Cheat sheet guide
Vim shortcuts worth learning first
This page collects 60 searchable Vim keyboard shortcuts across 6 categories. Start with the shortcuts for Modes, Navigation, Editing, Search & Replace, then print the cheat sheet once the important ones are worth keeping nearby.
- Enter Normal modeEsc
- Move left/down/up/righthjkl
- Delete characterx
- Search forward/{pattern}
- Save file:w
- Record macro into registerq{letter}
Modes
11 shortcuts
Enter Normal mode
Esc
WinEscMacEscLinuxEsc
Enter Insert mode
i
WiniMaciLinuxi
Insert at end of line
A
WinAMacALinuxA
Insert on new line below
o
WinoMacoLinuxo
Insert on new line above
O
WinOMacOLinuxO
Enter Visual mode
v
WinvMacvLinuxv
Enter Visual Line mode
V
WinVMacVLinuxV
Enter Visual Block mode
CtrlV
WinCtrlVMacCtrlVLinuxCtrlV
Enter Command-line mode
:
Win:Mac:Linux:
Replace single character
r
WinrMacrLinuxr
Replace mode (overwrite)
R
WinRMacRLinuxR
Navigation
12 shortcuts
Move left/down/up/right
hjkl
WinhjklMachjklLinuxhjkl
Next / previous word
wb
WinwbMacwbLinuxwb
End of word
e
WineMaceLinuxe
Start of line (non-blank)
^
Win^Mac^Linux^
End of line
$
Win$Mac$Linux$
First line of file
gg
WinggMacggLinuxgg
Last line of file
G
WinGMacGLinuxG
Go to line N
:NorNgg
Win:NorNggMac:NorNggLinux:NorNgg
Half page down/up
CtrlDCtrlU
WinCtrlDCtrlUMacCtrlDCtrlULinuxCtrlDCtrlU
Jump to matching bracket
%
Win%Mac%Linux%
Jump to next/prev occurrence of char
f{char}F{char}
Winf{char}F{char}Macf{char}F{char}Linuxf{char}F{char}
Center view on cursor
zz
WinzzMaczzLinuxzz
Editing
15 shortcuts
Delete character
x
WinxMacxLinuxx
Delete line
dd
WinddMacddLinuxdd
Delete word
dw
WindwMacdwLinuxdw
Delete to end of line
D
WinDMacDLinuxD
Yank (copy) line
yy
WinyyMacyyLinuxyy
Yank word
yw
WinywMacywLinuxyw
Paste after / before cursor
pP
WinpPMacpPLinuxpP
Change word
cw
WincwMaccwLinuxcw
Change to end of line
C
WinCMacCLinuxC
Change entire line
cc
WinccMacccLinuxcc
Undo
u
WinuMacuLinuxu
Redo
CtrlR
WinCtrlRMacCtrlRLinuxCtrlR
Repeat last change
.
Win.Mac.Linux.
Indent / unindent line
>><<
Win>><<Mac>><<Linux>><<
Auto-indent selection
=G(fromtop)
Win=G(fromtop)Mac=G(fromtop)Linux=G(fromtop)
Search & Replace
8 shortcuts
Search forward
/{pattern}
Win/{pattern}Mac/{pattern}Linux/{pattern}
Search backward
?{pattern}
Win?{pattern}Mac?{pattern}Linux?{pattern}
Next / previous match
nN
WinnNMacnNLinuxnN
Search word under cursor
*#
Win*#Mac*#Linux*#
Replace in line
:s/old/new/
Win:s/old/new/Mac:s/old/new/Linux:s/old/new/
Replace all in file
:%s/old/new/g
Win:%s/old/new/gMac:%s/old/new/gLinux:%s/old/new/g
Replace with confirmation
:%s/old/new/gc
Win:%s/old/new/gcMac:%s/old/new/gcLinux:%s/old/new/gc
Clear search highlight
:noh
Win:nohMac:nohLinux:noh
File & Buffers
9 shortcuts
Save file
:w
Win:wMac:wLinux:w
Save and quit
:wq
Win:wqMac:wqLinux:wq
Quit without saving
:q!
Win:q!Mac:q!Linux:q!
Open file
:e{file}
Win:e{file}Mac:e{file}Linux:e{file}
List buffers
:ls
Win:lsMac:lsLinux:ls
Next / previous buffer
:bn:bp
Win:bn:bpMac:bn:bpLinux:bn:bp
Split horizontally
:sp
Win:spMac:spLinux:sp
Split vertically
:vsp
Win:vspMac:vspLinux:vsp
Navigate splits
CtrlWhjkl
WinCtrlWhjklMacCtrlWhjklLinuxCtrlWhjkl
Macros
5 shortcuts
Record macro into register
q{letter}
Winq{letter}Macq{letter}Linuxq{letter}
Stop recording
q
WinqMacqLinuxq
Play macro
@{letter}
Win@{letter}Mac@{letter}Linux@{letter}
Repeat last macro
@@
Win@@Mac@@Linux@@
Run macro N times
N@{letter}
WinN@{letter}MacN@{letter}LinuxN@{letter}
Frequently asked questions
What is the fastest way to find Vim shortcuts on this page?
Use the search box or press /, then type an action such as enter normal mode.
Can I print this Vim shortcut cheat sheet?
Yes. Use the Print / PDF button or your browser print command to save a compact cheat sheet.
Does this page include Windows and Mac shortcuts for Vim?
Yes. Use the OS tabs to switch between Windows and macOS shortcuts. For example, Enter Normal mode is Esc on Windows and Esc on macOS where available.
