.1 b/doc/bspwm.1
index b15ee6d..2c71ec3 100644
--- a/doc/bspwm.1
+++ b/doc/bspwm.1
@@ -158,7 +158,7 @@ Return the list of rules\&.
 Switch to manual mode and select the splitting direction\&.
 .RE
 .PP
-\fBcancel\fR
+\fBcancel\fR [\fB\-\-all\fR]
 .RS 4
 Switch to automatic mode\&.
 .RE
diff --git a/doc/bspwm.1.txt b/doc/bspwm.1.txt
index 7c00b43..adf7e2c 100644
--- a/doc/bspwm.1.txt
+++ b/doc/bspwm.1.txt
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ Messages
 *presel* _left_|_right_|_up_|_down_ [_SPLIT_RATIO_]::
     Switch to manual mode and select the splitting direction.
 
-*cancel*::
+*cancel* [*--all*]::
     Switch to automatic mode.
 
 *ratio* _VALUE_::
diff --git a/messages.c b/messages.c
index 1e2d834..706b0f1 100644
--- a/messages.c
+++ b/messages.c
@@ -163,8 +163,10 @@ void process_message(char *msg, char *rsp)
     } else if (strcmp(cmd, "cancel") == 0) {
         if (mon->desk->focus == NULL)
             return;
-        mon->desk->focus->split_mode = MODE_AUTOMATIC;
-        window_draw_border(mon->desk->focus, true, true);
+        char *opt = strtok(NULL, TOK_SEP);
+        cancel_option_t o;
+        if (parse_cancel_option(opt, &o))
+            reset_mode(mon->desk, mon->desk->focus, o);
     } else if (strcmp(cmd, "presel") == 0) {
         if (mon->desk->focus == NULL || !is_tiled(mon->desk->focus->client) || mon->desk->layout != LAYOUT_TILED)
             return;
@@ -802,6 +804,18 @@ bool parse_swap_option(char *s, swap_option_t *o)
     return false;
 }
 
+bool parse_cancel_option(char *s, cancel_option_t *o)
+{
+    if (s == NULL) {
+        *o = CANCEL_OPTION_FOCUSED;
+        return true;
+    } else if (strcmp(s, "--all") == 0) {
+        *o = CANCEL_OPTION_ALL;
+        return true;
+    }
+    return false;
+}
+
 bool parse_rotate(char *s, rotate_t *r)
 {
     if (strcmp(s, "clockwise") == 0) {
diff --git a/messages.h b/messages.h
index 794a73e..ed66fb6 100644
--- a/messages.h
+++ b/messages.h
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ bool parse_circulate_direction(char *, circulate_dir_t *);
 bool parse_list_option(char *, list_option_t *);
 bool parse_send_option(char *, send_option_t *);
 bool parse_swap_option(char *, swap_option_t *);
+bool parse_cancel_option(char *, cancel_option_t *);
 bool parse_skip_client(char *, skip_client_t *);
 bool parse_skip_desktop(char *, skip_desktop_t *);
 bool parse_rotate(char *, rotate_t *);
diff --git a/tree.c b/tree.c
index abcc0cc..c9dcbcd 100644
--- a/tree.c
+++ b/tree.c
@@ -57,6 +57,19 @@ void change_layout(monitor_t *m, desktop_t *d, layout_t l)
         put_status();
 }
 
+void reset_mode(desktop_t *d, node_t *n, cancel_option_t c)
+{
+    if (c == CANCEL_OPTION_FOCUSED) {
+        n->split_mode = MODE_AUTOMATIC;
+        window_draw_border(mon->desk->focus, d->focus == n, true);
+    } else if (c == CANCEL_OPTION_ALL) {
+        for (node_t *a = first_extrema(d->root); a != NULL; a = next_leaf(a, d->root)) {
+            a->split_mode = MODE_AUTOMATIC;
+            window_draw_border(a, d->focus == a, true);
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 node_t *first_extrema(node_t *n)
 {
     if (n == NULL)
diff --git a/tree.h b/tree.h
index 2320f02..b347d9c 100644
--- a/tree.h
+++ b/tree.h
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ bool is_first_child(node_t *);
 bool is_second_child(node_t *);
 void change_split_ratio(node_t *, value_change_t);
 void change_layout(monitor_t *, desktop_t *, layout_t);
+void reset_mode(desktop_t *, node_t *, cancel_option_t);
 node_t *first_extrema(node_t *);
 node_t *second_extrema(node_t *);
 node_t *next_leaf(node_t *, node_t *);
diff --git a/types.h b/types.h
index 7e11e21..5ba942d 100644
--- a/types.h
+++ b/types.h
@@ -51,6 +51,11 @@ typedef enum {
     SWAP_OPTION_SWAP_FOCUS
 } swap_option_t;
 
+typedef enum {
+    CANCEL_OPTION_FOCUSED,
+    CANCEL_OPTION_ALL
+} cancel_option_t;
+
 typedef enum {
     CLIENT_SKIP_NONE,
     CLIENT_SKIP_FLOATING,