Special Registers

"/ ": ". "% "# "= "_ — the read-only and weird ones.

Keys: "/, ":, "., "%, "#, "=, "_

Vim provides several read-only registers that contain useful state: "/ is the last search, ": the last Ex command, ". the last inserted text, "% the current filename, "# the alternate file, "= the expression register, and "_ the black hole.

Beyond the alphabetic and numbered registers, Vim has a small zoo of special registers. Most are read-only — Vim writes to them automatically as you work, and you read from them when useful.

Register	Holds	Useful for
`"/`	Last search pattern	Reusing search in `:s`
`":`	Last Ex command	Pasting it to edit and re-run
`".`	Last inserted text	Re-typing the last Insert content
`"%`	Current filename	Inserting it in commands or buffer
`"#`	Alternate (previous) filename	Switch-to-other-file shortcut
`"=`	Expression register (interactive)	Insert computed values
`"_`	Black hole — write-only, discards text	Delete without clobbering registers

📺 The . Register (not yet published)

"/ — last search

📺 The : Register (not yet published)

": — last Ex command

📺 The / Register (not yet published)

". — last insert

📺 The % Register (not yet published)

"% / "# — filenames

📺 The # Register (not yet published)

"= — expression register

📺 The = Register (not yet published)

"_ — black hole