Guide · Open source

How to use micro: install, edit files and learn the basics

Updated 2026-10-29 · written with AI from the project's own documentation and checked against our catalogue data

micro is a text editor that runs inside a terminal window. It is designed to be easy to install and use while taking advantage of modern terminal features, and it is aimed at people who edit files in a terminal or over SSH. This guide shows you how to install micro, open and edit files, and find the features and settings described in its documentation.

micromicro-editor/micro · ★ 29.8k · MIT Install options & downloads

Quick start

1Install micro. Use a package manager such as Homebrew on Mac, Snap on Linux or Scoop on Windows. The README gives one command for each.
2Check the version. Run micro -version to confirm the install worked and see the version information.
3Open a file. Run micro followed by a file name to open it in the editor inside your terminal.
4Edit and save. Type to edit, then press Ctrl-s to save. Use Ctrl-z to undo changes.
5Use the mouse or menu. Drag, double-click or triple-click to select text, and use the nano-like menu to look up keybindings.
6Customise if needed. Rebind keybindings or install plugins with the built-in plugin manager, with settings in ~/.config/micro.

What micro is and who it is for

micro is a terminal-based text editor that aims to be easy to use and intuitive. It comes as a single, static binary with no dependencies, so you can download it and run it without extra setup. It is intended as a successor to nano, and it is meant to be enjoyable as a full-time editor for people who prefer working in a terminal or who regularly edit files over SSH.

Good fit: people who work mostly in a terminal and want an easy editor.
Good fit: anyone editing files on remote machines over SSH.
Good fit: users coming from nano who want a more modern editor.
Not a fit: people who want a full IDE with deep language tooling. The README describes only basic 'simple autocompletion' and linting features.

Install micro on Mac, Linux or Windows

The simplest route is a package manager. The README lists Homebrew for Mac, Snap for Linux and Scoop for Windows. You can also download a prebuilt binary from the releases page. Run micro -version after installing to check the version information.

Micro is also available through many other package managers, such as dnf, apt, pacman, Chocolatey and WinGet. The README notes that these packages are not guaranteed to be up to date. Windows is supported, but Mingw/Cygwin environments are not.

Mac (Homebrew): brew install micro
Linux (Snap): snap install micro --classic
Windows (Scoop): scoop install micro
Windows (Chocolatey): choco install micro
Windows (WinGet): winget install zyedidia.micro

brew install micro

Open, edit and save a file

Start micro by passing it a file name. The editor opens in your terminal and you can type straight away. micro uses common keybindings, so Ctrl-s saves, Ctrl-c copies, Ctrl-v pastes and Ctrl-z undoes. A nano-like menu helps you remember the keybindings.

Because micro is meant to work over SSH, you can use it on a remote machine just as you would locally, as long as you have a terminal session open to that machine.

Ctrl-s: save
Ctrl-c: copy
Ctrl-v: paste
Ctrl-z: undo
Multiple cursors and splits and tabs are also supported.

micro notes.txt

Use the mouse, selections and multiple cursors

micro has mouse support. Drag with the mouse to create a selection, double-click to select a word and triple-click to select a line. Multiple cursors let you edit several places at once.

On Mac, micro keybindings use the control or alt (option) key rather than the command key. By default, macOS terminals do not forward alt key events. The README points to a section on macOS terminals to fix this.

Drag: select text
Double-click: select a word
Triple-click: select a line

Configure and customise micro

micro ships with sane defaults, so you should not need to configure much to start. Keybindings can be rebound, and the editor is described as easily configurable. Color schemes are included in 16, 256 and true color versions.

micro has a built-in plugin manager that can install, remove and update plugins. Plugins are written in Lua. Configuration lives in the directory ~/.config/micro.

Rebind keybindings to suit your habits.
Choose a color scheme, including 16, 256 and true color themes.
Install plugins with the built-in plugin manager.

Make the clipboard work on Linux desktops

To use the system clipboard on Linux, install the right tool for your display server. The README lists xclip or xsel for X11, and wl-clipboard for Wayland.

Without these tools, micro uses an internal clipboard, so copy and paste work inside micro but are not accessible to other applications.

X11: install xclip or xsel
Wayland: install wl-clipboard

Uninstall micro or build it from source

To uninstall micro, remove the binary and the configuration directory at ~/.config/micro. If no binary exists for your system but Go runs there, you can build from source. The README asks for Go version 1.19 or greater with Go modules enabled.

The README recommends make build over go get, because go get does not build micro with version information, which the plugin manager needs, and does not disable debug mode.

git clone https://github.com/micro-editor/micro
cd micro
make build

What people use it for

Editing config files on a remote server over SSH.
Quick edits on a laptop terminal without opening a heavy IDE.
Moving from nano to a more modern editor with mouse support and splits and tabs.
Editing source code with syntax highlighting for over 130 languages.

Frequently asked questions

How do I install micro?

Use a package manager. The README lists brew install micro on Mac, snap install micro --classic on Linux and scoop install micro on Windows. You can also download a prebuilt binary from the releases page.

Is micro free to use?

micro is released under the MIT licence, as shown in its README. The licence file is linked from the project page.

Does micro need any dependencies?

micro ships as a single, static binary with no dependencies, so you can download and run it without extra setup. For the Linux system clipboard, you need xclip or xsel on X11, or wl-clipboard on Wayland.

Is micro a replacement for nano?

micro is described as a successor to nano, aimed at being easy to install and use. It adds features such as multiple cursors, splits and tabs, and mouse support.

How does micro compare to Vim or Helix?

The README does not compare micro with Vim, Neovim or Helix. It describes micro as easy to use and intuitive, with simple autocompletion and linting rather than deep language tooling. Vim, Neovim and Helix are other terminal editors you can compare it with.

Why don't my copy and paste commands reach other apps on Linux?

micro uses an internal clipboard if no system clipboard tool is installed. Install xclip or xsel for X11, or wl-clipboard for Wayland, so it can use the system clipboard.

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Our verdict

micro suits people who work in a terminal, edit files over SSH or are moving from nano and want an easy, modern editor with mouse support. If you need a full IDE with deep language tooling, or you use Mingw/Cygwin on Windows, which the README says is not supported, pick a different editor such as Vim, Neovim or Helix.

Install options & downloads