Terminal · Search backwards through history
History
Windows · Linux
Ctrl+RMac
Ctrl+RBoth systems use the same combination.
Searches history backwards as you type; press it again for an older match, and remember Enter runs the command straight away, so leave with an arrow key to edit it first.
- Group
- History
- Keys held
- 2
In a terminal Ctrl+C is not copy; it interrupts whatever is running. Copy is Ctrl+Shift+C in Windows Terminal and Cmd+C on a Mac.
Reading the key names
- Keys joined by + are pressed together: Ctrl+Shift+P means hold Ctrl and Shift, then P.
- On a Mac, Cmd is ⌘, Option is ⌥ (labelled Alt on some keyboards), Control is ⌃ and Shift is ⇧.
- Windows Ctrl usually becomes Cmd on a Mac, but not always — this reference lists both combinations separately.
- With a Korean, Japanese or Chinese input method active, shortcuts built on letter keys may not fire. Switch to Latin input and try again.
- When a combination does nothing, another program has often claimed it as a global shortcut first.
Common questions
Q. What is the shortcut for Search backwards through history in Terminal?
Searches history backwards as you type; press it again for an older match, and remember Enter runs the command straight away, so leave with an arrow key to edit it first. It is Ctrl+R on Windows and Ctrl+R on a Mac.
Q. Is it the same on Windows and Mac?
Yes, Ctrl+R on both.
Q. How many keys is that?
2 pressed together. The combination sits under History in Terminal.