Using Nano

Use nano when you need a simple terminal editor for config files, credentials, commit messages, or quick text edits.

Open a file

Open an existing file or create it if it does not exist.

nano FILE_NAME

Open a file at a specific line.

nano +LINE_NUMBER FILE_NAME

Open a file with line numbers visible.

nano --linenumbers FILE_NAME

Read nano shortcuts

Nano shows common shortcuts at the bottom of the editor.

^ means Ctrl, so ^X means Ctrl+X.

M- means Meta, which is usually Alt or Esc, so M-U means Alt+U or Esc, then U.

Basic editing flow

Open the file.

nano FILE_NAME

Edit the text normally.

Save and exit

Save changes.

Ctrl+O
Enter

Save changes with a different file name.

Ctrl+O
NEW_FILE_NAME
Enter

Exit nano.

Ctrl+X

If nano asks whether to save a modified file, press Y to save or N to discard. Press Enter to confirm the file name when saving.

Search and replace

Search with Where Is.

Ctrl+W

Find the next match.

Alt+W

Find the previous match.

Alt+Q

Replace text.

Ctrl+\

Cut, copy, and paste

Cut the current line. This works like deleting the whole line unless you paste it back.

Ctrl+K

Copy the current line.

Alt+6

Paste the cut or copied text.

Ctrl+U

Select text

Start or stop selecting text.

Alt+A

Move the cursor to expand the selection, then cut or copy the selected text.

Ctrl+K
Alt+6

Command glossary

Command	Meaning
`nano FILE_NAME`	Open or create a file.
`nano +LINE_NUMBER FILE_NAME`	Open a file at a specific line.
`nano --linenumbers FILE_NAME`	Open a file with line numbers visible.
`Ctrl+G`	Open nano help.
`Ctrl+O`	Write out the file, usually used to save changes.
`Ctrl+S`	Save the current file in nano versions that support it.
`Ctrl+X`	Exit nano.
`Ctrl+R`	Read another file into the current file.
`Ctrl+W`	Search with Where Is.
`Ctrl+\`	Start search and replace.
`Alt+R`	Start search and replace in nano versions that support it.
`Alt+W`	Find the next search match.
`Alt+Q`	Find the previous search match.
`Ctrl+K`	Cut the current line or selected text. Use this to delete a whole line.
`Ctrl+U`	Paste cut or copied text.
`Alt+6`	Copy the current line or selected text.
`Ctrl+T`	Execute a command or open tool actions from some prompts.
`Ctrl+J`	Justify the current paragraph or selected text.
`Ctrl+C`	Show the current cursor position.
`Ctrl+/`	Go to a specific line.
`Alt+G`	Go to a specific line in nano versions that support it.
`Alt+A`	Start or stop selecting text.
`Alt+U`	Undo.
`Alt+E`	Redo.
`Alt+]`	Jump to the matching bracket.
`Alt+O`	Go to the previous item in contexts that support it.
`Ctrl+B`	Move back one character.
`Ctrl+F`	Move forward one character.
`Ctrl+Left`	Move to the previous word.
`Ctrl+Right`	Move to the next word.
`Ctrl+A`	Move to the start of the current line.
`Ctrl+E`	Move to the end of the current line.
`Ctrl+P`	Move to the previous line.
`Ctrl+N`	Move to the next line.
`Alt+N`	Toggle line numbers.
`Alt+S`	Toggle soft wrapping.