How do I execute a recorded macro a specific number of times?

Explanation

Prefix the @ macro-execution command with a count to run the macro that many times in a row. This is far faster than pressing @q repeatedly and works with any register.

How it works

• 5 — the count prefix tells Vim to repeat the following command 5 times
• @q — execute the macro stored in register q

Vim executes the macro back-to-back without stopping, as if you had typed @q@q@q@q@q. If the macro moves the cursor (e.g., j to the next line) or edits text conditionally, this becomes a concise way to batch-process multiple items.

You can also use @@ to re-run the last-used macro, so 10@@ repeats the most recently played macro 10 times.

Example

Suppose register q holds the macro I- <Esc>j (prepend a dash to the current line and move down). Running 5@q converts:

apple
banana
cherry
date
elderberry

into:

- apple
- banana
- cherry
- date
- elderberry

Tips

• If the macro might fail partway through (e.g., searching for a pattern that doesn't always exist), the count run stops at the first error — this is usually desirable behaviour.
• Use a deliberately large count like 999@q to run a macro until it hits an error (such as reaching the end of file), effectively processing the whole buffer.
• @@ re-executes the last-used macro, so you can quickly resume with another count without retyping the register name.