Copy Mode

WARNING: This document is for an older version of iTerm2.

Copy Mode allows you to make selections using the keyboard. To enter or exit Copy Mode, select Edit > Copy Mode. You can also enter copy mode by pressing immediately after making a selection with the mouse. A special cursor rendered as a downward-pointing arrow is visible while in Copy Mode.

While in Copy Mode, the session’s contents will not change. You can use the keyboard to move the cursor and modify the selection using these keystrokes:

Changing Modes

Keystroke	Action
<C-Space>	Stop selecting
<Esc>, q, <C-c>, <C-g>	Exit copy mode
<C-v>	Toggle rectangular selection
<Space>, v	Toggle selection by character
V	Toggle selection by line

Basic Movement

Keystroke	Action
h, <Left>	Move left
j, <Down>	Move down
k, <Up>	Move up
l, <Right>	Move right

Content-Based Movement

Keystroke	Action
<M-Left>, <M-b>, <S-Tab>, b	Move back one word, treating symbols as word breaks.
<M-Right>, <M-f>, <Tab>, w	Move forward one word, treating symbols as word breaks.
B	Move back one word, treating symbols as part of a word.
W	Move forward one word, treating symbols as part of a word.
[	Move to previous mark
]	Move to next mark

Screen Movement

Keystroke	Action
<C-b>, <PageUp>	Move up one screen
<C-f>, <PageDown>	Move down one screen
H	Move to top of visible area
M	Move to middle of visible area
L	Move to bottom of visible area

Line Movement

Keystroke	Action
^, <M-m>	Move to start of indentation
0	Move to start of line
$	Move to end of line
<Return>	Move to start of next line

Document Movement

Keystroke	Action
g	Move to start
G	Move to end

Other Commands

Keystroke	Action
o	Swap cursor and other selection endpoint
<C-k>, y	Copy selection