How to Delete Line in Nano Editor?

Last Updated : 01 May, 2024

In a terminal environment, Nano is a straightforward and widely used text editor for Linux and macOS systems. Deleting lines in Nano is a basic yet essential operation, allowing for efficient editing within files. By following simple keyboard shortcuts like "Ctrl+K," you can swiftly remove lines from your text. Additionally, Nano includes an undo function ("Alt+U" or "Ctrl+U") to recover accidentally deleted content. These methods make line deletion in Nano efficient and user-friendly.

Table of Content

Step 1: Open the File
Step 2: Navigate to the Line
Step 3 : Delete the Line

Step 1: Open the File

First, open the terminal and open the file you want to edit in the Nano editor by typing:

nano filename.txt

Then, press "Enter". It will open the nano editor, having the file data in it.

Step 2: Navigate to the Line

Use the "arrows" keys present on the keyboard to move the cursor to the line you want to delete.

Step 3: Delete the Line

Method 1: Delete the current line

Go to the line that you want to delete. Then, press "Ctrl + K". This deletes the line from the cursor position to the end of the line.
Save Changes: After deleting the line(s), you can save the changes by pressing Ctrl + O.
Nano will confirm the filename. Press "Enter" to save the changes.
Exit Nano: To exit from "Nano", press "Ctrl + X".
That's it! You've successfully deleted the line(s) from your file using Nano.

Output:

Method 2: To delete multiple lines

Move the cursor to the first line you want to delete, then press "Ctrl + Shift + 6" to select the lines you want to delete.
Move the cursor to the last line you want to delete.

Selecting Line 4 and 5 to Delete — Selecting Lines 4 and 5 to Delete

Then, press "Ctrl + K" to delete the lines.
Save Changes: After deleting the line(s), you can save the changes by pressing "Ctrl + O".
Nano will prompt you to confirm the filename. Press "Enter" to save the changes.
Exit Nano: To exit from "Nano", press "Ctrl + X".

Output:

Line 4 and 5 are Deleted — Lines 4 and 5 are Deleted

Method 3: Navigate to the Line

Press "Ctrl + Shift + _ (underscore)" to go to the line you want to delete. It will ask, you for "Line number", enter the line number. It will directly navigate you to that particular line.

Then, press "Ctrl + K" to delete it.
Save Changes: After deleting the line(s), you can save the changes by pressing "Ctrl + O".
Nano will prompt you to confirm the filename. Press "Enter" to save the changes.
Exit Nano: Press "Ctrl + X" to exit from the Nano editor.
This method lets you delete the current line or a specific line by specifying its line number. It can be useful when you know the exact line number you want to delete.

Output:

Hence, these methods allow you to Delete Lines in Nano Editor.

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Conclusion

In conclusion, removing lines in the Nano text editor is easy. You can use key combinations to do it. Press `Ctrl + K` to delete one line. For multiple lines, press `Ctrl + Shift + 6` to mark the start. Then press `Ctrl + K` to cut those lines. Remember, Nano does not save deleted lines. You cannot undo line deletions directly. But you can edit text comfortably with these commands. If you prefer using the mouse, select lines and press delete. Learning these deletion methods helps you work faster and better in Nano.