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Ranger File Manager Keyboard Shortcuts

By Ramces Red
A photograph of a laptop on a dining table.

Ranger is a simple yet powerful terminal file manager for Linux. It works by using the ncurses library and a custom file launcher script to create a beautiful and seamless interface that you can use to access any file on your machine.

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One of the notable features of Ranger is that it allows you to navigate and manipulate files using only your keyboard. To achieve this, Ranger adopts the familiar Vi shortcut layout. This makes the program easier to get a hold of if you are already familiar with Vi and Vim for text editing.

This cheatsheet will show you some of the most common keybindings for the Ranger File Manager. It will also highlight some of the program’s little-known tools and options that you can use to go through your data efficiently.

ShortcutFunction
Buffer Movement
JGo one entry down on the current directory.
KGo one entry up on the current directory.
Shift + JMove the selection cursor halfway down the directory listing.
Shift + KMove the selection cursor halfway up the directory listing.
GGGo to the top of the current directory listing.
Shift + GGo to the bottom of the current directory listing.
Shift + HGo back to the last open directory in the current session.
Shift + LGo forward to the most recent open directory in the current session.
File and Directory Manipulation
LOpen the currently selected directory.
HLeave the currently open directory.
EnterOpen the currently selected file.
ROpen the manual file prompt for the currently selected file.
Z, then HDisplay all the hidden files in the current directory.
OPrint all the available sorting options for the current directory.
Y, then YPlace a copy of the currently selected file into the system clipboard.
Y, then PCopy the path of the currently selected file instead of the actual binary.
Y, then DCopy the name of the current directory.
Y, then NCopy the name of the currently selected file.
Y, then Period (.)Copy the file extension of the currently selected file.
P, then PPaste the file in the system clipboard to the current directory.
D, then DCut the currently selected file to the system clipboard.
Equals (=)Change the permission bits of the currently selected file.
ARename the currently selected file.
D, then Shift + DDelete the selected file in the current directory.
File and Directory Searching
Forward Slash (/)Open the search prompt for Ranger.
NGo to the next instance of the current search query.
Shift + NGo back to the previous instance of the current search query.
File and Directory Marking
M + ACreate a new marker on the selected file and save it to the “A” register.
Single Quote Mark (‘) + AJump to the location marked on the “A” register.
U + M, then ARemove the marker on the “A” register.
Directory Movement
G, then HGo to the home directory of the current user.
G, then EGo to the “/etc” directory.
G, then UGo to the “/usr” directory.
G, then DGo to the “/dev” directory.
G, then OGo to the “/opt” directory.
G, then VGo to the “/var” directory.
G, then Shift + MGo to the “/mnt” directory.
G, then PGo to the “/tmp” directory.
G, then Forward Slash (/)Go to the root directory.
Interface Manipulation
G, then NCreate a new tab on the current directory.
TabSwitch to the right of the currently open tab.
Shift + TabSwitch to the left of the currently open tab.
ZOpen the Settings pane for Ranger.
Z, then MEnable mouse cursor support for the current session.
RRefresh the contents of the current directory.
SNest a new terminal window inside the current session.
Ctrl + LRedraw the terminal interface.
Shift + Backtick (`)Toggle the multi-pane view for the current session.
Ctrl + CCancel the currently running process inside Ranger.
QExit the current Ranger session.
Filtering
Period (.) + DShow all the folders in the current directory.
Period (.) + FShow all the files in the current directory.
Period (.) + LShow all the symbolic links in the current directory.
Period (.) + Double Quote Mark (“)Show all the duplicate files and folders in the current directory.
Period (.) + Single Quote MarkShow all the unique files and folders in the current directory.
Period (.) + Bar (|)Enable the “OR” logic for the currently active filters.
Period (.) + Ampersand (&)Enable the “AND” logic for the currently active filters.
Period (.) + Exclamation Mark (!)Enable the “NOT” logic for the currently active filters.
Period (.) + Period (.)Print all the active filters in the current session.
Period (.) + CRemove all the active filters in the current session.
Task View
WOpen Ranger’s task view pane.
Down ArrowMove the selection cursor one row down.
Up ArrowMove the selection cursor one row up.
EndMove the selection cursor to the bottom of the pane.
HomeMove the selection cursor to the top of the pane.
QClose the task view pane.
Help System
Shift + Forward Slash (/)Print Ranger’s in-client help system.
Shift + Forward Slash (/), then MPrint the manual page for Ranger.
Shift + Forward Slash (/), then CPrint the documentation for available Ranger commands.
Shift + Forward Slash (/), then SPrint a list of the current settings for Ranger.

Image credit: Unsplash (Background) and Wikimedia Commons (Logo). All alterations and screenshots by Ramces Red.

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Ramces Red
Ramces is a technology writer that lived with computers all his life. A prolific reader and a student of Anthropology, he is an eccentric character that writes articles about Linux and anything *nix.

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