Vim: Remap Escape Key

By Xah Lee. Date: . Last updated: .

How to make Caps Lock key do Escape key?

You can't do this with vim or emacs, because the CapsLock is not seen at software applications layer.

Use Operating System's keymap mechanism to make CapsLock send Esc.

For Linux, see:

for Mac:

for Microsoft Windows:

Or, buy a programable keyboards with onboard memory

〔see Programable Keyboards with Onboard Memory〕

How to make vim use some other key to do Escape?

Create a file at ~/.vimrc, and put the following

"make jj do esc"
inoremap jj <Esc>

"make esc do nothing"
inoremap <Esc> <Nop>

this will make 【jj】 do Esc, and disable the Esc key. (thanks to 00Davo〔see Programer Hand Health: vi Esc Key Syndrome#comment-1426377905〕)

if you have a special keyboard (such as the ergodox 〔see Ergonomic Keyboards〕 ) where the {Home, End} keys are right under your thumbs, then you can make them do command mode and insert mode, like this:

"make home key do esc when in insertion mode"
:imap <Home> <Esc>

"make end key go to insertion mode, when in command mode"
:map <End> i

"turn on line numbering"
:set number

in vim, how to find what a key does? (in emacs its “describe-key”.)

Type :help key to show it in help.

Type :map key to show customized key in command mode . (that is, defined in init file.)

Type :imap key to show customized key in insert mode . (that is, defined in init file.)

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