# \<a-u\> should be U and vice versa

**URL:** <https://discuss.kakoune.com/t/a-u-should-be-u-and-vice-versa/2819>\
**Category:** Complaints & Improvements\
**Tags:** keyboard\
**Created:** [January 20, 2026, 4:59pm UTC](https://discuss.kakoune.com/t/a-u-should-be-u-and-vice-versa/2819 "2026-01-20T16:59:19Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![M-Programer](https://discuss.kakoune.com/user_avatar/discuss.kakoune.com/m-programer/32/1613_2.png) [@M-Programer](https://discuss.kakoune.com/u/M-Programer)\
**Post date:** [January 20, 2026, 4:59pm UTC](https://discuss.kakoune.com/t/a-u-should-be-u-and-vice-versa/2819/1 "2026-01-20T16:59:19Z")

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since **alt** is used to _reverse_ the direction of the motion in commands like `f` and `t`, and **shift** is used to deal with _extend_ (basicly _selection_) like in all other commands

I would like hiding that change behind an option to give people time to adapt to it, and a few versions afterward make the default of kakoune to use `<a-u>` for _redo_ and `U` for undo selection.  
and so `u` stays the same and `<a-U>` does the same thing ( **alt** for _redo the last edit_, **shift** for _selection rather than edits_)

I apologise if that wasted your time, but I thought it was a somewhat better idea.

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**Author:** ![alexherbo2](https://discuss.kakoune.com/user_avatar/discuss.kakoune.com/alexherbo2/32/1140_2.png) [@alexherbo2](https://discuss.kakoune.com/u/alexherbo2)\
**Post date:** [January 20, 2026, 11:27pm UTC](https://discuss.kakoune.com/t/a-u-should-be-u-and-vice-versa/2819/2 "2026-01-20T23:27:00Z")

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There was a similar issue for long word text object. `<s-w>` has moved to `<a-w>`.

> <https://github.com/mawww/kakoune/issues/1861>
>
> In general Kakoune uses shift for extending and alt for BIG nouns, e.g. \<a-w\> fo…r WORD.
> 
> In the object selection menu WORD is mapped to \<s - w\>, which feels a bit inconsistent.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![M-Programer](https://discuss.kakoune.com/user_avatar/discuss.kakoune.com/m-programer/32/1613_2.png) [@M-Programer](https://discuss.kakoune.com/u/M-Programer)\
**Post date:** [January 22, 2026, 5:08am UTC](https://discuss.kakoune.com/t/a-u-should-be-u-and-vice-versa/2819/3 "2026-01-22T05:08:12Z")

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Should I report that on github?

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**Author:** ![alexherbo2](https://discuss.kakoune.com/user_avatar/discuss.kakoune.com/alexherbo2/32/1140_2.png) [@alexherbo2](https://discuss.kakoune.com/u/alexherbo2)\
**Post date:** [January 22, 2026, 1:16pm UTC](https://discuss.kakoune.com/t/a-u-should-be-u-and-vice-versa/2819/4 "2026-01-22T13:16:51Z")

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I think yes. It might be a good change to add.