gv — Re-Select

Bring back the last visual selection.

Keys: gv

gv re-enters Visual mode with the same selection you last had — same shape, same endpoints. Essential for re-applying an operator to the same region.

gv — Re-Select

gv re-enters Visual mode with the exact same selection you last had — same shape, same lines, same characters.

Re-indent without re-selecting
KeyNote
V5jSelect 6 lines
>Indent — selection lost
gvBring it back
>Indent again
gv>Or just gv> repeatedly

Worked example — gv

Re-select the previous visual region.

Step 1 ·
visual.gv
Step 2 · vw · Selected 'dolor '.
Selected 'dolor '.
Step 3 · U · U — uppercased the selection.
U — uppercased the selection.
Step 4 · gv · gv — same region selected again.
gv — same region selected again.

gv is great for chained visual operations.

▶ Try this in the simulator

Watch

See also: Visual + Ex Range, Operators on Visual Selections