How does one switch between windows on VIM?

Question

I'm using both Vim and MacVim (or well, trying to). I installed the Tagbar plugin but find it impossible to switch to the actual Tagbar window to make my selection.

I've been reading loads about window switching in VIM, found a lot of default keybindings (CMD+`, CTRL+W+↑ or ↓), tried setting my own. NONE worked.

I always use VIM for quick file edits and got intrigued by using it as my full-time IDE. After spending a full hour just trying to figure out how to switch a window I'm totally turned off by the idea though. Still, I feel I have to know. How do you switch the window? Am I being totally blind here?

Vim is one of those tools where everything makes perfect sense - after you know about it. Before then it may as well be in welsh. — Phoshi, May 07 '11 at 19:13

score 186 · Accepted Answer · edited Dec 05 '21 at 09:51

186

Control+W followed by W to toggle between open windows and,

Control+W followed by H/J/K/L to move to the left/bottom/top/right window accordingly,

Control+W followed by Left/Down/Up/Right arrow to move to the left/bottom/top/right window accordingly.

edited Dec 05 '21 at 09:51

Maciej Bledkowski

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answered May 07 '11 at 18:00

Wuffers

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Nope, not doing anything. – Naatan May 07 '11 at 18:14
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Ugh, I was pressing them at the same time. Tried Ctrl+W, THEN (seperately) one of the last keys and it worked. Sigh. Thanks! – Naatan May 07 '11 at 18:15
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Besides the H/J/K/L directional keys you can also hit W again (with or without Control) to switch back and forth between the previously focused window. – Caleb May 07 '11 at 18:33
I get "E784: Cannot close last tab page" – Aleksandr Levchuk Oct 30 '12 at 15:35
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The arrow keys can also be used besides `h/j/k/l`. – Eugene Yarmash Jan 04 '14 at 09:28
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You can also add prefix the direction with a number if you need to go more than one window; e.g. `C-w` `2k` – Walf Aug 01 '16 at 06:12

score 27 · Answer 2 · edited Dec 12 '13 at 16:39

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Control + W twice does the trick for me on Macbook Pro.

edited Dec 12 '13 at 16:39

ale

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answered Dec 12 '13 at 15:01

paul bruno

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It does also work on Linux. – tomrozb Mar 04 '14 at 12:44
This is the only thing that's worked for me on OSX. None of those or things the internet says does anything. Too bad only cycles through the windows rather than going directly... – wren romano Sep 08 '16 at 04:59
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Control + W sucks when running a terminal in a browser – Quinn Wilson Sep 18 '18 at 13:39
Running a terminal in a browser... interesting. Btw. if it sucks, you can remap it to a different keys. – user254319 Sep 11 '19 at 07:40
Surprisingly it worked on vim in termux(android terminal emulator.). – Abinash Dash Sep 07 '20 at 22:17

score 16 · Answer 3 · edited Jun 16 '22 at 08:32

16

It's possible to remap these to a more convenient keys (i.e. instead of Control+W followed by h/j/k/l)

Add this to your .vimrc

nnoremap <C-H> <C-W>h
nnoremap <C-J> <C-W>j
nnoremap <C-K> <C-W>k
nnoremap <C-L> <C-W>l

After that, Control + h/j/k/l will switch window focus.

edited Jun 16 '22 at 08:32

tortal

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answered May 20 '19 at 09:07

Nic Wanavit

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This is nice. I placed it into my vimrc. – Enis Arik Jun 28 '21 at 14:40
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This is clutch for those running a terminal in a browser (as mentioned in another comment) since Ctrl+W on Windows is "close window". Oof. – Excel Help Jun 22 '22 at 12:07
❤️ that one! Thanks! – Thanasis Petsas Aug 20 '22 at 00:07

molexi · Answer 4 · 2023-02-18T20:10:39.623

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These mappings allow cycling through the windows. Whereas something like <C-W>l stops at the most right window <C-w>w moves the focus to the the first window.

In your .vimrc:

nnoremap <C-h> <C-w>W
nnoremap <C-l> <C-w>w

edited Feb 18 '23 at 20:10

answered Feb 18 '23 at 19:42

molexi

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As it’s currently written, your answer is unclear. Please [edit] to add additional details that will help others understand how this addresses the question asked. You can find more information on how to write good answers [in the help center](/help/how-to-answer). – Community Feb 18 '23 at 20:00

How does one switch between windows on VIM?

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