How to Use More Command in Linux: Simple Guide

Use the more command in Linux to view the contents of a text file one screen at a time. Run more filename to start, then press Space to see the next page or q to quit.

Syntax

The basic syntax of the more command is:

• more [options] filename

Here, filename is the name of the file you want to view. Options can modify how more behaves, like showing line numbers or starting at a specific line.

bash

more filename.txt

Example

This example shows how to use more to read a file named example.txt. It displays the file content one screen at a time. Press Space to move to the next page and q to exit.

bash

more example.txt

Output

This is line 1 of example.txt
This is line 2 of example.txt
...
--More--

Common Pitfalls

Common mistakes when using more include:

• Trying to scroll up: more only scrolls forward, not backward.
• Not quitting properly: Press q to exit, not Ctrl+C.
• Using more on binary files: It may show unreadable characters.

For backward scrolling, use less instead.

bash

more binaryfile
# Wrong: trying to scroll back
# Right: use less binaryfile

Quick Reference

Command	Description
more filename	View file content one page at a time
Space	Go to next page
Enter	Go to next line
q	Quit the more command
/pattern	Search forward for pattern

Key Takeaways

Use more filename to view text files page by page.

Press Space to move forward and q to quit.

more scrolls only forward; use less for backward scrolling.

Avoid using more on binary files to prevent unreadable output.

You can search forward in the file by typing /pattern while viewing.