Start with these shortcuts
A focused selection from 36 documented actions. Switch to All to browse the reference.
- Move lefth
- Move down a visual linej
- Move up a visual linek
- Move rightl
- Next word startw
- Previous word startb
- Next word ende
- Start of lineHome
- End of lineEnd
- Move half page upCtrlu
Normal mode: movement
13
Move left
h
WindowshmacOShLinuxh
Move down a visual line
j
WindowsjmacOSjLinuxj
Move up a visual line
k
WindowskmacOSkLinuxk
Move right
l
WindowslmacOSlLinuxl
Next word start
w
WindowswmacOSwLinuxw
Previous word start
b
WindowsbmacOSbLinuxb
Next word end
e
WindowsemacOSeLinuxe
Normal mode: editing
15
Insert before selection
i
WindowsimacOSiLinuxi
Insert after selection
a
WindowsamacOSaLinuxa
Open line below
o
WindowsomacOSoLinuxo
Undo change
u
WindowsumacOSuLinuxu
Yank selection
y
WindowsymacOSyLinuxy
Paste after selection
p
WindowspmacOSpLinuxp
Delete selection
d
WindowsdmacOSdLinuxd
Change selection
c
WindowscmacOScLinuxc
Indent selection
>
Windows>macOS>Linux>
Unindent selection
<
Windows<macOS<Linux<
Normal mode: search and modes
7
Search forward
/
Windows/macOS/Linux/
Search backward
?
Windows?macOS?Linux?
Next search match
n
WindowsnmacOSnLinuxn
Enter selection extension mode
v
WindowsvmacOSvLinuxv
Insert and select modes
1FAQ
Which shortcuts are covered?
Normal-mode defaults unless a category states otherwise. Letter case matters; spaces between keys denote a sequence. Terminal keymaps may intercept combinations.
Which operating systems are included for Helix?
This reference includes shortcuts for Windows · macOS · Linux. Availability depends on the action and app version.