Nano Keyboard Commands

If you take a look at the online help in nano (Ctrl+G) you'll be presented with a list of the commands available. For your convenience, I've duplicated that list below; the ones I think are most important are marked with three asterisks. If you would like to read a short tutorial on how to use the nano editor, be sure to visit the nano tutorial page!

NOTE: Any command prefixed with a caret symbol (^) means to use the Ctrl key (e.g., ^G means to press the Ctrl+G keys at the same time). Any command prefixed with the letter M means to press the Alt key (e.g., M-R means to press the Alt+R keys together).



Most Helpful!

Ctrl Key Combination

Function Key

Alt Key Combination

Description

***

^G

F1


Display the help text

***

^X

F2


Close the current file buffer / Exit from nano

***

^O

F3


Write the current file to disk


^J

F4


Justify the current paragraph


^R

F5


Insert another file into the current one

***

^W

F6


Search for a string or a regular expression

***

^Y

F7


Move to the previous screen

***

^V

F8


Move to the next screen

***

^K

F9


Cut the current line and store it in the cutbuffer

***

^U

F10


Uncut from the cutbuffer into the current line

***

^C

F11


Display the position of the cursor


^T

F12


Invoke the spell checker, if available

***

^_

F13

M-G

Go to line and column number

***

^\

F14

M-R

Replace a string or a regular expression


^^

F15

M-A

Mark text at the cursor position

***


F16

M-W

Repeat last search

***



M-^ or M-6

Copy the current line and store it in the cutbuffer




M-}

Indent the current line




M-{

Unindent the current line


^F



Move forward one character


^B



Move back one character


^Space



Move forward one word




M-Space

Move back one word

***

^P



Move to the previous line

***

^N



Move to the next line

***

^A



Move to the beginning of the current line

***

^E



Move to the end of the current line




M-( or M-9

Move to the beginning of the current paragraph




M-) or M-0

Move to the end of the current paragraph




M-\ or M-|

Move to the first line of the file




M-/ or M-?

Move to the last line of the file

***



M-]

Move to the matching bracket




M-- or M-_

Scroll up one line without scrolling the cursor




M-+ or M-=

Scroll down one line without scrolling the cursor

***



M-< or M-,

Switch to the previous file buffer

***



M-> or M-.

Switch to the next file buffer




M-V

Insert the next keystroke verbatim


^I



Insert a tab at the cursor position


^M



Insert a newline at the cursor position


^D



Delete the character under the cursor


^H



Delete the character to the left of the cursor




M-T

Cut from the cursor position to the end of the file




M-J

Justify the entire file




M-D

Count the number of words, lines, and characters

***

^L



Refresh (redraw) the current screen




M-X

Help mode enable/disable

***



M-C

Constant cursor position display enable/disable




M-O

Use of one more line for editing enable/disable




M-S

Smooth scrolling enable/disable




M-P

Whitespace display enable/disable




M-Y

Color syntax highlighting enable/disable




M-H

Smart home key enable/disable

***



M-I

Auto indent enable/disable




M-K

Cut to end enable/disable




M-L

Long line wrapping enable/disable




M-Q

Conversion of typed tabs to spaces enable/disable




M-B

Backup files enable/disable




M-F

Multiple file buffers enable/disable




M-M

Mouse support enable/disable




M-N

No conversion from DOS/Mac format enable/disable




M-Z

Suspension enable/disable