Vim Cheat Sheet
A searchable, printable Vim reference — modes, motions, editing, search & replace, windows, buffers and registers. Free.
Modes
9Esc
Return to Normal mode
i / a
Insert before / after the cursor
I / A
Insert at start / end of the line
o / O
Open a new line below / above
v
Visual mode (character selection)
V
Visual line mode
Ctrl-v
Visual block mode (columns)
R
Replace mode (overtype)
:
Command-line (Ex) mode
Motions
10h j k l
Left, down, up, right
w / b
Forward / back one word
e / ge
End of next / previous word
0 / ^ / $
Line start / first non-blank / line end
gg / G
First line / last line
42G / :42
Jump to line 42
{ / }
Previous / next paragraph
%
Jump to matching bracket
f x / t x
Move to / before next x on the line
Ctrl-d / Ctrl-u
Scroll half page down / up
Editing operators
11x / X
Delete char under / before cursor
dd / D
Delete line / to end of line
dw / diw
Delete word / inner word
cc / C
Change line / to end of line
ciw / ci"
Change inner word / inside quotes
yy / yw
Yank (copy) line / word
p / P
Paste after / before the cursor
r x / ~
Replace one char / toggle case
u / Ctrl-r
Undo / redo
.
Repeat the last change
>> / <<
Indent / unindent the line
Visual mode
9v / V
Start character / line selection
Ctrl-v
Start block (column) selection
o
Jump to the other end of the selection
d / y
Delete / yank the selection
c
Change the selection
> / <
Indent / unindent the selection
gu / gU
Lowercase / uppercase the selection
gv
Reselect the last visual selection
I / A
Block insert before / append after (Ctrl-v)
Search & replace
9/pattern
Search forward for pattern
?pattern
Search backward for pattern
n / N
Next / previous match
* / #
Search word under cursor fwd / back
:%s/old/new/g
Replace all in the file
:%s/old/new/gc
Replace all with confirmation
:s/old/new/g
Replace all on the current line
:%s/\<word\>/x/g
Replace whole words only
:noh
Clear search highlighting
Windows & tabs
8:sp / :split
Horizontal split
:vsp / :vsplit
Vertical split
Ctrl-w h/j/k/l
Move to the split in that direction
Ctrl-w w
Cycle to the next split
Ctrl-w q / c
Close the current split
Ctrl-w o
Close all other splits
Ctrl-w =
Equalize split sizes
:tabnew / gt / gT
New tab / next / previous tab
Buffers & files
9:e file
Open / edit a file
:w / :w file
Save / save as
:wq / :x / ZZ
Save and quit
:q / :q!
Quit / quit discarding changes
:ls / :buffers
List open buffers
:b name / :bN
Switch to a buffer by name / number
:bn / :bp
Next / previous buffer
:bd
Delete (close) a buffer
:wa / :qa
Write all / quit all
Registers & marks
8"ayy
Yank line into register a
"ap
Paste from register a
"+y / "+p
Yank to / paste from system clipboard
:reg
Show register contents
ma
Set mark a at the cursor
`a / 'a
Jump to mark a (exact / line)
``
Jump back to the previous position
:marks
List all marks
Macros
7qa
Start recording into register a
q
Stop recording
@a
Play back macro a
@@
Repeat the last played macro
5@a
Play macro a five times
:%normal @a
Run macro a on every line
"ap → edit → "ay$
Paste, edit, then re-yank a macro to change it
No entry matches “:q”.
About Vim Cheat Sheet
This Vim cheat sheet maps the editor by concept: modes, motions, editing operators, visual mode, search and replace, windows and tabs, buffers and files, registers and marks, and macros. Each row is a keystroke or command with a one-line description of what it does.
Vim rewards muscle memory, and the fastest way to build it is having the right motion or operator in front of you when you need it. The sheet keeps the composable pieces — operators, motions, counts — grouped so the grammar of Vim stays visible rather than memorized one keybinding at a time.
It is free and fully client-side: filter every keystroke live with the search box, jump between sections from the sticky table of contents, click to copy an Ex command, and print the sheet — the classic way to learn Vim is with a printout beside the keyboard.
How to use Vim Cheat Sheet
- Start with the Modes section if you are new, or jump straight to Motions and Editing operators.
- Search for an action like delete, replace or macro to filter the whole sheet.
- Use the sticky table of contents to hop to sections such as Registers & marks or Windows & tabs.
- Click a command or its copy icon to copy Ex commands like search-and-replace patterns.
- Print the sheet and keep it next to your keyboard while the motions become muscle memory.
Frequently asked questions
Nine sections: modes, motions, editing operators, visual mode, search and replace, windows and tabs, buffers and files, registers and marks, and macros — the full working vocabulary of the editor.
Yes. The sheet covers core Vim behavior — modes, motions, operators, registers, macros — which is identical in Neovim, so everything applies regardless of which one you run.
Read the Modes section first to understand normal, insert and visual modes, then learn a handful of motions and operators. Because Vim commands compose, a small vocabulary already covers most editing.
Yes. The Print button strips the search bar and navigation and outputs just the keystrokes and descriptions — a printed Vim cheat sheet is still the classic way to learn.
Yes, completely free, searchable in your browser and printable without any account.
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