Vim: The useful Ctrl-R

I often use Ctrl-R % to insert the current file name, for example, to make a copy of the current file:

:saveas [Ctrl-R %]
# turns into
:saveas /Users/my/blog/posts/2026-17-10-vim-ctrl-r-is-good.org

Ctrl-R can be used in insert mode or on the command line to paste:

• Ctrl-R a-z - named register
• Ctrl-R " - default register
• Ctrl-R % - current file name
• Ctrl-R # - alternate file name
• Ctrl-R * / + - clipboard contents
• Ctrl-R / - last search
• Ctrl-R : - last command line
• Ctrl-R . - last inserted text
• Ctrl-R - - last small delete
• Ctrl-R = - evaluate expression (for example, in insert mode, Ctrl-R =, then 2+2 and Enter)

The % and # also work as current file and alternate file aliases on the command line.

For example, :!ls % will show the current file name. A more useful example: :!git add % stages the current file with git.

Only in command-line mode:

• Ctrl-R Ctrl-W - word under the cursor
• Ctrl-R Ctrl-A - WORD under the cursor
• Ctrl-R Ctrl-L - line under the cursor
• Ctrl-R Ctrl-F - file name under the cursor
• Ctrl-R Ctrl-P - file name under the cursor, expanded with 'path' (as in gf)
• Ctrl-\ e {expr} - evaluate the expression and replace the command line with the result

See :help i_CTRL-R and :help c_CTRL-R.

Tags: vim