Bindings(2)

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DEFAULT KEY BINDINGS

The default key bindings are presented below in four alphabetical lists, one for single key bindings and one for each of the 4 bound prefixes (esc, C-x, C-h & C-c). See Key Names for a list of valid key names.

Single-Key Sequences

backspace backward-delete-char Delete the previous character.
delete forward-delete-char Delete character under the cursor.
down forward-line Move to next line.
end end-of-buffer Move to the end of the buffer.
esc prefix 1 Meta character prefix.
f1 osd Open top main menu.
home beginning-of-buffer Move to the start of the buffer.
insert buffer-mode Toggle over-write mode.
left backward-char Move backward one character (left).
page-down scroll-down Move forward by one screen.
page-up scroll-up Move backward by one screen.
return newline Insert a new line.
right forward-char Move forward one character (right).
tab tab Insert a tab character.
up backward-line Move to previous line.

S-backspace backward-delete-char Delete the previous character.
S-delete forward-delete-char Delete character under the cursor.
S-tab backward-delete-tab Delete white space to previous tab-stop.

C-a beginning-of-line Move to beginning of line.
C-b backward-char Move backwards by one character
C-c prefix Control character prefix.
C-d forward-delete-char Delete character under the cursor.
C-e end-of-line Move to end of line.
C-f forward-char Move forward one character (right).
C-g abort-command Abort current command.
C-h prefix Control character prefix.
C-i insert-tab Insert tab character.
C-k kill-line Delete from cursor to the end of the line.
C-l recenter Redraw screen with current line in the center.
C-m newline Insert a new line.
C-n forward-line Move to next line (down).
C-o insert-newline Open up a blank line.
C-p backward-line Move to previous line (up).
C-q quote-char Insert literal character.
C-r isearch-backward Start incremental search backwards.
C-s isearch-forward Start incremental search forwards.
C-t transpose-chars Transpose two letters.
C-u universal-argument Repeat the next command n times (default is 4).
C-v scroll-down Move forward by one screen.
C-w kill-region Delete a marked region.
C-x prefix Control character prefix.
C-y yank Restore what was copied or deleted.
C-z scroll-up Move backward by one screen.
C-_ undo Undo the previous edit.
C-space set-mark Set start of a region.
C-down forward-line Move forward five lines.
C-left backward-word Move one word backward.
C-page-down scroll-next-window-down Scroll next window down a page.
C-page-up scroll-next-window-up Scroll the next window up a page.
C-right forward-word Move one word forward.
C-up backward-line Move backward 5 lines.

A-e file-browser Browse the file system.
A-r replace-all-string Replace string with new string in a list of files.
A-down scroll-down Scroll the current window down one line.
A-left scroll-left Scroll the current window left one character.
A-right scroll-right Scroll the current window right one character.
A-up scroll-up Scroll the current window up one line.

esc Prefix Sequences

esc ! pipe-shell-command Pipe a shell command to a buffer.
esc % query-replace-string Search and replace a string - with query.
esc $ spell-word Spell a word.
esc . set-mark Set the start of a region.
esc / execute-file Execute script lines from a file.
esc < beginning-of-buffer Move to the start of the buffer.
esc > end-of-buffer Move to the end of the buffer.
esc ? help Help - high level introduction to MicroEmacs.
esc @ pipe-shell-command Pipe a shell command to a buffer.
esc [ backward-paragraph Goto the beginning of the paragraph.
esc \ ipipe-shell-command Incrementally pipe a shell command to a buffer.
esc ] forward-paragraph Move forward one paragraph
esc ^ delete-indentation Join 2 lines deleting white spaces.
esc b backward-word Move one word backwards
esc c capitalize-word Capitalize first letter of a word
esc d forward-kill-word Delete word the cursor is on.
esc e set-encryption-key Reset the encryption key.
esc f forward-word Move one word forward.
esc g goto-line Goto a line.
esc i tab Insert a tab character.
esc k global-bind-key Bind a key to a command or macro.
esc l lower-case-word Lowercase word.
esc m global-mode Toggle a global mode.
esc n forward-paragraph Move forward one paragraph
esc o fill-paragraph Reformat (fill) current paragraph.
esc p backward-paragraph Goto the beginning of the paragraph.
esc q ifill-paragraph Reformat (fill) current paragraph.
esc r replace-string Search and replace text (no query).
esc t find-tag Find a tag.
esc u upper-case-word Uppercase word.
esc v scroll-down Move to the previous screen.
esc w copy-region Copy region to the kill buffer.
esc x execute-named-command Execute the named command.
esc y reyank Kill current yank data and restore previous kill buffer data.
esc z quick-exit Save all buffers and exit.

esc ~ buffer-mode Remove edited status from current buffer.
esc backspace backward-kill-word Delete the word under the cursor.
esc esc expand-abbrev Expand an abbreviation.
esc space set-mark Set the start of a region.

esc C-c count-words Count words in a region.
esc C-f goto-matching-fence Reposition the cursor at an opposing bracket.
esc C-g abort-command Abort current command.
esc C-i tab Insert tab character.
esc C-k global-unbind-key Unbind a key from a command or macro
esc C-n change-buffer-name Rename current buffer.
esc C-r query-replace-string Search and replace with query.
esc C-v scroll-next-window-down Scroll next window down a page.
esc C-w kill-paragraph Delete current paragraph.
esc C-z scroll-next-window-up Scroll the next window up a page.

esc A-r query-replace-all-string Query replace string in a list of files.

C-x Prefix Sequences

C-x # filter-buffer Filter the buffer through a shell filter.
C-x ( start-kbd-macro Start recording a keyboard macro.
C-x ) end-kbd-macro Stop recording a keyboard macro.
C-x / isearch-forward Start incremental search forwards.
C-x 0 delete-window Delete the current window.
C-x 1 delete-other-windows Delete other windows.
C-x 2 split-window-vertically Split the current window into two.
C-x 3 split-window-horizontally Split current window horizontally into two.
C-x 5-1 create-frame Create a new internal frame.
C-x 5-2 create-frame Create a new external frame.
C-x 8 find-cfile Find and load an encrypted file for editing.
C-x 9 find-bfile Find and load a file for binary editing.
C-x < scroll-left Scroll the window left by one screen width.
C-x = buffer-info Show cursor position information
C-x > scroll-right Scroll the window right by one screen width.
C-x ? describe-key Describe binding of command to key.
C-x @ pipe-shell-command Pipe a shell command to buffer.
C-x [ scroll-up Move backward by one screen.
C-x ] scroll-down Move forward by one screen.
C-x ^ grow-window-vertically Enlarge the current window by a line.
C-x ` get-next-line Find the next command line.
C-x a goto-alpha-mark Move the cursor to an alphabetic mark.
C-x b find-buffer Switch window to a buffer.
C-x c shell Start a new command processor.
C-x e execute-kbd-macro Execute a macro.
C-x h hunt-forward Continue search in forward direction.
C-x k delete-buffer Delete buffer.
C-x m buffer-mode Toggle a local buffer mode.
C-x n change-file-name Rename current buffer file name.
C-x o next-window Move to the next window.
C-x p previous-window Move to the previous window.
C-x q kbd-macro-query Query keyboard macro.
C-x r search-backward Search in a reverse direction.
C-x s search-forward Search in a forward direction.
C-x u undo Undo the previous edit.
C-x v set-variable Assign a new value to a variable.
C-x w resize-window-vertically Resize the window.
C-x x next-buffer Switch to the next buffer.
C-x z grow-window-vertically Enlarge the current window.
C-x { shrink-window-horizontally Shrink current window horizontally.
C-x } grow-window-horizontally Enlarge current window horizontally.

C-x C-a set-alpha-mark Mark the current position with an alphabetic mark.
C-x C-b list-buffers Display buffer list.
C-x C-c save-buffer-exit-emacs Exit MicroEmacs.
C-x C-e execute-kbd-macro Execute a macro.
C-x C-f find-file Find a file and load into buffer.
C-x C-g abort-command Abort current command.
C-x C-h hunt-backward Resume search in backwards direction.
C-x C-i insert-file Insert file into the current buffer.
C-x C-l lower-case-region Lowercase region.
C-x C-n scroll-down Scroll the current window down one line.
C-x C-o delete-blank-lines Delete blank lines about the cursor.
C-x C-p scroll-up Scroll the current window up one line.
C-x C-q rcs-file Interact with RCS to check in/out a file.
C-x C-r read-file Read a file from disk.
C-x C-s save-buffer Save current file to disk.
C-x C-t transpose-lines Swap adjacent lines.
C-x C-u upper-case-region Uppercase region.
C-x C-v view-file Read a file for viewing (read only).
C-x C-w write-buffer Write a file to disk witn new name.
C-x C-x exchange-point-and-mark Exchange cursor with mark position.
C-x C-y insert-file-name Insert filename into current buffer.
C-x C-z shrink-window-vertically Reduce size of current window.

C-h Prefix Sequences

C-h a command-apropos List commands involving a concept.
C-h b describe-bindings Show current command/key binding.
C-h c list-commands List available commands.
C-h d describe-variable Describe current setting of a variable.
C-h k describe-key Describe keyboard binding.
C-h v list-variables List defined variables.

C-h C-c help-command Display command help information.
C-h C-i help-item Display item help information.
C-h C-v help-variable Display variable help information.

Ref: Bindings(2) File: m2cmd200.2 Date: 2025/08/28