Commands

Type : and the command. Tab completes command names and file paths; with several options they are listed above the line and Tab / Shift-Tab cycle through them. : followed by Tab lists every command.

Files and tabs#

Command	Action
`:w`	save
`:w name.pdf`	save a copy under that name, next to this PDF (a folder in the name works; `Tab` completes). It refuses a name that is already there; `:w! name.pdf` replaces it. The PDF you are reading stays the open one
`:q`	close the tab
`:q!`	close it, discarding unsaved changes
`:wq`, `:x`	save and close the tab
`:e file.pdf`	open a PDF in a new tab
`:reload`	read the PDF again from disk
`:recent`	recent files (`\o`)
`:find`	find any PDF in your folders (`\f`)
`:session`	reopen the tabs of the last session
`:print [pages] [xN] [@printer] [duplex]`	print, e.g. `:print 3-7,10 x2 @office duplex`

Moving and viewing#

Command	Action
`:42`, `:page 42`	go to page 42
`:zoom 150`	zoom in percent
`:rotate 90`, `:rotate -90`, `:rotate 180`	turn the view
`:dark` / `:light`	dark / light mode
`:pages`	page grid (`\g`)
`:present`	presentation (`F5`)
`:marks`, `:notes`	the panel (`\l`)
`:noh`	remove the search highlighting

Split view#

Command	Action
`:vsplit [file.pdf]`	split side by side, this PDF or another
`:split [file.pdf]`	split one above the other
`:close`	close this pane
`:only`	keep only this pane

Searching and comparing#

Command	Action
`:library words`	search the text of all your PDFs (`\/`)
`:comments [words]`	search the comments and highlights of all your PDFs (`\n`)
`:tasks [words]`	the tasks still to do in all your PDFs
`:diff old.pdf`	compare with an older version, text and notes (`]c` `[c` go through the changes)
`:nodiff`	hide the comparison

Notes, quotes and references#

Command	Action
`:export [file.md] [colours] [commented] [tasks]`	highlights, comments and marks to Markdown (tasks as `- [ ]` / `- [x]`)
`:export! …`	the same, allowed to overwrite a file it did not write
`:response [file.md]`	the response letter to the reviewers, with their comments and your replies (`r`), by reviewer (more)
`:response! …`	the same, allowed to overwrite a file it did not write
`:merge copy.pdf`	bring in a co-author's highlights and comments
`:bibtex`	copy the paper's BibTeX entry (by its DOI or arXiv number)
`:image file.png`	put a picture on the page

Pages#

Command	Action
`:extract 3-7 [file.pdf]`	pages 3–7 as a new PDF
`:delete 3-7`	delete pages (`u` undoes it)
`:insert other.pdf`	insert another PDF after this page
`:append other.pdf`	add another PDF at the end

Page ranges can be 5, 3-7 or 10- (to the end).

Look and information#

Command	Action
`:theme`	choose a theme (`\T`)
`:theme NAME`	switch to a theme
`:theme new NAME`	make your own theme from the current one
`:about`	version, author, contact (`\a`)
`:help`	every key (`\c`)

From the terminal#

Command	Action
`npdf file.pdf [more.pdf …]`	open files, each in a tab
`npdf`	reopen the last session
`npdf --export file.pdf`	print its highlights and comments as Markdown
`npdf --synctex-forward LINE:COL:FILE.tex file.pdf`	show that source line (used by VimTeX)
`npdf -x "COMMAND" file.pdf`	the editor command for inverse search (`%l` `%c` `%f`)
`npdf --version`, `npdf --help`	version, short help