Emacs: Find Replace

Interactive Find Replace

Alt+x query-replace

• Interactive find replace.
• Works on text selection, if none, start from cursor position to end of buffer.

Emacs prompts you for the find string and replace string.

Once emacs found a match, press

• y → replace
• n → skip
• ! → do all replacement without asking.
• Enter → exit.

To undo, exit it first, then do undo previous replacements one by one.

Interactive Find Replace Word with Boundary

Ctrl+u Alt+x query-replace

Find Replace All, in One Shot

Alt+x replace-string

• Do find replace, in one shot.
• Works on text selection, if none, start from cursor position to end of buffer.

Find Replace with Word Boundary, in One Shot

you want to change the word “red” to “blue”, but skip words containg “red” such as “redo”.

Ctrl+u Alt+x replace-string

Do find replace, with boundary check.

• Emacs: Universal Argument (C-u prefix arg)

Find Replace, by Regex Pattern, in Current File

• Emacs: Find Replace, by Regex

Reference

• Search (GNU Emacs Manual)