Search for text

The Find tool can help you find specific sequences of text within in your file.

Finding text

  1. Open the search window by clicking Menu Button ▸ Find… or pressing Ctrl+F. This will move your cursor to the start of the search window.

  2. Type the text you wish to search for in the search window.

  3. As you type, gedit will begin highlighting the portions of text that match what you have entered.

To scroll through the search results, do any of the following:

  • Click on the up or down facing arrows next to the search window.

  • Press the up arrow or down arrow keys on your keyboard.

  • Press Ctrl+G or Ctrl+Shift+G.

To close the search window, press either Esc or Enter. Pressing Esc will return the cursor to where it was before you began your search. Pressing Enter will return the cursor to the current position in the search results.

Search tips

  • If you highlight a portion of text with your mouse, and then press Ctrl+F, the text you've highlighted will appear in the search window.

  • For more search options, click on the Magnifying Glass icon in the search window, or right-click anywhere in the search window. You can select one or more of the following search options:

    • Select Match Case to make the search case sensitive.

    • Select Match Entire Word Only to search only complete words.

    • Select Wrap Around to search text from top to bottom and cycle back again.

  • The text that you've searched for will remain highlighted by gedit, even after you have completed your search. To remove the highlight, click Clear Highlight, or press Ctrl+Shift+K.