The emacs commands below are presented alphabetically by command name. Use M-x to access the command name. Reminder: Tables list command name, keystroke, and description. C- indicates the Control key; M- indicates the Meta key.
macroname | (none) | Execute a keyboard macro you've saved. |
abbrev-mode | (none) | Enter (or exit) word abbreviation mode. |
advertised-undo | C-x u | Undo last edit (can be done repeatedly). |
apropos | (none) | What functions and variables involve this concept? |
back-to-indentation | M-m | Move cursor to first non-blank character on line. |
backward-char | C-b | Move backward one character (left). |
backward-delete-char | DEL | Delete previous character. |
backward-kill-paragraph | (none) | Delete previous paragraph. |
backward-kill-sentence | C-x DEL | Delete previous sentence. |
backward-kill-word | C-c C-w | Erase previous word. |
backward-kill-word | M-DEL | Delete previous word. |
backward-page | C-x [ | Move backward one page. |
backward-paragraph | M-[ | Move backward one paragraph. |
backward-sentence | M-a | Move backward one sentence. |
backward-word | M-b | Move backward one word. |
beginning-of-buffer | M-< | Move to beginning of file. |
beginning-of-line | C-a | Move to beginning of line. |
call-last-kbd-macro | C-x e | Execute last macro defined. |
capitalize-region | (none) | Capitalize region. |
capitalize-word | M-c | Capitalize first letter of word. |
center-line | M-s | Center line that cursor is on. |
center-paragraph | (none) | Center paragraph that cursor is on. |
center-region | (none) | Center currently defined region. |
command-apropos | C-h a | What commands involve this concept? |
compare-windows | (none) | Compare two buffers; show first difference. |
delete-char | C-d | Delete character under cursor. |
delete-indentation | M-^ | Join this line to previous one. |
delete-other-windows | C-x 1 | Delete all windows but this one. |
delete-window | C-x 0 | Delete current window. |
delete-windows-on | (none) | Delete all windows on a given buffer. |
describe-bindings | C-h b | What are all the key bindings for in this buffer? |
describe-copying | C-h C-c | View the emacs General Public License. |
describe-distribution | C-h C-d | View information on ordering emacs from FSF. |
describe-function | C-h f | What does this function do? |
describe-key | C-h k | What command does this keystroke sequence run, and what does it do? |
describe-key-briefly | C-h c | What command does this keystroke sequence run? |
describe-mode | C-h m | Tell me about the mode the current buffer is in. |
describe-no-warranty | C-h C-w | View the (non-)warranty for emacs. |
describe-syntax | C-h s | What is the syntax table for this buffer? |
describe-variable | C-h v | What does this variable mean, and what is its value? |
digit-argument and call-last-kbd-macro | M-n C-x e | Execute the last defined macro, n times. |
digit-argument | M-n | Repeat next command, n times. |
downcase-region | C-x C-l | Lowercase region. |
downcase-word | M-l | Lowercase word. |
edit-abbrevs | (none) | Edit word abbreviations. |
end-kbd-macro | C-x ) | End macro definition. |
end-of-buffer | M-> | Move to end of file. |
end-of-line | C-e | Move to end of line. |
enlarge-window | C-x ^ | Make window taller. |
enlarge-window-horizontally | C-x } | Make window wider. |
exchange-point-and-mark | C-x C-x | Exchange location of cursor and mark. |
exit-recursive-edit | M-C-c | Exit a recursive edit. |
fill-individual-paragraphs | (none) | Reformat indented paragraphs, keeping indentation. |
fill-paragraph | M-q | Reformat paragraph. |
fill-region | M- | Reformat individual paragraphs within a region. |
find-alternate-file | C-x C-v | Read an alternate file, replacing the one read with C-x C-f. |
find-file | C-x C-f | Find file and read it. |
find-file-other-window | C-x 4 f | Find a file in the other window. |
forward-char | C-f | Move forward one character (right). |
forward-page | C-x ] | Move forward one page. |
forward-paragraph | M-] | Move forward one paragraph. |
forward-sentence | M-e | Move forward one sentence. |
forward-word | M-f | Move forward one word. |
goto-char | (none) | Go to character n of file. |
goto-line | (none) | Go to line n of file. |
help-command | C-h | Enter the online help system. |
help-with-tutorial | C-h t | Run the emacs tutorial. |
indent-region | M-C-\ | Indent a region to match first line in region. |
indented-text-mode | (none) | Major mode: each tab defines a new indent for subsequent lines. |
info | C-h i | Start the info documentation reader. |
insert-file | C-x i | Insert file at cursor position. |
insert-last-keyboard-macro | (none) | Insert the macro you named into a file. |
interrupt-shell-subjob | C-c C-c | Terminate the current job. |
inverse-add-lobal-abbrev | C-x - | Type global abbreviation, then definition. |
inverse-add-local-abbrev | C-x C-h | Type local abbreviation, then definition. |
isearch-backward | C-r | Start incremental search backward. |
isearch-backward-regexp | C-r | Same, but search for regular expression. |
isearch-forward | C-s | Start incremental search forward. |
isearch-forward-regexp | C-r | Same, but search for regular expression. |
kbd-macro-query | C-x q | Insert a query in a macro definition. |
keyboard-quit | C- | Abort current command. |
kill-all-abbrevs | (none) | Kill abbreviations for this session. |
kill-buffer | C-x k | Delete the buffer specified. |
kill-line | C-k | Delete from cursor to end of line. |
kill-paragraph | (none) | Delete from cursor to end of paragraph. |
kill-region | C-w | Delete a marked region. |
kill-sentence | M-k | Delete sentence the cursor is on. |
kill-shell-input | C-c C-u | Erase current line. |
kill-some-buffers | (none) | Ask about deleting each buffer. |
kill-word | M-d | Delete word the cursor is on. |
list-abbrevs | (none) | View word abbreviations. |
list-buffers | C-x C-b | Display buffer list. |
load-file | (none) | Load macro files you've saved. |
mark-page | C-x C-p | Mark page. |
mark-paragraph | M-h | Mark paragraph. |
mark-whole-buffer | C-x h | Mark buffer. |
name-last-kbd-macro | (none) | Name last macro you created (before saving it). |
negative-argument; capitalize-word | M- - M-c | Capitalize previous word. |
negative-argument; downcase-word | M- - M-l | Lowercase previous word. |
negative-argument; upcase-word | M- - M-u | Uppercase previous word. |
next-line | C-n | Move to next line (down). |
other-window | C-x o | Move to the other window. |
previous-line | C-p | Move to previous line (up). |
query-replace-regexp | (none) | Query-replace a regular expression. |
recenter | C-l | Redraw screen, with current line in center. |
rename-buffer | (none) | Change buffer name to specified name. |
replace-regexp | (none) | Replace a regular expression unconditionally. |
re-search-backward | (none) | Simple regular expression search backward. |
re-search-forward | (none) | Simple regular expression search forward. |
revert-buffer | (none) | Restore buffer to the state it was in when the file was last saved (or auto-saved). |
save-buffer | C-x C-s | Save file (may hang terminal; use C-q to restart). |
save-buffers-kill-emacs | C-x C-c | Exit emacs. |
save-some-buffers | C-x s | Ask whether to save each modified buffer. |
scroll-down | M-v | Move backward one screen. |
scroll-left | C-x < | Scroll the window left. |
scroll-other-window | M-C-v | Scroll other window. |
scroll-right | C-x > | Scroll the window right. |
scroll-up | C-v | Move forward one screen. |
set-fill-prefix | C-x . | Prepend each line in paragraph with characters from beginning of line up to cursor column; cancel prefix by typing this command in column 1. |
set-mark-command | C-@ or C-SPACE | Mark the beginning (or end) of a region. |
shell-send-eof | C-c C-d | End of file character. |
shrink-window | (none) | Make window shorter. |
shrink-window-horizontally | C-x { | Make window narrower. |
spell-buffer | (none) | Check spelling of current buffer. |
spell-region | (none) | Check spelling of current region. |
spell-string | (none) | Check spelling of string typed in minibuffer. |
spell-word | M-$ | Check spelling of word after cursor. |
split-line | M-C-o | Split line at cursor; indent to column of cursor. |
split-window-horizontally | C-x 2 | Divide current window horizontally into two. |
split-window-vertically | C-x 5 | Divide current window vertically into two. |
start-kbd-macro | C-u C-x ( | Execute last macro defined, then add keystrokes to it. |
start-kbd-macro | C-x ( | Start macro definition. |
stop-shell-subjob | C-c C-z | Suspend current job. |
suspend-emacs | C-z | Suspend emacs (use exit or fg to restart). |
switch-to-buffer | C-x b | Move to the buffer specified. |
switch-to-buffer-other- window | C-x 4 b | Select a buffer in the other window. |
text-mode | (none) | Exit indented text mode; return to text mode. |
transpose-chars | C-t | Transpose two letters. |
transpose-lines | C-x C-t | Transpose two lines. |
transpose-paragraphs | (none) | Transpose two paragraphs. |
transpose-sentences | (none) | Transpose two sentences. |
transpose-words | M-t | Transpose two words. |
unexpand-abbrev | (none) | Undo the last word abbreviation. |
universal-argument | C-u n | Repeat the next command n times. |
upcase-region | C-x C-u | Uppercase region. |
upcase-word | M-u | Uppercase word. |
view-emacs-news | C-h n | View news about updates to emacs. |
view-lossage | C-h l | What are the last 100 characters I typed? |
where-is | C-h w | What is the key binding for this command? |
write-abbrev-file | (none) | Write the word abbreviation file. |
write-file | C-x C-w | Write buffer contents to file. |
yank | C-y | Restore what you've deleted. |