Below are simple charts of the default hotkeys and their functions. For more
information about binding custom hotkeys or changing default bindings, please
run > help keybindings
Please remember that all keys here are rebindable! If you don’t like it, you
can change it!
Power User
Key
Description of function
Ctrl-e
Open a command prompt for running commands (see > help commands for a list of valid commands).
Tab
In command prompt, it will autocomplete if possible.
Ctrl-b
Run a shell command (this will close micro while your command executes).
Navigation
Key
Description of function
Arrows
Move the cursor around
Shift-arrows
Move and select text
Alt(Ctrl on Mac)-LeftArrow
Move to the beginning of the current line
Alt(Ctrl on Mac)-RightArrow
Move to the end of the current line
Home
Move to the beginning of text on the current line
End
Move to the end of the current line
Ctrl(Alt on Mac)-LeftArrow
Move cursor one word left
Ctrl(Alt on Mac)-RightArrow
Move cursor one word right
Alt-{
Move cursor to previous empty line, or beginning of document
Alt-}
Move cursor to next empty line, or end of document
PageUp
Move cursor up one page
PageDown
Move cursor down one page
Ctrl-Home or Ctrl-UpArrow
Move cursor to start of document
Ctrl-End or Ctrl-DownArrow
Move cursor to end of document
Ctrl-l
Jump to a line in the file (prompts with #)
Ctrl-w
Cycle between splits in the current tab (use > vsplit or > hsplit to create a split)
Tabs
Key
Description of function
Ctrl-t
Open a new tab
Alt-,
Previous tab
Alt-.
Next tab
Find Operations
Key
Description of function
Ctrl-f
Find (opens prompt)
Ctrl-n
Find next instance of current search
Ctrl-p
Find previous instance of current search
File Operations
Key
Description of function
Ctrl-q
Close current file (quits micro if this is the last file open)
Ctrl-o
Open a file (prompts for filename)
Ctrl-s
Save current file
Text Operations
Key
Description of function
Ctrl(Alt on Mac)-Shift-RightArrow
Select word right
Ctrl(Alt on Mac)-Shift-LeftArrow
Select word left
Alt(Ctrl on Mac)-Shift-LeftArrow
Select to start of current line
Alt(Ctrl on Mac)-Shift-RightArrow
Select to end of current line
Shift-Home
Select to start of current line
Shift-End
Select to end of current line
Ctrl-Shift-UpArrow
Select to start of file
Ctrl-Shift-DownArrow
Select to end of file
Ctrl-x
Cut selected text
Ctrl-c
Copy selected text
Ctrl-v
Paste
Ctrl-k
Cut current line
Ctrl-d
Duplicate current line
Ctrl-z
Undo
Ctrl-y
Redo
Alt-UpArrow
Move current line or selected lines up
Alt-DownArrow
Move current line or selected lines down
Alt-Backspace or Alt-Ctrl-h
Delete word left
Ctrl-a
Select all
Tab
Indent selected text
Shift-Tab
Unindent selected text
Macros
Key
Description of function
Ctrl-u
Toggle macro recording (press Ctrl-u to start recording and press again to stop)
Ctrl-j
Run latest recorded macro
Multiple Cursors
Key
Description of function
Alt-n
Create new multiple cursor from selection (will select current word if no current selection)
Alt-Shift-Up
Spawn a new cursor on the line above the current one
Alt-Shift-Down
Spawn a new cursor on the line below the current one
Alt-p
Remove latest multiple cursor
Alt-c
Remove all multiple cursors (cancel)
Alt-x
Skip multiple cursor selection
Alt-m
Spawn a new cursor at the beginning of every line in the current selection
Ctrl-MouseLeft
Place a multiple cursor at any location
Other
Key
Description of function
Ctrl-g
Open help file
Ctrl-h
Backspace (old terminals do not support the backspace key and use Ctrl+H instead)
Ctrl-r
Toggle the line number ruler
Emacs Style Actions
Key
Description of function
Alt-f
Next word
Alt-b
Previous word
Alt-a
Move to start of line
Alt-e
Move to end of line
Function Keys.
Warning! The function keys may not work in all terminals!