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# Control-R Through Your History
- URL: https://mfitzp.ghost.io/control-r-through-your-history/
- Published: 2011-10-22T00:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2023-06-26T09:50:52.000Z
- Description: Interactively search through your command line history with a simple keyboard shortcut.
- Author: Martin Fitzpatrick
- Tags: Tutorials, Bash, #Import 2024-03-14 08:20, #Import 2026-08-24 14:26

At a new shell prompt (bash or Terminal.app on Mac) press `Ctrl-R`

Start typing the search string to lookup in your bash history. As you type the top matching command in your history will appear.

Hit `Return` to accept the search and execute the matching command or `Esc` to cancel the search.

💡

You can also hit the right-arrow to edit the command before running it.