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⤢ GNU NANO KEYBOARD SHORTCUTS · MAC · 38 1 2 3 ⌥ Comment … 4 5 6 ⌥ Copy Lin… 7 8 9 0 Q ⌃ Backward… W ⌃ Search (… E ⌃ Move to … R ⌃ Read / I… T ⌃ Open Fil… Y ⌃ Redo U ⌃ Paste (U… I O ⌃ Save Fil… P A ⌃ Move to … S D ⌥ Word / L… F G ⌥ Go to Li… H J ⌃ Justify … K ⌃ Cut Line… L ⌃ Refresh … Z ⌃ Undo X ⌃ Exit nano C ⌃ Report C… V ⌃ Page Dow… B N M MORE SHORTCUTS Search and Replace ⌃ \ Set / Unset Mark … ⌃ 6 Help ⌃ G Find Next (Forwar… ⌥ W Page Up (Previous… ⌃ Y Find Previous (Ba… ⌥ Q Previous Word ⌃ ␣ Next Word ⌥ ␣ Go to First Line ⌥ \ Go to Last Line ⌥ / Set / Unset Mark … ⌥ A Search and Replac… ⌥ R Indent Marked Reg… ⌥ RIGHTBRACE Unindent Marked R… ⌥ LEFTBRACE Verbatim Input (i… ⌥ V Full Justify (who… ⌥ J Record Macro ⌥ : Run / Replay Macro ⌥ ; shortcutposters.com UPDATED JAN 2026 · COMPATIBLE WITH GNU NANO · MAC
GNU NANO KEYBOARD SHORTCUTS · MAC · 38 1 2 3 ⌥ Comment … 4 5 6 ⌥ Copy Lin… 7 8 9 0 A ⌃ Move to … Z ⌃ Undo E ⌃ Move to … R ⌃ Read / I… T ⌃ Open Fil… Y ⌃ Redo U ⌃ Paste (U… I O ⌃ Save Fil… P Q ⌃ Backward… S D ⌥ Word / L… F G ⌥ Go to Li… H J ⌃ Justify … K ⌃ Cut Line… L ⌃ Refresh … M W ⌃ Search (… X ⌃ Exit nano C ⌃ Report C… V ⌃ Page Dow… B N MORE SHORTCUTS Search and Replace ⌃ \ Set / Unset Mark … ⌃ 6 Help ⌃ G Find Next (Forwar… ⌥ W Page Up (Previous… ⌃ Y Find Previous (Ba… ⌥ Q Previous Word ⌃ ␣ Next Word ⌥ ␣ Go to First Line ⌥ \ Go to Last Line ⌥ / Set / Unset Mark … ⌥ A Search and Replac… ⌥ R Indent Marked Reg… ⌥ RIGHTBRACE Unindent Marked R… ⌥ LEFTBRACE Verbatim Input (i… ⌥ V Full Justify (who… ⌥ J Record Macro ⌥ : Run / Replay Macro ⌥ ; shortcutposters.com UPDATED JAN 2026 · COMPATIBLE WITH GNU NANO · MAC
⤢ SEARCH Search (Where Is) ⌃ W Search and Replace ⌃ \ Find Next (Forward) ⌥ W Backward Search ⌃ Q Find Previous (Backw… ⌥ Q Search and Replace (… ⌥ R MISC Help ⌃ G Report Cursor Positi… ⌃ C Justify Current Para… ⌃ J Word / Line / Charac… ⌥ D Refresh Screen ⌃ L Full Justify (whole … ⌥ J Record Macro ⌥ : Run / Replay Macro ⌥ ; CUT/PASTE Cut Line / Marked Re… ⌃ K Paste (Uncut) ⌃ U Copy Line / Marked R… ⌥ 6 EDITING Undo ⌃ Z Redo ⌃ Y Set / Unset Mark (se… ⌃ 6 Comment / Uncomment … ⌥ 3 Set / Unset Mark (al… ⌥ A Indent Marked Region ⌥ RIGHTBRACE Unindent Marked Regi… ⌥ LEFTBRACE Verbatim Input (inse… ⌥ V FILE Save File (Write Out) ⌃ O Exit nano ⌃ X Read / Insert File ⌃ R Open File Browser ⌃ T NAVIGATION Move to Beginning of… ⌃ A Move to End of Line ⌃ E Go to Line / Column ⌥ G Page Up (Previous Sc… ⌃ Y Page Down (Next Scre… ⌃ V Previous Word ⌃ ␣ Next Word ⌥ ␣ Go to First Line ⌥ \ Go to Last Line ⌥ / GNU nano KEYBOARD SHORTCUTS · MAC · 38 BOTH LAYOUTS QWERTY Q W E R T Y AZERTY A Z E R T Y shortcutposters.com UPDATED JAN 2026 · COMPATIBLE WITH GNU NANO · MAC ⤢ SEARCH 06 Search (Where Is) ⌃ W Search and Replace ⌃ \ Find Next (Forward) ⌥ W Backward Search ⌃ Q Find Previous (Backwa… ⌥ Q Search and Replace (a… ⌥ R MISC 08 Help ⌃ G Report Cursor Position ⌃ C Justify Current Parag… ⌃ J Word / Line / Charact… ⌥ D Refresh Screen ⌃ L Full Justify (whole b… ⌥ J Record Macro ⌥ : Run / Replay Macro ⌥ ; CUT/PASTE 03 Cut Line / Marked Reg… ⌃ K Paste (Uncut) ⌃ U Copy Line / Marked Re… ⌥ 6 EDITING 08 Undo ⌃ Z Redo ⌃ Y Set / Unset Mark (sel… ⌃ 6 Comment / Uncomment L… ⌥ 3 Set / Unset Mark (alt… ⌥ A Indent Marked Region ⌥ RIGHTBRACE Unindent Marked Region ⌥ LEFTBRACE Verbatim Input (inser… ⌥ V FILE 04 Save File (Write Out) ⌃ O Exit nano ⌃ X Read / Insert File ⌃ R Open File Browser ⌃ T NAVIGATION 09 Move to Beginning of … ⌃ A Move to End of Line ⌃ E Go to Line / Column ⌥ G Page Up (Previous Scr… ⌃ Y Page Down (Next Scree… ⌃ V Previous Word ⌃ ␣ Next Word ⌥ ␣ Go to First Line ⌥ \ Go to Last Line ⌥ / GNU nano KEYBOARD SHORTCUTS · MAC · 38 BOTH LAYOUTS QWERTY Q W E R T Y AZERTY A Z E R T Y shortcutposters.com UPDATED JAN 2026 · COMPATIBLE WITH GNU NANO · MAC
⤢ GNU NANO · KEYBOARD SHORTCUTS Mac · 6 SETS · No.01 GNU NANO TOTAL 38 SHORTCUTS FOR MAC · SHIPPED COMBOS SETS FILE 04 CUT/PASTE 03 SEARCH 06 EDITING 08 NAVIGATION 09 MISC 08 REF. EDITION · JAN 2026 shortcutposters.com Save File (Write Out) ⌃ O Exit nano ⌃ X Read / Insert File ⌃ R Open File Browser ⌃ T Cut Line / Marked Region ⌃ K Paste (Uncut) ⌃ U Copy Line / Marked Region ⌥ 6 Search (Where Is) ⌃ W Search and Replace ⌃ \ Find Next (Forward) ⌥ W Backward Search ⌃ Q Find Previous (Backward) ⌥ Q Search and Replace (alternate) ⌥ R Undo ⌃ Z Redo ⌃ Y Set / Unset Mark (select text) ⌃ 6 Comment / Uncomment Lines ⌥ 3 Set / Unset Mark (alternate) ⌥ A Indent Marked Region ⌥ RIGHTBRACE Unindent Marked Region ⌥ LEFTBRACE Verbatim Input (insert next keystroke literally) ⌥ V Move to Beginning of Line ⌃ A Move to End of Line ⌃ E Go to Line / Column ⌥ G Page Up (Previous Screen) ⌃ Y Page Down (Next Screen) ⌃ V Previous Word ⌃ ␣ Next Word ⌥ ␣ Go to First Line ⌥ \ Go to Last Line ⌥ / Help ⌃ G Report Cursor Position ⌃ C Justify Current Paragraph ⌃ J Word / Line / Character Count ⌥ D Refresh Screen ⌃ L Full Justify (whole buffer) ⌥ J Record Macro ⌥ : Run / Replay Macro ⌥ ;
GNU NANO KEYBOARD SHORTCUTS · MAC · 14 ESSENTIAL 1 2 3 4 5 6 ⌥ Copy Lin… 7 8 9 0 Q W ⌃ Search (… E ⌃ Move to … R ⌃ Read / I… T Y ⌃ Redo U ⌃ Paste (U… I O ⌃ Save Fil… P A ⌃ Move to … S D F G ⌥ Go to Li… H J K ⌃ Cut Line… L Z ⌃ Undo X ⌃ Exit nano C V B N M MORE SHORTCUTS Search and Replace ⌃ \ Set / Unset Mark … ⌃ 6 shortcutposters.com UPDATED JAN 2026 · COMPATIBLE WITH GNU NANO · MAC Keyboard map CUT/PASTE Cut Line / Marked Region ⌃ K Paste (Uncut) ⌃ U Copy Line / Marked Region ⌥ 6 SEARCH Search (Where Is) ⌃ W Search and Replace ⌃ \ NAVIGATION Move to Beginning of Line ⌃ A Move to End of Line ⌃ E Go to Line / Column ⌥ G FILE Save File (Write Out) ⌃ O Exit nano ⌃ X Read / Insert File ⌃ R EDITING Undo ⌃ Z Redo ⌃ Y Set / Unset Mark (select text) ⌃ 6 GNU nano 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 NANO · MAC Isometric CUT/PASTE 03 Cut Line / Marked Region ⌃ K Paste (Uncut) ⌃ U Copy Line / Marked Region ⌥ 6 SEARCH 02 Search (Where Is) ⌃ W Search and Replace ⌃ \ NAVIGATION 03 Move to Beginning of Line ⌃ A Move to End of Line ⌃ E Go to Line / Column ⌥ G FILE 03 Save File (Write Out) ⌃ O Exit nano ⌃ X Read / Insert File ⌃ R EDITING 03 Undo ⌃ Z Redo ⌃ Y Set / Unset Mark (select text) ⌃ 6 GNU nano 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 NANO · MAC Typewriter GNU NANO · KEYBOARD SHORTCUTS Mac · 5 SETS · No.01 GNU NANO TOTAL 14 SHORTCUTS FOR MAC · SHIPPED COMBOS SETS FILE 03 CUT/PASTE 03 SEARCH 02 EDITING 03 NAVIGATION 03 REF. EDITION · JAN 2026 shortcutposters.com Save File (Write Out) ⌃ O Exit nano ⌃ X Read / Insert File ⌃ R Cut Line / Marked Region ⌃ K Paste (Uncut) ⌃ U Copy Line / Marked Region ⌥ 6 Search (Where Is) ⌃ W Search and Replace ⌃ \ Undo ⌃ Z Redo ⌃ Y Set / Unset Mark (select text) ⌃ 6 Move to Beginning of Line ⌃ A Move to End of Line ⌃ E Go to Line / Column ⌥ G Editorial GNU nano is a small, friendly terminal text editor that shows its most common commands right at the bottom of the screen. Its key bindings use Ctrl (shown as ^) and Meta (the Alt key, shown as M-) and are identical on every platform, so the same muscle memory works whether you are on macOS, Windows, or Linux.
Official: Official site
All GNU nano keyboard shortcuts (Mac)
+ 3 more controls in the table below
+ 3 more controls in the table below
9 Action Shortcut Move to Beginning of Line ⌃ A Move to End of Line ⌃ E Go to Line / Column ⌥ G Page Up (Previous Screen) ⌃ Y Page Down (Next Screen) ⌃ V Previous Word ⌃ ␣ Next Word ⌥ ␣ Go to First Line ⌥ \ Go to Last Line ⌥ /
8 Action Shortcut Undo ⌃ Z Redo ⌃ Y Set / Unset Mark (select text) ⌃ 6 Comment / Uncomment Lines ⌥ 3 Set / Unset Mark (alternate) ⌥ A Indent Marked Region ⌥ RIGHTBRACE Unindent Marked Region ⌥ LEFTBRACE Verbatim Input (insert next keystroke literally) ⌥ V
8 Action Shortcut Help ⌃ G Report Cursor Position ⌃ C Justify Current Paragraph ⌃ J Word / Line / Character Count ⌥ D Refresh Screen ⌃ L Full Justify (whole buffer) ⌥ J Record Macro ⌥ : Run / Replay Macro ⌥ ;
6 Action Shortcut Search (Where Is) ⌃ W Search and Replace ⌃ \ Find Next (Forward) ⌥ W Backward Search ⌃ Q Find Previous (Backward) ⌥ Q Search and Replace (alternate) ⌥ R
4 Action Shortcut Save File (Write Out) ⌃ O Exit nano ⌃ X Read / Insert File ⌃ R Open File Browser ⌃ T
3 Action Shortcut Cut Line / Marked Region ⌃ K Paste (Uncut) ⌃ U Copy Line / Marked Region ⌥ 6
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Last verified June 18, 2026
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Frequently asked questions
Does the poster include every GNU nano shortcut? GNU nano has 38 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 nano product? No. This is an unofficial reference poster and is not affiliated with or endorsed by GNU nano. All trademarks belong to their respective owners. Was this reference helpful? Thanks — your feedback helps us improve.
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