GNU Emacs Reference Card
(for version 27)
Starting Emacs
To enter GNU Emacs 27, just type its name: emacs
Leaving Emacs
suspend Emacs (or iconify it under X) C-z
exit Emacs permanently C-x C-c
Files
read a file into Emacs C-x C-f
save a file back to disk C-x C-s
save all files C-x s
insert contents of another file into this buffer C-x i
replace this file with the file you really want C-x C-v
write buffer to a specified file C-x C-w
toggle read-only status of buffer C-x C-q
Getting Help
The help system is simple. Type C-h (or F1) and follow the di-
rections. If you are a first-time user, type C-h t for a tutorial.
remove help window C-x 1
scroll help window C-M-v
apropos: show commands matching a string C-h a
describe the function a key runs C-h k
describe a function C-h f
get mode-specific information C-h m
Error Recovery
abort partially typed or executing command C-g
recover files lost by a system crash M-x recover-session
undo an unwanted change C-x u, C-_ or C-/
restore a buffer to its original contents M-x revert-buffer
redraw garbaged screen C-l
Incremental Search
search forward C-s
search backward C-r
regular expression search C-M-s
reverse regular expression search C-M-r
select previous search string M-p
select next later search string M-n
exit incremental search RET
undo effect of last character DEL
abort current search C-g
Use C-s or C-r again to repeat the search in either direction. If
Emacs is still searching, C-g cancels only the part not matched.
c
2020 Free Software Foundation, Inc. Permissions on back.
Motion
entity to move over backward forward
character C-b C-f
word M-b M-f
line C-p C-n
go to line beginning (or end) C-a C-e
sentence M-a M-e
paragraph M-{ M-}
page C-x [ C-x ]
sexp C-M-b C-M-f
function C-M-a C-M-e
go to buffer beginning (or end) M-< M->
scroll to next screen C-v
scroll to previous screen M-v
scroll left C-x <
scroll right C-x >
scroll current line to center, top, bottom C-l
goto line M-g g
goto char M-g c
back to indentation M-m
Killing and Deleting
entity to kill backward forward
character (delete, not kill) DEL C-d
word M-DEL M-d
line (to end of) M-0 C-k C-k
sentence C-x DEL M-k
sexp M-- C-M-k C-M-k
kill region C-w
copy region to kill ring M-w
kill through next occurrence of char M-z char
yank back last thing killed C-y
replace last yank with previous kill M-y
Marking
set mark here C-@ or C-SPC
exchange point and mark C-x C-x
set mark arg words away M-@
mark paragraph M-h
mark page C-x C-p
mark sexp C-M-@
mark function C-M-h
mark entire buffer C-x h
Query Replace
interactively replace a text string M-%
using regular expressions M-x query-replace-regexp
Valid responses in query-replace mode are
replace this one, go on to next SPC or y
replace this one, don’t move ,
skip to next without replacing DEL or n
replace all remaining matches !
back up to the previous match ^
exit query-replace RET
enter recursive edit (C-M-c to exit) C-r
Multiple Windows
When two commands are shown, the second is a similar com-
mand for a frame instead of a window.
delete all other windows C-x 1 C-x 5 1
split window, above and below C-x 2 C-x 5 2
delete this window C-x 0 C-x 5 0
split window, side by side C-x 3
scroll other window C-M-v
switch cursor to another window C-x o C-x 5 o
select buffer in other window C-x 4 b C-x 5 b
display buffer in other window C-x 4 C-o C-x 5 C-o
find file in other window C-x 4 f C-x 5 f
find file read-only in other window C-x 4 r C-x 5 r
run Dired in other window C-x 4 d C-x 5 d
find tag in other window C-x 4 . C-x 5 .
grow window taller C-x ^
shrink window narrower C-x {
grow window wider C-x }
Formatting
indent current line (mode-dependent) TAB
indent region (mode-dependent) C-M-\
indent sexp (mode-dependent) C-M-q
indent region rigidly arg columns C-x TAB
indent for comment M-;
insert newline after point C-o
move rest of line vertically down C-M-o
delete blank lines around point C-x C-o
join line with previous (with arg, next) M-^
delete all white space around point M-\
put exactly one space at point M-SPC
fill paragraph M-q
set fill column to arg C-x f
set prefix each line starts with C-x .
set face M-o
Case Change
uppercase word M-u
lowercase word M-l
capitalize word M-c
uppercase region C-x C-u
lowercase region C-x C-l
The Minibuffer
The following keys are defined in the minibuffer.
complete as much as possible TAB
complete up to one word SPC
complete and execute RET
show possible completions ?
fetch previous minibuffer input M-p
fetch later minibuffer input or default M-n
regexp search backward through history M-r
regexp search forward through history M-s
abort command C-g
Type C-x ESC ESC to edit and repeat the last command that
used the minibuffer. Type F10 to activate menu bar items on
text terminals.
