How do I switch between command and insert mode in Vim?

Question

I just started using Vim as an IDE. I was using it as a test editor for a while now, so I didn't have to go to command mode very often. But, since I program in Java, I have to go to command mode to make the file, compile/run it... etc.

The problem is: I need a good way to switch between the two modes.

I looked online and it says that the <Esc> key is supposed to do that, but that doesn't work for me (maybe it's not for gVim? I don't know why.)

I have to press CTRLO every time to go to command mode; the escape key works from that mode... it brings me back to insert mode. But is there a better, or easier, way of switching between command mode and insert mode?

Esc is definitely the right key to finish an insert. An insert can be started in various ways. Lowercase i to start inserting at your cursor, uppercase I to start inserting at the beginning of the line, etc. — Vaughn Cato, Nov 01 '12 at 14:18
Starting from an empty file, the following characters should give you a file with the word "hello" in it: `ihello:w hello.txt` — Vaughn Cato, Nov 01 '12 at 14:21

score 120 · Answer 1 · edited Feb 07 '18 at 17:37

120

Pressing ESC quits from insert mode to normal mode, where you can press : to type in a command. Press i again to back to insert mode, and you are good to go.

I'm not a Vim guru, so someone else can be more experienced and give you other options.

edited Feb 07 '18 at 17:37

Peter Mortensen

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answered Nov 01 '12 at 14:17

Ricardo Souza

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For most of us, but the accepted answer had the answer to the specific problem. – Saul Axel Martinez Ortiz Aug 26 '18 at 05:30

score 58 · Accepted Answer · answered Nov 01 '12 at 14:33

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Looks like your Vim is launched in easy mode. See :help easy.

This happens when Vim is invoked with the -y argument or as evim, or maybe you have a :set insertmode somewhere in your .vimrc configuration. Find the source and disable it; temporarily this can be also done via Ctrl + O :set noim Enter.

answered Nov 01 '12 at 14:33

Ingo Karkat

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I think that was it. I had insert-mode enabled in my file. After I removed it, the escape-key works perfectly. Thanks! – Ravish Chawla Nov 01 '12 at 14:45
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this is easy mode!? – Stachu Sep 16 '17 at 02:15
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Vim easy mode, now that's an oxymoron. Is that where it's possible to exit vim? – Davos Dec 19 '17 at 15:03
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@Davos that's the mode where it is started in insert mode, so ironically it's a mode where it's not possible to exit vim :p "normal mode" is way easier just alt+:,x XD – Fuseteam Oct 30 '19 at 17:43

score 30 · Answer 3 · edited May 23 '17 at 12:02

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This has been mentioned in other questions, but ctrl + [ is an equivalent to ESC on all keyboards.

edited May 23 '17 at 12:02

Community

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answered Mar 29 '16 at 02:53

emegolf123

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I never knew that, useful when escape key is not supported – KRoy Feb 16 '18 at 03:03
Wow, thanks for that information! Tmux copying keystroke sequence now makes much more sense. – Thomas Legris Oct 03 '18 at 09:12

score 5 · Answer 4 · edited Feb 07 '18 at 19:10

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Using jj

In my case, the .vimrc (or in gVim it is in _vimrc) setting below.

inoremap jj <Esc>   """ jj key is <Esc> setting

edited Feb 07 '18 at 19:10

Peter Mortensen

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answered Feb 04 '14 at 07:45

StarMomo

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This is a common remapping. I find it has a slight delay as it waits for additional character input. Alternatively, remap your capslock key to esc using something like KeyRemap4MacBook on a Macbook: https://github.com/tekezo/KeyRemap4MacBook – Koobz Mar 26 '14 at 10:10
i found it easier to remap tab to esc :3 – Fuseteam Oct 30 '19 at 17:44

score 4 · Answer 5 · answered Feb 06 '18 at 13:25

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Coming from emacs I've found that I like ctrl + keys to do stuff, and in vim I've found that both [ctrl + C] and [alt + backspace] will enter Normal mode from insert mode. You might try and see if any of those works out for you.

answered Feb 06 '18 at 13:25

maxorcist

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Saved my life on a cpanel terminal emulator, where ESC is not working. thx ;) – zsd Nov 05 '21 at 09:19

score 4 · Answer 6 · answered Oct 19 '18 at 07:46

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For me, the problem was that I was in recording mode. To exit from recording mode press q. Then Esc worked as expected for me.

answered Oct 19 '18 at 07:46

betontalpfa

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score 1 · Answer 7 · answered Jul 08 '18 at 05:55

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You can use Alt+H,J,K,L to move cursor in insert mode.

answered Jul 08 '18 at 05:55

Khoi Hoang

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No, you can't. That is probably a remap of your configuration. – Saul Axel Martinez Ortiz Aug 26 '18 at 05:32
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@SaulAxelMartinezOrtiz yes you can, tho technically it exits normal mode after which you can move around in normal mode :p – Fuseteam Oct 30 '19 at 17:45
just to add same way you can do Alt+/ Alt+? Alt+: and so on – Volodymyr Boiko Jun 02 '23 at 09:53

score 0 · Answer 8 · edited Apr 13 '17 at 12:45

There is also one more solution for that kind of problem, which is rather rare, I think, and you may experience it, if you are using vim on OS X Sierra. Actually, it's a problem with Esc button — not with vim. For example, I wasnt able to exit fullscreen video on youtube using Esc, but I lived with that for a few months until I had experienced the same problem with vim.

I found this solution. If you are lazy enough to follow external link, switching off Siri and killing the process in Activity Monitor helped.

How do I switch between command and insert mode in Vim?

8 Answers8