How do I replace text with a newline in a substitute command?

Explanation

In the replacement part of :s, \r inserts a newline. Note that this is different from the search pattern, where \n matches a newline.

How it works

• In the search pattern: \n matches a newline
• In the replacement: \r inserts a newline
• This asymmetry is a common source of confusion

Example

Split comma-separated values onto separate lines:

:%s/,/\r/g

Before: a,b,c,d After:

a
b
c
d

Tips

• \n in the replacement inserts a null character (not a newline)
• \r in the replacement is always a newline
• \n in the search is always a newline
• This is consistent with how Vim stores newlines internally