Intro
Vim isn't bundled with Windows the way it is with macOS and Linux. Git for Windows installs a working vim in Git Bash, and gVim (the GUI build) is a separate download, but every shortcut on this page behaves the same once you're in either one.
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Only meaningful in Visual mode or right after an operator, e.g. daw deletes a word.
Vim isn't bundled with Windows the way it is with macOS and Linux. Git for Windows installs a working vim in Git Bash, and gVim (the GUI build) is a separate download, but every shortcut on this page behaves the same once you're in either one.
Getting Vim on Windows. Git Bash (installed with Git for Windows) ships a real vim, not just vi. gVim adds a native Windows GUI with menus, but the keyboard shortcuts on this page are identical either way.
Watch Ctrl+S. In some Windows terminals, Ctrl+S triggers terminal flow control (XOFF) instead of reaching Vim, which can make the editor look frozen. gVim and most modern terminal apps don't have this problem, but Vim itself doesn't bind Ctrl+S to anything by default anyway.
Case matters more than the modifier. Almost every shortcut here is a bare letter or Shift+letter, not a Ctrl or Alt chord, dd and D are different commands, not the same one with an optional modifier.
The Vim Windows shortcut list is available as a printable PDF. The motions, operators, and text objects are worth learning first.
No. Windows has no built-in Vim or vi. Git for Windows bundles a working vim inside Git Bash, and gVim is available as a separate installer with the same shortcuts in a native GUI.
Some Windows terminals treat Ctrl+S as a flow-control signal (XOFF) that pauses terminal output before it reaches Vim. Pressing Ctrl+Q usually resumes it. gVim and most modern terminal apps don't have this issue.
No. Vim's shortcuts are built from bare letters, Shift, and Ctrl, the same set it uses on every platform. There's no Windows-specific modifier scheme to learn.
Need more than shortcuts?
Visit the Vim app page for an overview and helpful links.
Want to suggest a new app, report a bug, or get help? Email us at info@hkeys.app.
For anything else or just a quick hello, write to us at info@hkeys.app.