MacVim for MAC
Free, open-source Vim text editor for Mac with a native interface, tabs, full-screen mode, trackpad gestures and macOS integration.
MacVim Overview
MacVim is the Mac version of Vim, the powerful, keyboard-driven text editor. It gives Vim a smooth native interface with menus, dialog boxes, toolbars and scroll bars, while keeping everything that makes Vim fast to use. You can use native or non-native full-screen modes, map trackpad gestures, the Touch Bar and Command-key shortcuts to Vim actions, and work in Vim tabs with your own colours.
MacVim also fits into macOS with system services, dictionary lookup and Apple Intelligence Writing Tools, and it renders text accurately with font ligatures. Release 183 updates it to Vim 9.2 with important security fixes, and its updater now checks that updates are signed. MacVim is free and open source under the Vim license, developed by the MacVim project. It needs macOS 10.13 or later; a separate legacy build is available for macOS 10.9 to 10.12.
Key Features
MacVim is Vim, made for the Mac.
- Native interface: menus, dialogs, toolbars and scroll bars.
- Full screen: native and non-native full-screen modes.
- Gestures and shortcuts: map trackpad, Touch Bar and Command keys.
- Tabs: Vim tabs with customizable colours.
- macOS integration: services, dictionary and Writing Tools.
- Font ligatures: accurate, beautiful text.
- Vim 9.2: the latest Vim with security fixes.
- Signed updates: the updater checks update signatures.
What’s New in Version Release 183
MacVim release 183 updates to Vim 9.2.
- Updated to Vim 9.2.0321 with important security fixes
- The Sparkle updater now checks that the update feed is signed
- Built with GNU iconv for more consistent handling of non-Unicode files
- Ruby 4.0 and Lua 5.5 for scripting
MacVim FAQ
Is MacVim free?
Yes. MacVim is free and open source under the Vim license.
Which macOS version does MacVim need?
MacVim needs macOS 10.13 or later. A separate legacy build is available for macOS 10.9 to 10.12.
What is the difference between MacVim and Vim?
MacVim is Vim with a native Mac interface: menus, toolbars, tabs, full-screen modes and macOS integration.
Which Vim version is included?
Release 183 includes Vim 9.2.0321.
Can I use trackpad gestures?
Yes. Trackpad gestures, the Touch Bar and Command-key shortcuts can be mapped to Vim actions.
Does MacVim support font ligatures?
Yes. It renders font ligatures and text accurately.
Does MacVim update itself?
Yes. Its Sparkle updater installs updates and checks that the update feed is signed.
Can I script MacVim?
Yes. It supports scripting languages such as Python, Ruby, Lua and Perl.
Can I install MacVim with Homebrew?
Yes. Run brew install macvim, or brew install --cask macvim-app for the pre-built app.
Where does the MacVim download on macvim.FULLMAC.app come from?
The download button leads to the official MacVim releases on GitHub at https://github.com/macvim-dev/macvim/releases/latest. macvim.FULLMAC.app does not change or repackage the app.
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FULLMAC.app does not host this app. Download buttons lead to the developer’s own pages.