Emacs Reference - cursor movement and location

Cursor Movement and Location

This reference guide lists the commands available within GNU Emacs for moving the cursor, and reporting its location.

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arrow keys (if available) N/A Move cursor.

C-a beginning-of-line Move to beginning of line.

C-e end-of-line Move to end of line.

C-f forward-char Move forward one character.

C-b backward-char Move backward one character.

M-f forward-word Move forward one word.

M-b backward-word Move backward one word.

C-n next-line Move down a line (creating the next line, if necessary).

C-p previous-line Move up a line.

M-r move-to-window-line Move to left margin, vertically centered in window.

M-< beginning-of-buffer Move to top of buffer.

M-> end-of-buffer Move to end of buffer.

M-x goto-char goto-char Read a number and go to that buffer position (start = 1).

M-x goto-line goto-line Read a number and go to that line (first line = 1).

C-x C-n set-goal-column Set current column as 'goal column'. From then on, the C-n and C-p commands jump to that column, or the nearest possible column.

C-u C-x C-n N/A Cancel the 'goal column', and return to normal behaviour.

M-x what-page what-page Display page number and line number (within page) of cursor location.

M-x what-line what-line Display line number (within buffer) of cursor location.

M-x line-number-mode line-number-mode Display line number automatically (toggle).

M-= count-lines-region Print number of lines in current region.

C-x = what-cursor-postition Print character code, character position and column of the cursor location.

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arrow keys (if available)	N/A	Move cursor.
C-a	beginning-of-line	Move to beginning of line.
C-e	end-of-line	Move to end of line.
C-f	forward-char	Move forward one character.
C-b	backward-char	Move backward one character.
M-f	forward-word	Move forward one word.
M-b	backward-word	Move backward one word.
C-n	next-line	Move down a line (creating the next line, if necessary).
C-p	previous-line	Move up a line.
M-r	move-to-window-line	Move to left margin, vertically centered in window.
M-<	beginning-of-buffer	Move to top of buffer.
M->	end-of-buffer	Move to end of buffer.
M-x goto-char	goto-char	Read a number and go to that buffer position (start = 1).
M-x goto-line	goto-line	Read a number and go to that line (first line = 1).
C-x C-n	set-goal-column	Set current column as 'goal column'. From then on, the C-n and C-p commands jump to that column, or the nearest possible column.
C-u C-x C-n	N/A	Cancel the 'goal column', and return to normal behaviour.
M-x what-page	what-page	Display page number and line number (within page) of cursor location.
M-x what-line	what-line	Display line number (within buffer) of cursor location.
M-x line-number-mode	line-number-mode	Display line number automatically (toggle).
M-=	count-lines-region	Print number of lines in current region.
C-x =	what-cursor-postition	Print character code, character position and column of the cursor location.