Outline: headlines, visibility and structure editing

Key	What it does
<Tab> / <S-Tab>	cycle a subtree / the whole buffer
]] [[ ][ [] g{	next/prev heading, next/prev sibling, parent
<prefix>.	jump to any headline (picker)
ih ah ir ar	text objects: section / subtree
<M-CR> <M-S-CR>	new heading (or TODO heading) / item / row
<prefix>ih it is	insert heading / TODO heading / subheading
<< >> <s >s	promote / demote heading, subtree
<M-h> <M-l>	promote / demote the heading
<M-H> <M-L>	promote / demote the subtree
<M-k> <M-j>	move subtree (or element) up / down
<M-K> <M-J>	drag the current line up / down
<prefix>hy hd hp	copy / cut / paste subtree
<prefix>hc	clone subtree with a time shift
<prefix>hs	sort the children of the heading
<prefix>hn	narrow: edit the subtree in its own buffer
<prefix>* <prefix>-	toggle heading / list item
<prefix>hC hA	toggle COMMENT keyword / ARCHIVE tag
<prefix>id ib	insert drawer / block (Visual: around it)

With #+STARTUP: odd (or odd_levels_only = true) the outline uses only odd levels: 1, 3, 5… Promoting or demoting then adds or removes two stars. #+STARTUP: oddeven is the default. This file uses every level.

<Tab> on a headline cycles through three states:

1. FOLDED: only the headline.
2. CHILDREN: the body and the direct children (folded).
3. SUBTREE: everything below the headline.

A headline without children goes from FOLDED straight to SUBTREE.

Try: on "Solar system" below, press <Tab> three times, pausing after each press.

Expect: first press: "Inner planets" and "Outer planets" appear (folded, with ...) along with the text "Planets orbit the Sun." Second press: every planet shows up. Third press: back to just "Solar system…".

<S-Tab> (anywhere) cycles the whole buffer:

1. OVERVIEW: only top-level headlines.
2. CONTENTS: every headline, no body text.
3. SHOW ALL: everything (drawers stay folded).

With a count, <S-Tab> shows the headlines up to that level: 2<S-Tab> shows levels 1 and 2.

The same states have commands: :Org overview, :Org content, :Org show_all and :Org show_everything (which also opens drawers).

Try: press <S-Tab> three times.

Expect: OVERVIEW shows only the lines starting with one star, such as "* Visibility cycling". CONTENTS shows all headlines of the file (like a table of contents). SHOW ALL shows the whole text.

Try: press 2<S-Tab>, then 3<S-Tab>.

Expect: with 2 you see "Visibility cycling" and its children like "Cycling one subtree with Tab", but not "Solar system". With 3 you also see level-3 headlines such as "Solar system" and "Three stars".

<Tab> also takes a count (it stands in for Emacs' C-u):

Keys	Result
16<Tab>	back to the startup visibility (#+STARTUP: and the
	VISIBILITY properties)
64<Tab>	show everything, drawers included
N<Tab>	show the whole subtree of the ancestor at level N

Try: inside "Solar system" (for example on "Mars"), press 2<Tab>.

Expect: the whole subtree of the level-2 ancestor, "Cycling one subtree with Tab", is open: every planet is visible.

Try: press 16<Tab>.

Expect: the file is back to how it looked when you opened it (only top-level headlines, plus the "VISIBILITY property" demo further down, which opens itself).

These keep the body text hidden and only show headlines:

• <C-c><Tab> shows the children of the entry (a count: that many levels).
• <C-c><C-k> shows every headline of the subtree (its branches).
• <C-c><C-r> reveals the context of the cursor: the headlines above it.
• <C-c><C-x>v copies only the visible text of the buffer (to the unnamed register), e.g. to paste an outline somewhere else.

Try: fold "Solar system" with <Tab> until it shows only its headline, then press <C-c><C-k> on it.

Expect: all headlines of the subtree (Inner planets, Mercury … Neptune) are visible, but "Planets orbit the Sun." and "The only one with known life." stay hidden.

Drawers (:NAME: … :END:) and blocks (#+begin_... … #+end_...) fold on their own. <Tab> on their first line toggles them. Drawers start folded (hidedrawers, the default).

Try: press <Tab> on the :PROPERTIES: line below, then on the #+begin_example line.

Expect: the drawer opens and shows :COLOR: blue; pressing <Tab> again folds it. The example block folds into a single line.

This is an example block.
It folds on its own.

On a line that is not a headline, item, drawer or block, <Tab> indents the line like Emacs' org-cycle-emulate-tab (cycle_emulate_tab = true). Set it to false to make <Tab> cycle the entry from anywhere.

When a subtree ends with at least two blank lines, the last one stays visible when the subtree is folded (cycle_separator_lines = 2). This keeps groups visually separate in the folded view.

A VISIBILITY property sets the startup visibility of one subtree, on top of #+STARTUP:. Values: folded, children, content and all. Because this heading has :VISIBILITY: children, it opened by itself when the file was loaded, showing this text and its children.

A subtree tagged :ARCHIVE: stays folded when you cycle with <Tab> or <S-Tab>, so old material doesn't get in the way. You can still open it:

• <C-c><C-Tab> (or :Org force_cycle_archived) cycles it anyway.
• <prefix>hA (Emacs <C-c><C-x>a) toggles the ARCHIVE tag on the current headline.
• Set cycle_open_archived_trees = true to open them normally.

Moving subtrees to an archive file is explained in 12-refile-archive.org.

Try: press <Tab> on "Old project" below.

Expect: it doesn't open. Press <C-c><C-Tab> on it: now it opens and shows "Old notes that nobody reads anymore."

Try: on "Current project", press <prefix>hA.

Expect: :ARCHIVE: is added at the end of the line (right-aligned), and from now on <Tab> refuses to open it. Press <prefix>hA again to remove the tag.

Key	Emacs key	Moves to
]]	<C-c><C-n>	next visible headline
[[	<C-c><C-p>	previous visible headline
][	<C-c><C-f>	next sibling (same level, same parent)
[]	<C-c><C-b>	previous sibling
g{	<C-c><C-u>	parent headline
<prefix>.	<C-c><C-j>	any headline of the buffer, from a picker

Motions take counts: 3]] moves three headlines down.

Try: put the cursor on "Alpha" below and press ][ twice, then [].

Expect: ][ jumps over Alpha's child "Alpha child" to "Beta", then to "Gamma". [] goes back to "Beta".

Try: on "Alpha child", press g{.

Expect: the cursor goes to "Alpha".

Try: press <prefix>. and type gamma in the picker, then <CR>.

Expect: the cursor lands on "Gamma".

Four text objects work with any operator (d, y, c, v, …):

Object	Selects
ih	the section: the body under the headline, no children
ah	the section with its headline line
ir	the subtree without its headline line
ar	the whole subtree, headline included

Try: on "Recipe" below, press vih.

Expect: the two lines "Mix flour and water." and "Bake for 20 minutes." are selected, but not "Variations". Press <Esc>.

Try: on "Recipe", press dar, then u.

Expect: "Recipe" and everything under it (Variations, With cheese) disappears; u brings it back.

Try: on "Recipe", press yir, move to the empty line at the end of this topic and press p.

Expect: a copy of the body and the children of "Recipe" (without the "Recipe" line itself) is pasted.

Org also knows elements: paragraphs, lists, tables, blocks, drawers…

• <M-}> / <M-{> jump to the next / previous element at the same level.
• <C-c><C-^> goes up to the parent element, <C-c><C-_> down into it.
• <prefix>v selects the element at the cursor; press it again in Visual mode to add the next element.
• <C-c>@ selects the whole subtree.
• <C-c><M-f> / <C-c><M-b> jump to the next / previous block.

Try: in the paragraph "First paragraph…" below, press <prefix>v.

Expect: the whole paragraph (both lines) and the blank line after it are selected. Press <prefix>v again: the quote block below is added to the selection.

Try: press <Esc>, go back to "First paragraph" and press <M-}> twice.

Expect: the cursor jumps to #+begin_quote, then to "Last paragraph.".

<M-CR> (Meta-Return, usually Alt+Enter) is context-aware: on a headline it inserts a headline, on a list item an item (see 03-lists.org), in a table a row. The new line is at the same level and you are left in Insert mode.

Where the new headline goes depends on the mode and the cursor:

• In Normal mode on the title: right below the headline line.
• In Normal mode in column 0 of a headline: above it.
• On a folded headline: after its whole subtree.
• In Insert mode: at the cursor. In the middle of the title, the rest of the title moves to the new headline (the tags stay where they are).
• 4<M-CR> always inserts after the current subtree; 16<M-CR> at the end of the parent's subtree.

<M-S-CR> does the same but adds a TODO keyword (the one of the current entry, or the first one of the file).

Try: on "Monday" below, press $ then <M-CR>, type Tuesday and press <Esc>.

Expect: a new headline right under "Monday":

*** Tuesday

Try: on "Monday", press 0 (column 0) then <M-CR>, type Sunday.

Expect: the new headline appears above Monday:

*** Sunday
*** Monday

Try: on "Plan the trip" press $ and <M-S-CR>, type Pack, <Esc>.

Expect: a TODO headline under "Plan the trip":

*** TODO Pack

Try: on "Split me here", put the cursor on the h of "here", press i then <M-CR>, and <Esc>.

Expect: two headlines; the tag stays on the first one:

*** Split me                                                           :demo:
*** here

These always put the new headline after the subtree of the current one:

Key	Emacs key	Inserts
<prefix>ih	<C-CR>	a headline after the subtree
<prefix>it	<C-S-CR>	a TODO headline after the subtree
<prefix>is		a subheading: one level deeper, right below
	<C-c><CR>	a headline (like <M-CR>)

Try: on "Chapter 1" below, press <prefix>ih, type Chapter 2, <Esc>.

Expect: "Chapter 2" is inserted after "Section 1.2", not between "Chapter 1" and its sections:

**** Section 1.2
*** Chapter 2

Try: on "Chapter 1", press <prefix>is, type Introduction, <Esc>.

Expect: "Introduction" appears right below "Chapter 1", as its first child (four stars):

*** Chapter 1
**** Introduction
**** Section 1.1

Right after <M-CR>, while the new headline is still empty, <Tab> in Insert mode cycles its level: first a child of the previous entry, then up the hierarchy, then back. So <M-CR><Tab> is the quickest way to create a subheading.

Try: on "Project" below, press A (Insert mode at the end of the line), then <M-CR>, then <Tab>, type Task A, and <Esc>.

Expect: "Task A" has four stars: a child of "Project".

Try: press u, and do it again but press <Tab> several times before typing, watching the stars.

Expect: the level cycles 4, 2, 1 and back to 3 (a sibling of "Project"): child, then up the hierarchy, then where it started.

If the headline you are on is separated from the one above by a blank line, new headlines get one too (blank_before_new_entry = { heading = "auto" }).

Try: on "Spaced one" press $ and <M-CR>, type Spaced two.

Expect: a blank line is inserted before the new headline:

*** Spaced one

*** Spaced two

<M-k> / <M-j> (also <M-Up> / <M-Down>, or <prefix>K / <prefix>J) swap the subtree at the cursor with the previous / next sibling. Children always travel with their parent. A count moves past that many siblings.

Try: put these steps in order: on "Step 3" press <M-j> twice; on "Step 1" press <M-k>.

Expect: the order is Step 1, Step 2, Step 3, Step 4. "Detail of step 2" stays under "Step 2".

Try: on "Step 4", press 3<M-k>.

Expect: Step 4 jumps to the top, above Step 1.

Outside headlines, <M-k> / <M-j> drag the whole element (paragraph, list, block, table…) past the previous / next one. <M-K> / <M-J> drag just the current line, like a line-swap command.

Try: on the paragraph "Second." below, press <M-k>.

Expect: "Second." and "First." swap places.

Try: on the line "line b" press <M-J>.

Expect: "line b" and "line c" swap: the order is a, c, b.

Key	Emacs key	Action
<prefix>hy	<C-c><C-x><M-w>	copy the subtree
<prefix>hd	<C-c><C-x><C-w>	cut the subtree
<prefix>hp	<C-c><C-x><C-y>	paste the subtree

The subtree is also put in the "" register. When pasting, the level is adjusted:

• in column 0 of a headline, the subtree goes before it, at its level;
• elsewhere, before the next visible headline, at the deeper level of the headlines around it;
• 4<prefix>hp pastes after the current subtree at its level;
• 16<prefix>hp pastes as the first child.

Vim works too: dar / yar and p (but p does not change levels).

Try: on "Milk" (in "Shopping") press <prefix>hd. Then go to "Bakery" and press 16<prefix>hp.

Expect: "Milk" disappears from "Shopping" and becomes the first child of "Bakery":

*** Bakery
**** Milk
**** Bread

Try: on "Shopping" press <prefix>hy, move to "Bakery" and press 4<prefix>hp.

Expect: a copy of "Shopping" with its children is pasted after the "Bakery" subtree, at level 3.

<prefix>hc (Emacs <C-c><C-x>c) makes N copies of the subtree, right after it. When the subtree contains timestamps, you are asked for a shift (+1w, +2d, -3d, +1h…) and each copy moves one step further. Clones lose their CLOCK lines and get a new ID (if they had one).

Try: on "Team sync" press <prefix>hc, answer 3 copies and a shift of +1w.

Expect: three new "Team sync" headlines after it, dated <2026-10-12 Mon 10:00-10:30>, <2026-10-19 Mon 10:00-10:30> and <2026-10-26 Mon 10:00-10:30>.

Try: on "Fruit" press <prefix>hs then a.

Expect: apple, Banana, cherry, date. (Case is ignored.)

Try: now press 4<prefix>hs then a.

Expect: Banana, apple, cherry, date: with a count, upper case sorts before lower case.

Try: press <prefix>hs then A.

Expect: date, cherry, Banana, apple.

Alphabetical sorting puts "10" before "9"; numeric sorting reads the number.

Try: on "Chapters" press <prefix>hs then a, look, then <prefix>hs and n.

Expect: a gives 10, 2, 9, Preface. n gives Preface (no number, so 0), 2, 9, 10.

Try: on "Bugs" press <prefix>hs then p.

Expect: [#A] first, then "No priority" and [#B] (both count as B, so they keep their order), then [#C].

The order is: open keywords in the order of #+TODO: (TODO, NEXT, WAITING), then entries without a keyword, then done keywords. Among done keywords, the one listed last comes first (CANCELLED before DONE), exactly like Emacs.

Try: on "Tasks" press <prefix>hs then o.

Expect: TODO Write, NEXT Review, WAITING Approval, Plain note, CANCELLED Old idea, DONE Draft.

r asks for a property name. Values are compared as text, so pad numbers (03, 10) if you want them in numeric order.

Try: on "Hotels" press <prefix>hs, r, type CITY and <CR>.

Expect: Berlin, Lisbon, Oslo (the hotel names: Adlon, Tivoli, Grand).

t looks at the first active timestamp anywhere in the entry (an inactive one if there is no active one).

Try: on "Events" press <prefix>hs then t.

Expect: Kickoff (Oct 1), Workshop (Oct 14), Retro (Nov 2).

s and d only look at the SCHEDULED: and DEADLINE: dates of the planning line.

Try: on "Chores" press <prefix>hs then s, and afterwards <prefix>hs then d.

Expect: by s (SCHEDULED): Laundry (Sep 29), Groceries (Oct 2), Taxes (Oct 20). By d (DEADLINE): Taxes (Oct 9), Laundry (Oct 16), Groceries (Nov 16).

c looks for the first inactive timestamp at the start of a line of the entry, which is where capture templates usually put the creation time.

Try: on "Ideas" press <prefix>hs then c.

Expect: the oldest idea first: "Write a book" (Sep 14), "Learn Lua" (Sep 21), "Plant a tree" (Sep 25).

k sorts by the time clocked in each entry (see 08-clocking.org), smallest first.

Try: on "Time spent" press <prefix>hs then k, then <prefix>hs and K.

Expect: k: Email (0:20), Coding (1:30), Meetings (2:15). K: the reverse, Meetings first.

f asks for a key function: a name from the sort_functions option, or a Lua expression returning function(headline, lines). A second prompt asks for an optional compare function (<CR> for the default).

Try: on "Notes of different sizes" press <prefix>hs then f and type this at the first prompt, then <CR> twice:

function(h, lines) return #lines end

Expect: the entries are sorted by their number of lines: Short (1 line), Medium (2), Long (3).

This is the draft text.

Key	Emacs key	On a…	Becomes
<prefix>*	<C-c>*	text line	a headline (child of the entry)
<prefix>*	<C-c>*	headline	plain text (stars removed)
<prefix>*	<C-c>*	list item	a headline; boxes become TODO / DONE
<prefix>-	<C-c>-	headline	a list item (tags etc. dropped)
<prefix>-	<C-c>-	text line	a list item

In Visual mode every line of the selection is converted. <C-c><C-*> turns the whole list at the cursor into a subtree.

Try: on the line "Buy stamps" below, press <prefix>*. Press it again.

Expect: it becomes a child headline of "Text to convert":

**** Buy stamps

The second press turns it back into the text line "Buy stamps".

Try: on "- [X] Call the bank" press <prefix>*.

Expect: a child headline of "Items to convert", with the checkbox turned into a keyword. The other item stays a list item:

**** DONE Call the bank
- [ ] Water the plants

Try: on "Became a list item" press <prefix>-.

Expect: - Became a list item (the :demo: tag is dropped).

<C-c>: toggles the fixed-width marker =: = on the line (or every line of the Visual selection). See 02-markup.org.

Here comes a drawer.

Quote me. wrap line one wrap line two

Emacs' org-tempo module expands <s + <Tab> into a src block. org.nvim has it too, off by default like in Emacs. Turn it on with tempo = true in your setup, or for this session with:

:lua require("org.config").opts.tempo = true

Then type, in Insert mode at the start of an empty line, < plus a key of the table above and press <Tab>. <L, <H, <A and <i insert the keywords #+latex: =, =#+html: =, =#+ascii: = and =#+index: =; =<I asks for a file to #+include:.

Try: turn tempo on as shown, then on the empty line below type <q and press <Tab>.

Expect: <q is replaced by #+begin_quote / #+end_quote.