---
title: Fix iTerm2 word navigation on macOS
description: >-
  Turn on Natural Text Editing in iTerm2 so option-left/right, option-delete, and command-left/right
  behave like macOS.
url: https://expiredqueues.com/iterm2-mac-natural-text/
date: '2015-07-09T00:00:00.000Z'
image: https://expiredqueues.com/images/og/iterm2-mac-natural-text-fa0adcf9.jpg
---

Written in July 2015. Much of what it describes has since changed or disappeared; it is kept as a record of how the web used to work, not as advice.

Developer Tools posts iterm2

# Fix iTerm2 word navigation on macOS

9 July 2015 By Adrian 1 min read

On a default iTerm2 install, word navigation doesn’t behave like macOS for me. ⌥← and ⌥→ don’t reliably jump by word, especially with zsh autosuggestions.

The fix is built in. No hex codes. No shell config.

Follow these steps:

- Open **iTerm2 → Preferences**
- Go to **Profiles → (your profile) → Keys**
- Under **Key Mappings**, open **Presets**
- Select **Natural Text Editing**

That’s it.

After this:

- ⌥← and ⌥→ move by word
- ⌥⌫ deletes one word
- ⌘← and ⌘→ go to line start/end
- Works with zsh autosuggestions

Nothing else needed.

### You might be interested in:

- [A better ls on macOS: use eza, but not as an alias](https://expiredqueues.com/better-ls-macos-eza/) - same iTerm2 profile, a different default worth replacing.
- [Git commands I wish I knew early](https://expiredqueues.com/git-commands-i-wish-i-knew-early/) - the commands you type once the keys behave.

[Previously 5 Must Reads to understand AngularJS Service and Factory difference](https://expiredqueues.com/service-and-factory/) [Next How to: delete node\_modules folders in windows.](https://expiredqueues.com/delete-node-modules-folders/)

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