How to go back to previous opened file in Vim?

Question

I can use gf to go to the file with name under/after cursor, is there any command to go back to the original file without relaunch vim to open it?

Zaffy · Accepted Answer · 2014-09-15T14:56:23.623

299

Try using this shortcut:

CTRL-^

Vim documentation :help CTRL-^:

CTRL-^    Edit the alternate file.  Mostly the alternate file is
          the previously edited file.  This is a quick way to
          toggle between two files.  It is equivalent to ":e #",
          except that it also works when there is no file name.

And :help alternate-file

If there already was a current file name, then that one becomes the alternate file name. It can be used with "#" on the command line |:_#| and you can use the |CTRL-^| command to toggle between the current and the alternate file. However, the alternate file name is not changed when |:keepalt| is used. An alternate file name is remembered for each window.

edited Sep 15 '14 at 14:56

answered Nov 14 '13 at 06:31

Zaffy

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Just for clarification, both `CTRL-^` (i.e. `CTRL-SHIFT-6`) and `CTRL-6` work for me. – Taylor D. Edmiston Jul 19 '17 at 13:50
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For quick access: nmap bb – me_astr Jul 13 '20 at 12:28
Doesn't work on mac – manuch100 Jun 28 '22 at 22:56
`CTRL-SHIFT-6` works for me on macos 12.5.1 – Leo Sep 20 '22 at 09:32

jkshah · Answer 2 · 2013-11-14T06:35:42.197

165

Try following command

:e#

It will take you to the previously opened file stored in a buffer.

If you have gone deep down the hierarchy of files by typing multiple gf, vim stores all the files in numbered buffers

Then following command will take you to the nth file in a buffer. (n = 1,2,3,..)

:e#n

edited Nov 14 '13 at 06:35

answered Nov 14 '13 at 06:30

jkshah

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Is there a way to store files in a register like with recording or yanking? – Daniel Thompson Mar 20 '18 at 03:06
ctrl-^ is a little awkward on the fingers imo, this may be slightly slower but not as frustrating. – Isaac Pak Nov 03 '18 at 20:00
@DanielThompson what you're looking for is buffers https://medium.com/@Sohjiro/introduction-to-vim-buffers-dd966ff518d – Michael Brown Apr 11 '19 at 14:23
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@IsaacPak ctrl + 6 will also work, the way to press it is ctrl (left pinky) + ^ (right index) in qwerty keyboards. – vishless Mar 28 '20 at 01:10
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using neovim here, with control mapped to caps lock, and pressing control+shift+6 is some serious finger gymnastics ‍♂️ – ipatch May 28 '20 at 17:59
Is there documentation about `#` and the rest of the "special file aliases"? – Max Coplan Jan 06 '22 at 18:05

How to go back to previous opened file in Vim?

2 Answers2