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GNU Emacs Shortcuts

This page is a complete keyboard shortcut reference for GNU Emacs on macOS, covering all 37 shortcuts organized into 5 sections. Whether you’re new to GNU Emacs or looking to master advanced features, this cheat sheet has every key combination you need — from basic editing and navigation to app-specific power-user actions.

Keyboard shortcuts are the fastest way to work in GNU Emacs. Every time you use a shortcut instead of reaching for the mouse, you save a few seconds — and those seconds compound into hours over weeks and months. Start with the shortcuts you use most (copy, paste, undo, save), then gradually add app-specific ones as they become relevant to your workflow. Bookmark this page or download the PDF cheat sheet for quick reference.

Using keyboard shortcuts in GNU Emacs reduces context switching between keyboard and mouse, helping you maintain focus and work more efficiently. Research shows that shortcut-driven workflows can save up to 8 working days per year compared to menu-driven navigation. On macOS, most GNU Emacs shortcuts follow standard conventions — once you learn the modifier key patterns, new shortcuts become intuitive.

Tips for Learning Shortcuts

  • Practice one new GNU Emacs shortcut each day. Muscle memory builds faster when you focus on a single combination at a time rather than trying to learn them all at once.
  • Print or bookmark this page for quick reference while working in GNU Emacs. Having shortcuts visible nearby helps bridge the gap between looking them up and recalling them from memory.
  • Start with the shortcuts you use most. In GNU Emacs, common actions like copy, paste, undo, and save are worth learning first since they apply across nearly every workflow.

File6

ActionShortcut
shortcuts.emacs.findOpenFile⌃X ⌃F
shortcuts.emacs.saveFile⌃X ⌃S
shortcuts.emacs.saveSomeBuffers⌃X S
shortcuts.emacs.writeFileSaveAs⌃X ⌃W
shortcuts.emacs.quitEmacs⌃X ⌃C
shortcuts.emacs.insertFileAtCursor⌃X I

Edit10

ActionShortcut
shortcuts.emacs.cutKillRegion⌃W
shortcuts.emacs.copyKillRingSave⌥W
shortcuts.emacs.pasteYank⌃Y
shortcuts.emacs.cyclePasteYankPop⌥Y
shortcuts.emacs.undo⌃/
shortcuts.emacs.cancelCurrentCommand⌃G
shortcuts.emacs.killToEndOfLine⌃K
shortcuts.emacs.killWordForward⌥D
shortcuts.emacs.killWordBackward⌥⌫
shortcuts.emacs.deleteCharacterForward⌃D

Buffer & Window6

ActionShortcut
shortcuts.emacs.switchBuffer⌃X B
shortcuts.emacs.killBuffer⌃X K
shortcuts.emacs.splitWindowHorizontally⌃X 2
shortcuts.emacs.splitWindowVertically⌃X 3
shortcuts.emacs.deleteOtherWindows⌃X 1
shortcuts.emacs.switchToOtherWindow⌃X O

Frequently Asked Questions

Access GNU Emacs shortcuts from your menu bar

KeyShortcut detects the active app and shows its shortcuts instantly. No memorization needed.