Jump to where insert mode was entered?

Question

`. seems to take me to where I last left insert mode, but I would like to jump to where my cursor was when I entered insert mode last.

How can I do that?

Answer 1

If you haven't yanked or changed text since your last insertion, then you can use the `[ mark (see docs), which gets you back "to the first character of the previously changed or yanked text."

By the way, `. will track your last change, not necessarily an insertion, a deletion, indent or format operation would also reset this mark.

The `^ mark is the one tracking your last insertion. (But, as you mentioned, it will go back to where your cursor ended, not started.)

See also:

• :changes, which shows you a list of recent changes, including insertions;
• the g; command, which lets you jump back to previous positions in that list (and corresponding g, to jump forward.)