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⤢ GNU EMACS KEYBOARD SHORTCUTS · MAC · 47 ESSENTIAL 1 2 3 4 5 ⌥ ⇧ Query re… 6 7 8 9 0 Q ⌥ Fill (re… W ⌃ Kill reg… E ⌃ Move to … R ⌃ Incremen… T ⌃ Transpos… Y ⌃ Yank (pa… U I O ⌃ Insert n… P ⌃ Previous… A ⌃ Move to … S ⌃ Incremen… D ⌃ Delete c… F ⌃ Move for… G ⌃ Abort cu… H ⌃ Run tuto… J K ⌃ Kill (cu… L ⌃ Redraw g… Z ⌃ Suspend … X ⌃ Find (op… C V ⌃ Scroll t… B ⌃ Move bac… N ⌃ Next line M MORE SHORTCUTS Save file ⌃ X › ⌃ S Undo an unwan… ⌃ X › U Execute exten… ⌥ X Copy region t… ⌥ W Select anothe… ⌃ X › B Exit Emacs pe… ⌃ X › ⌃ C Set mark here ⌃ ␣ Mark entire b… ⌃ X › H Delete all ot… ⌃ X › 1 Switch cursor… ⌃ X › O Save all files ⌃ X › S Go to buffer … ⌥ ⇧ , Go to buffer … ⌥ ⇧ . Split window … ⌃ X › 2 Split window … ⌃ X › 3 Delete this w… ⌃ X › 0 List all buff… ⌃ X › ⌃ B Kill a buffer ⌃ X › K Indent line (… ⇥ Write buffer … ⌃ X › ⌃ W Move forward … ⌥ F Move backward… ⌥ B Scroll to pre… ⌥ V Go to line ⌥ G › ⌥ G Kill word for… ⌥ D shortcutposters.com UPDATED JAN 2026 · COMPATIBLE WITH GNU EMACS · MAC
GNU EMACS KEYBOARD SHORTCUTS · MAC · 47 ESSENTIAL 1 2 3 4 5 ⌥ ⇧ Query re… 6 7 8 9 0 A ⌃ Move to … Z ⌃ Suspend … E ⌃ Move to … R ⌃ Incremen… T ⌃ Transpos… Y ⌃ Yank (pa… U I O ⌃ Insert n… P ⌃ Previous… Q ⌥ Fill (re… S ⌃ Incremen… D ⌃ Delete c… F ⌃ Move for… G ⌃ Abort cu… H ⌃ Run tuto… J K ⌃ Kill (cu… L ⌃ Redraw g… M W ⌃ Kill reg… X ⌃ Find (op… C V ⌃ Scroll t… B ⌃ Move bac… N ⌃ Next line MORE SHORTCUTS Save file ⌃ X › ⌃ S Undo an unwan… ⌃ X › U Execute exten… ⌥ X Copy region t… ⌥ W Select anothe… ⌃ X › B Exit Emacs pe… ⌃ X › ⌃ C Set mark here ⌃ ␣ Mark entire b… ⌃ X › H Delete all ot… ⌃ X › 1 Switch cursor… ⌃ X › O Save all files ⌃ X › S Go to buffer … ⌥ ⇧ , Go to buffer … ⌥ ⇧ . Split window … ⌃ X › 2 Split window … ⌃ X › 3 Delete this w… ⌃ X › 0 List all buff… ⌃ X › ⌃ B Kill a buffer ⌃ X › K Indent line (… ⇥ Write buffer … ⌃ X › ⌃ W Move forward … ⌥ F Move backward… ⌥ B Scroll to pre… ⌥ V Go to line ⌥ G › ⌥ G Kill word for… ⌥ D shortcutposters.com UPDATED JAN 2026 · COMPATIBLE WITH GNU EMACS · MAC
⤢ FILES Find (open) file ⌃ X › ⌃ F Save file ⌃ X › ⌃ S Save all files ⌃ X › S Write buffer to a file ⌃ X › ⌃ W Insert file into buffer ⌃ X › I Toggle read-only status of… ⌃ X › ⌃ Q KILLING AND DELETING Kill (cut) to end of line ⌃ K Kill region (cut) ⌃ W Copy region to kill ring ⌥ W Yank (paste) last kill ⌃ Y Delete character forward ⌃ D Kill word forward ⌥ D Replace last yank with pre… ⌥ Y LEAVING EMACS Exit Emacs permanently ⌃ X › ⌃ C Suspend / iconify Emacs ⌃ Z HELP Run tutorial ⌃ H › T Apropos: commands matching… ⌃ H › A Describe the function a ke… ⌃ H › K Describe a function ⌃ H › F ERROR RECOVERY Abort current command ⌃ G Undo an unwanted change ⌃ X › U Redraw garbaged screen ⌃ L EDITING Execute extended command (… ⌥ X Indent line (mode-dependen… ⇥ Insert newline after point ⌃ O Transpose characters ⌃ T Fill (reflow) paragraph ⌥ Q BUFFERS Select another buffer ⌃ X › B List all buffers ⌃ X › ⌃ B Kill a buffer ⌃ X › K MARKING Set mark here ⌃ ␣ Mark entire buffer ⌃ X › H Exchange point and mark ⌃ X › ⌃ X SEARCH Incremental search forward ⌃ S Incremental search backward ⌃ R Query replace ⌥ ⇧ 5 Regular expression search ⌃ ⌥ S MOTION Move to beginning of line ⌃ A Move to end of line ⌃ E Move forward one character ⌃ F Move backward one character ⌃ B Next line ⌃ N Previous line ⌃ P Go to buffer beginning ⌥ ⇧ , Go to buffer end ⌥ ⇧ . Move forward one word ⌥ F Move backward one word ⌥ B Scroll to next screen ⌃ V Scroll to previous screen ⌥ V Go to line ⌥ G › ⌥ G WINDOWS Delete all other windows ⌃ X › 1 Switch cursor to another w… ⌃ X › O Split window above and bel… ⌃ X › 2 Split window side by side ⌃ X › 3 Delete this window ⌃ X › 0 GNU Emacs KEYBOARD SHORTCUTS · MAC · 55 BOTH LAYOUTS QWERTY Q W E R T Y AZERTY A Z E R T Y shortcutposters.com UPDATED JAN 2026 · COMPATIBLE WITH GNU EMACS · MAC ⤢ FILES 06 Find (open) file ⌃ X › ⌃ F Save file ⌃ X › ⌃ S Save all files ⌃ X › S Write buffer to a file ⌃ X › ⌃ W Insert file into buffer ⌃ X › I Toggle read-only status of b… ⌃ X › ⌃ Q KILLING AND DELETING 07 Kill (cut) to end of line ⌃ K Kill region (cut) ⌃ W Copy region to kill ring ⌥ W Yank (paste) last kill ⌃ Y Delete character forward ⌃ D Kill word forward ⌥ D Replace last yank with previ… ⌥ Y LEAVING EMACS 02 Exit Emacs permanently ⌃ X › ⌃ C Suspend / iconify Emacs ⌃ Z HELP 04 Run tutorial ⌃ H › T Apropos: commands matching a… ⌃ H › A Describe the function a key … ⌃ H › K Describe a function ⌃ H › F ERROR RECOVERY 03 Abort current command ⌃ G Undo an unwanted change ⌃ X › U Redraw garbaged screen ⌃ L EDITING 05 Execute extended command (M-… ⌥ X Indent line (mode-dependent) ⇥ Insert newline after point ⌃ O Transpose characters ⌃ T Fill (reflow) paragraph ⌥ Q BUFFERS 03 Select another buffer ⌃ X › B List all buffers ⌃ X › ⌃ B Kill a buffer ⌃ X › K MARKING 03 Set mark here ⌃ ␣ Mark entire buffer ⌃ X › H Exchange point and mark ⌃ X › ⌃ X SEARCH 04 Incremental search forward ⌃ S Incremental search backward ⌃ R Query replace ⌥ ⇧ 5 Regular expression search ⌃ ⌥ S MOTION 13 Move to beginning of line ⌃ A Move to end of line ⌃ E Move forward one character ⌃ F Move backward one character ⌃ B Next line ⌃ N Previous line ⌃ P Go to buffer beginning ⌥ ⇧ , Go to buffer end ⌥ ⇧ . Move forward one word ⌥ F Move backward one word ⌥ B Scroll to next screen ⌃ V Scroll to previous screen ⌥ V Go to line ⌥ G › ⌥ G WINDOWS 05 Delete all other windows ⌃ X › 1 Switch cursor to another win… ⌃ X › O Split window above and below ⌃ X › 2 Split window side by side ⌃ X › 3 Delete this window ⌃ X › 0 GNU Emacs KEYBOARD SHORTCUTS · MAC · 55 BOTH LAYOUTS QWERTY Q W E R T Y AZERTY A Z E R T Y shortcutposters.com UPDATED JAN 2026 · COMPATIBLE WITH GNU EMACS · MAC
⤢ GNU EMACS · KEYBOARD SHORTCUTS Mac · 11 SETS · No.01 GNU EMACS TOTAL 55 SHORTCUTS FOR MAC · SHIPPED COMBOS SETS FILES 06 ERROR RECOVER 03 SEARCH 04 EDITING 05 MOTION 13 KILLING AND D 07 BUFFERS 03 LEAVING EMACS 02 MARKING 03 WINDOWS 05 HELP 04 REF. EDITION · JAN 2026 shortcutposters.com Find (open) file ⌃ X › ⌃ F Save file ⌃ X › ⌃ S Save all files ⌃ X › S Write buffer to a file ⌃ X › ⌃ W Insert file into buffer ⌃ X › I Toggle read-only status… ⌃ X › ⌃ Q Abort current command ⌃ G Undo an unwanted change ⌃ X › U Redraw garbaged screen ⌃ L Incremental search forward ⌃ S Incremental search backward ⌃ R Query replace ⌥ ⇧ 5 Regular expression search ⌃ ⌥ S Execute extended command (M-x) ⌥ X Indent line (mode-dependent) ⇥ Insert newline after point ⌃ O Transpose characters ⌃ T Fill (reflow) paragraph ⌥ Q Move to beginning of line ⌃ A Move to end of line ⌃ E Move forward one character ⌃ F Move backward one character ⌃ B Next line ⌃ N Previous line ⌃ P Go to buffer beginning ⌥ ⇧ , Go to buffer end ⌥ ⇧ . Move forward one word ⌥ F Move backward one word ⌥ B Scroll to next screen ⌃ V Scroll to previous screen ⌥ V Go to line ⌥ G › ⌥ G Kill (cut) to end of line ⌃ K Kill region (cut) ⌃ W Copy region to kill ring ⌥ W Yank (paste) last kill ⌃ Y Delete character forward ⌃ D Kill word forward ⌥ D Replace last yank with previous … ⌥ Y Select another buffer ⌃ X › B List all buffers ⌃ X › ⌃ B Kill a buffer ⌃ X › K Exit Emacs permanently ⌃ X › ⌃ C Suspend / iconify Emacs ⌃ Z Set mark here ⌃ ␣ Mark entire buffer ⌃ X › H Exchange point and mark ⌃ X › ⌃ X Delete all other windows ⌃ X › 1 Switch cursor to another w… ⌃ X › O Split window above and bel… ⌃ X › 2 Split window side by side ⌃ X › 3 Delete this window ⌃ X › 0 Run tutorial ⌃ H › T Apropos: commands matching… ⌃ H › A Describe the function a ke… ⌃ H › K Describe a function ⌃ H › F
GNU EMACS KEYBOARD SHORTCUTS · MAC · 14 ESSENTIAL 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 Q W ⌃ Kill reg… E ⌃ Move to … R T Y ⌃ Yank (pa… U I O P A ⌃ Move to … S ⌃ Incremen… D F G ⌃ Abort cu… H J K ⌃ Kill (cu… L Z X ⌃ Find (op… C V B N M MORE SHORTCUTS Save file ⌃ X › ⌃ S Undo an unwanted … ⌃ X › U Execute extended … ⌥ X Copy region to ki… ⌥ W Select another bu… ⌃ X › B Exit Emacs perman… ⌃ X › ⌃ C shortcutposters.com UPDATED JAN 2026 · COMPATIBLE WITH GNU EMACS · MAC Keyboard map ERROR RECOVERY Abort current command ⌃ G Undo an unwanted change ⌃ X › U SEARCH Incremental search forward ⌃ S KILLING AND DELETING Kill (cut) to end of line ⌃ K Kill region (cut) ⌃ W Copy region to kill ring ⌥ W Yank (paste) last kill ⌃ Y LEAVING EMACS Exit Emacs permanently ⌃ X › ⌃ C FILES Find (open) file ⌃ X › ⌃ F Save file ⌃ X › ⌃ S EDITING Execute extended command (M-x) ⌥ X MOTION Move to beginning of line ⌃ A Move to end of line ⌃ E BUFFERS Select another buffer ⌃ X › B GNU Emacs KEYBOARD SHORTCUTS · MAC · 14 ESSENTIAL BOTH LAYOUTS QWERTY Q W E R T Y AZERTY A Z E R T Y shortcutposters.com UPDATED JAN 2026 · COMPATIBLE WITH GNU EMACS · MAC Isometric ERROR RECOVERY 02 Abort current command ⌃ G Undo an unwanted change ⌃ X › U SEARCH 01 Incremental search forward ⌃ S KILLING AND DELETING 04 Kill (cut) to end of line ⌃ K Kill region (cut) ⌃ W Copy region to kill ring ⌥ W Yank (paste) last kill ⌃ Y LEAVING EMACS 01 Exit Emacs permanently ⌃ X › ⌃ C FILES 02 Find (open) file ⌃ X › ⌃ F Save file ⌃ X › ⌃ S EDITING 01 Execute extended command (M-x) ⌥ X MOTION 02 Move to beginning of line ⌃ A Move to end of line ⌃ E BUFFERS 01 Select another buffer ⌃ X › B GNU Emacs KEYBOARD SHORTCUTS · MAC · 14 ESSENTIAL BOTH LAYOUTS QWERTY Q W E R T Y AZERTY A Z E R T Y shortcutposters.com UPDATED JAN 2026 · COMPATIBLE WITH GNU EMACS · MAC Typewriter GNU EMACS · KEYBOARD SHORTCUTS Mac · 8 SETS · No.01 GNU EMACS TOTAL 14 SHORTCUTS FOR MAC · SHIPPED COMBOS SETS FILES 02 ERROR RECOVER 02 SEARCH 01 EDITING 01 MOTION 02 KILLING AND D 04 BUFFERS 01 LEAVING EMACS 01 REF. EDITION · JAN 2026 shortcutposters.com Find (open) file ⌃ X › ⌃ F Save file ⌃ X › ⌃ S Abort current command ⌃ G Undo an unwanted change ⌃ X › U Incremental search forward ⌃ S Execute extended command (M-x) ⌥ X Move to beginning of line ⌃ A Move to end of line ⌃ E Kill (cut) to end of line ⌃ K Kill region (cut) ⌃ W Copy region to kill ring ⌥ W Yank (paste) last kill ⌃ Y Select another buffer ⌃ X › B Exit Emacs permanently ⌃ X › ⌃ C Editorial GNU Emacs is a highly extensible text editor and computing environment that users tailor with Lisp for coding, writing, and beyond. Famous for its keyboard-driven design, its shortcuts and chords let you navigate, edit, and run commands almost entirely from the keys.
Official: Official site
All GNU Emacs keyboard shortcuts (Mac)
13 Action Shortcut Move to beginning of line ⌃ A Move to end of line ⌃ E Move forward one character ⌃ F Move backward one character ⌃ B Next line ⌃ N Previous line ⌃ P Go to buffer beginning ⌥ ⇧ , Go to buffer end ⌥ ⇧ . Move forward one word ⌥ F Move backward one word ⌥ B Scroll to next screen ⌃ V Scroll to previous screen ⌥ V Go to line ⌥ G then ⌥ G
7 Action Shortcut Kill (cut) to end of line ⌃ K Kill region (cut) ⌃ W Copy region to kill ring ⌥ W Yank (paste) last kill ⌃ Y Delete character forward ⌃ D Kill word forward ⌥ D Replace last yank with previous kill ⌥ Y
6 Action Shortcut Find (open) file ⌃ X then ⌃ F Save file ⌃ X then ⌃ S Save all files ⌃ X then S Write buffer to a file ⌃ X then ⌃ W Insert file into buffer ⌃ X then I Toggle read-only status of buffer ⌃ X then ⌃ Q
5 Action Shortcut Delete all other windows ⌃ X then 1 Switch cursor to another window ⌃ X then O Split window above and below ⌃ X then 2 Split window side by side ⌃ X then 3 Delete this window ⌃ X then 0
5 Action Shortcut Execute extended command (M-x) ⌥ X Indent line (mode-dependent) ⇥ Insert newline after point ⌃ O Transpose characters ⌃ T Fill (reflow) paragraph ⌥ Q
4 Action Shortcut Incremental search forward ⌃ S Incremental search backward ⌃ R Query replace ⌥ ⇧ 5 Regular expression search ⌃ ⌥ S
4 Action Shortcut Run tutorial ⌃ H then T Apropos: commands matching a string ⌃ H then A Describe the function a key runs ⌃ H then K Describe a function ⌃ H then F
3 Action Shortcut Abort current command ⌃ G Undo an unwanted change ⌃ X then U Redraw garbaged screen ⌃ L
3 Action Shortcut Set mark here ⌃ ␣ Mark entire buffer ⌃ X then H Exchange point and mark ⌃ X then ⌃ X
3 Action Shortcut Select another buffer ⌃ X then B List all buffers ⌃ X then ⌃ B Kill a buffer ⌃ X then K
2 Action Shortcut Exit Emacs permanently ⌃ X then ⌃ C Suspend / iconify Emacs ⌃ Z
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Last verified June 13, 2026
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Frequently asked questions
Does the poster include every GNU Emacs shortcut? GNU Emacs has 55 keyboard shortcuts in total — the complete list is free to read on this page. The poster features the most essential ones, curated to stay readable on a wall.
Can I print it at home? Yes. The digital download is a high-resolution 300 DPI file you can print at home or at any print shop, in standard frame sizes.
Does it cover both Mac and Windows? We sell separate Mac and Windows editions so every key matches your keyboard exactly. This page is the macOS edition.
Is this an official GNU Emacs product? No. This is an unofficial reference poster and is not affiliated with or endorsed by GNU Emacs. All trademarks belong to their respective owners. Was this reference helpful? Thanks — your feedback helps us improve.
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