How do I repeat my last substitution across the entire file?

Explanation

The g& command repeats the last substitute command across the entire file. It's equivalent to :%s//~/& — reusing the last pattern, replacement, and flags but applying them to every line.

How it works

• & repeats the last substitution on the current line only
• g& repeats the last substitution on all lines in the file
• Both preserve the original flags (like g, i, c)

Example

You run a substitution on a visual selection:

:'<,'>s/foo/bar/g

Then you realize you want to apply the same change to the entire file:

g&

This is equivalent to :%s/foo/bar/g.

Related commands

&        " Repeat last :s on current line (without flags)
:&&      " Repeat last :s on current line (with flags)
g&       " Repeat last :s on entire file (with flags)
:~       " Repeat last :s with last search pattern
@:       " Repeat last Ex command (any command, not just :s)

Tips

• g& is a massive time-saver when you test a substitution on one line first, then want to apply it everywhere
• The difference between & and :&& is subtle but important: & drops flags, :&& keeps them
• g& always uses the flags from the original command
• This is documented under :help g&