Mac OSX iTerm: Arrow Key Not Working in VI/VIM

Written by Paul Ooi · in Systems

If your arrow keys are not working with iTerm during using VI/VIM.
Try add this line into /etc/bashrc or .profile

TERM=linux

After that

source ~/.profile (if you edit in .profile)
source /etc/bashrc (if you edit in bashrc)

Arrow keys working in VI/VIM now? Good luck

Ã“mar Kjartan · June 23, 2007 at 21:45:01 · →

Thanks, this has been killing me. As a recent MacOSX convert not being able to use VIM was having a drastic effect on my behavior.
joe · July 18, 2007 at 04:13:50 · →

THAAAAAAAAAAANKS!
Kaitlyn · July 23, 2007 at 10:08:00 · →

THANK YOU SOOOO MUCH!

I wanted to throw the computer out the window for a good five minutes, and now I’m very, very happy!

Thank you soo much! 😀

*huggles*
-Kat
Mar · July 26, 2007 at 00:35:45 · →

There should be an option in the installer script to add this to your user init script.
Rene Jochum · July 28, 2007 at 01:52:51 · →

Thank You,
You saved my VIM – iTerm live!
eepohboy · August 20, 2007 at 11:02:40 · →

Heh… nice trick. Alternatively, you can learn how to use H,J,K,L to navigate in VI/M. Beats having to use those small arrow keys in the corner…
Paul Ooi · September 25, 2007 at 11:48:18 · →

I don’t really like HJKL 😛 because am a lazy fellow. 🙂
Bushmaster · June 5, 2008 at 17:03:55 · →

It is a nice trick however I cannot navigate through yast when am in iTerm.
Anyone know how to go about it?
frank · December 12, 2008 at 07:32:47 · →

Tanks alot!