How to open zshrc file in mac I'm following this guide, but I don't know how to do: Then add the following line to your . Jul 9, 2020 · Put environment variables in . zsh Startup and Shutdown Files . zprofile → . Nov 19, 2023 · This . zshrc Paste your alias on the editor like below - and save it. zshrc source ~/. Nov 15, 2018 · The default theme is robbyrussell, but you can change it to any theme of your choice. to open ~/. Oct 5, 2023 · Note that your . open ~/. zshrc is typically installed and checked for. zshrc file is a powerful configuration file that can be used to customize the behavior of the Zsh shell on Mac. zshrc Step 7: Using Aliases and Functions In certain situations, users set up aliases or shell functions that may overshadow original commands or interact in unexpected ways. zshrc “` **6. You may add source ~/. Jan 3, 2019 · Similarly, once you have installed zsh you can find the configuration file called . Jun 19, 2023 · Where is the . You need to set this theme in your ~/. zshrc file and clear it or fix whatever bug is there. To open the `. Type in the following command but do not press the Return/Enter key: ls -l Now, click Spacebar to Nov 24, 2024 · Open the ~/. Feb 20, 2021 · Want to locate . After exit in order to sync Dec 27, 2023 · Have you ever wondered if there‘s a better, more powerful shell beyond the default Bash experience on your Mac? Look no further than Zsh, the highly customizable Z shell that‘s a favorite of developers and power users. By understanding where to find the file and how to use it, you can take full advantage of the features and capabilities of the Zsh shell to improve your workflow and productivity. 15. You can use my repository to install a basic Mac ~/. After update CTRL + O To save and press enter to update file. sh To include env. zshrc config file. The bashrc is only used to set aliases and other environment variables for the bash shell but does not contain any For mac users running ZSH, the ~/. zshrc file manually at /Users/ username location, when a new session is open the . Zsh shell offers four configuration files with no discernible differences. bashrc files on both machines, and they do a fine job with maintaining system aliases. If the file does not exist, create it using a text editor. Yet, other files have their uses too. zshrc”. References Awesome WSL / WSL2 Windows Terminal, zsh, oh-my-zsh, Powerlevel10k Package management in Git for Windows (Git Bash)? Feb 9, 2025 · Explore the various configuration files for Zsh, such as . Modify PATH Variable: Similar to Zsh, add a line to modify the PATH variable. export PATH= "/bin/zsh" Now I cannot open the . Maybe you've seen tutorials telling you to "add this to your bashrc" or Mar 13, 2024 · Using Mac OS 10. zprofile Zsh New Shell Configuration . In this scenario, I changed it to agnoster, an already pre-installed theme. The bashrc file is relatively small in size and doesn’t contain any setup scripts for the bash shell. zshrc profile to store all the changes and settings you want in the zsh prompt. It doesn’t exist until either you create it or you install a tool like Oh My Zsh, which creates one for you. Zsh does not read Bash startup files. zshrc file is loaded and the related configuration is applied. zprofile file is only evaluated when you login to your mac user account. Tagged with vscode, zsh, shell, mac. export PS1="prompt"). This is a fairly small cost for me to enjoy both shells on my machine. zshrc file is located, and how to access it so that you can customize your shell. zprofile, and . Open the Terminal app on your Mac. zshrc are the two main startup files that you’ll 99% be dealing with. bash_profile If you are on macOS Catalina or later and still using Bash, you may need to switch to using . zshrc file is so that when you start a New Terminal session, zsh gets all your settings in your various shell initialization files. To open the config file (. The desired environment variable is then created in the file as with a temporary variable. Feb 22, 2024 · I messed with my zshrc file and empited it while setting up flutter what to do my device is mac m2 air. zlogout Feb 5, 2023 · Open the "~/. zshrc At the end of the file add source ~/. zshrc Step 3: Scroll to the end of the file and add the following line, replacing /path/to/your/directory with the actual path to the directory you want to add: Jun 8, 2023 · How to Create Permanent Environment Variables in ZSH To make an environment variable persist in ZSH, add it to the . I put the PATH, PS1, aliases, history, etc in the ~/. zshrc file, double click to open, then it will open in a notepad (TextEdit. Update path accordingly. View Current Aliases: Apr 23, 2014 · 5 For macOS Big Sur (Version 11. Mar 30, 2025 · On my MacBook Air, I needed a . Modify the zsh prompt by adding your desired values for variables like %n (username), %m (Mac's model name), %W (date), and %T (time). - Press I or Insert to enter insert mode. Jul 23, 2025 · the terminal when opened Step 2: Use your preferred text editor to open the . zshrc profile is loaded, Mar 6, 2024 · Edit the . You can make the Finder show hidden files by pressing Command-Shift-period (and press again to toggle this off). zshrc to a default configuration: mv ~/. There were many aliases and environment variables in the old file that I was using. These are just examples to show you what you can customise in your shell. bash_profile or . zshrc file is where you'd place customizations to the z shell. You could add the lines programmatically with the other method mentioned, or open the file in a text editor and type them manually. Jun 9, 2022 · to get zsh to re-read your . Within it you can change your terminal prompt, change the colors of text, add aliases to functions you use all the time, and so Jul 22, 2020 · My question is how can I open a file using TextEdit so that I can edit it using a GUI? Make no mistake, Vim is an amazing command-line tool for editing files in the terminal along with nano. e. Run the following command to create or edit the file with vi: vi ~/. zshrc on the command line, which will open your . zshrc file may contain code for things other than just Homebrew, so you'll want to leave those lines alone. ie open . zshrc in order your changes to take affect OR close this window and open a new one OPTION 2: execute it inside the terminal console to add this path only to the current terminal window session. But what exactly is it, and why should you care? In this Dec 4, 2023 · By default, there is no user-specific zshrc file on your Mac. Jul 15, 2017 · Goto /Users/ Folder via Finder App. Apr 30, 2016 · To view it on Finder: If you are not seeing hidden files: press COMMAND + SHIFT + . Somehow it was automatically named . zshrc file, and keep all Zsh shell functions and any default zmodload module entities in the ~/. Oct 30, 2023 · The ability to live reload your zshrc file provides a frictionless edit-test cycle for customizing Zsh interactively. Only delete the code pertaining to /opt/homebrew and replace it with the two lines above. Type "cd ~/" to go to your home folder. zshrc, now if you type myZshHelloWorldFunction on the prompt you will see "Hello World!" returned on the prompt Nov 15, 2018 · To access this, run the command open ~/. zshrc, let’s enter nano . zshrc file located in your home directory. Oct 17, 2019 · At macOS Catalina ver: 10. the modification and access time of each file is also updated with the use of touch command. Now when you tweak your zshrc, you can quickly check if the changes work as intended without restarting your shell every time. Finder also doesn't display the . Feb 2, 2025 · Thankfully, it’s pretty easy to configure and use aliases with zsh shell in macOS. bashrc. Find the . zshrc on macOS: A Developer's Guide If you’re a developer working with macOS, you’ve probably come across ~/. zshrc file and worked for me for the default terminal (zsh). 🎨 That's all! 🎉 Customising the Terminal is a great place to start personalising your tooling, apparently you can do even Sep 3, 2023 · Where your . zprofile). Jan 27, 2025 · I am not able to find the . bashrc if you prefer) in your home directory. zshrc shell configuration file. zshrc` file on a Mac, follow these simple steps: 1. Open your terminal and run the command: touch . Or you can manually execute the export command from a zsh shell prompt. zshrc file contains the configuration needed for Homebrew. In this tutorial, i will show you the 3 different ways to open . All . zlogin → . bashrc, the aliases work perfectly. If you have added aliases to use as shortcut commands, you have to re-start your Terminal to be able to use them. zshrc or nano ~/. txt, probably when I used TextEdit to edit it, and source doesn't infer the text extension. ). However if open another shell, my shortcut command will not be Sep 16, 2021 · I use two files, ~/. Keep in mind that it reads first from the system-wide file (i. zsh in VS Code terminal. Apr 12, 2023 · After installing Oh My Zsh framework on my macOS to manage my Zsh configurations, I found that the original contents of the . zshrc or open . Firstly, in all versions of macOS, /etc is a symbolic link to Nov 28, 2022 · Before, I read some articles saying that using command palette and typing ~/. zshrc file is evaluated every time a shell is launched. Aug 25, 2013 · Use a good text editor like VS Code and open your . To modify or append environment variables, this file needs to be edited: Apr 26, 2025 · Open . zshrc ~/. In your case, to create . It is also not a good idea to be changing the /etc/ versions of the shell initialization files. Mar 6, 2015 · The tilde (~) refers to your home directory where . Click Shift + Command + . Nov 18, 2021 · Wondering where the . However, by default, there's no user-specific zshrc file on your Mac but only a system-wide /etc/zshrc file, unless you have installed On My Zsh or created one yourself. oh-my-zsh Add the plugin to the plugin section of the config file ~/. Like all files whose names start with a period, it is normally hidden, so you won't see it in the Finder, or by doing a normal "ls" command in the Terminal. bash_profile (or . Mar 20, 2022 · Add functions to zshrc Custom functions, such aliases for custom commands in terminals, can be added to the configuration file. zshrc file and add the below function, function myZshHelloWorldFunction () { echo "Hello World!" } Apply changes source ~/. First of all, you need to install . This comprehensive guide will walk you through configuring environment variables, managing shell profiles, and setting up aliases for optimal productivity. Oh My Zsh sets reasonable defaults for plugins, themes, and options – but everything can still be tweaked to your needs. It is wonderful, fast and free. Few important commands we should know to work with vim: Type Vim <filename> - if file Nov 5, 2022 · A (very) quick primer on . zshrc students enrolled The . You can put it at the end. zshrc profile file by following the below steps. The whole thing can also be done in the . Should be able to interact with your aliases. zshrc by configuring in the Preferences -> Profiles -> Select Default Profile (default profile will be starred) -> General -> Command -> Select Login Shell -> Send text at start: Enter the value source ~/. zshrc file. For example: nano ~/. Jan 25, 2022 · These lines, path+=(), would be added to the . zshrc file to convince the machine to use my selected terminal prompt (e. zshrc files. zshrc When a new terminal or shell is opened the ~/. That's your per-user file that you can create and change to your liking. git-open Nov 7, 2021 · 0 Open an editor like VS code and open the entire home folder. txt extension by default unless you inspect the file, so I hadn't noticed the issue. zshrc located in your user home directory (i. Apr 22, 2025 · On the other hand, permanent variables are stored in configuration files like “~/. May 11, 2024 · Open the terminal and type the following command: This command lists all files and directories in your home directory, including hidden ones. The . In this comprehensive guide, we‘ll explore the simple command to start using Zsh on macOS. 2. zshrc file under the alias edit. zshrc open ~/. I just got a MacBook Pro and am in the process of trying to get GNU commands installed. (Dot) to view hidden system files. This will open the . Clear whichever lines to be removed. The syntax of a function declaration is shown below, as well as how to autoload it into the zsh shell. ) Aug 5, 2025 · This post gives you a full guide about how to create a zshrc file on Mac and how to edit and located it on your Mac. zshrc file, defined a variable there, restart the terminal and checked that it is correctly defined, so that the . After that you need to run source ~/. You can also change the font here and set a larger text size. Look on . zshrc file (should be in your home directory. zshrc file is located on a Mac? If you’re a Mac command line user who is interested in using and customizing the zsh shell, or using something like Oh My Zsh, you may be curious to know what and where the . It doesn’t really matter where you paste it into your . zshrc file in your user home directory. It includes 300+ plugins, themes, and tweaks to supercharge your terminal experience. You can use Nano, Vim, or any other text editor you are comfortable with. bashrc: Open . Now you should see commands light up with colors as you type. zshrc and press Enter. In such a case you can set the JAVA_HOME in the . Very handy for catching typos! Some other useful plugins to consider installing: zsh-autosuggestions Suggests commands from history with arrow keys to select. Sep 25, 2021 · If the required file does not exist, it can be created with the nano editor as follows: nano ~/. Sep 2, 2024 · Zsh stores user configuration settings in the . Check this answer for more detail. Dec 15, 2023 · By default, your Mac uses either zsh or bash as the command-line interpreter for the login shell and interactive shell: zsh (Z shell) is the default shell for all newly created user accounts, starting with macOS Catalina. zprofile appear to be identical, leaving us wondering which one to use. Feb 3, 2022 · Zshrc vs bashrc . I have tested to define to create a . 2 days ago · Learn what the . zshrc file with nano. sh This file comes with some pre-defined settings, they are all optional. zshrc file in MacOS terminal. zshrc. zshenv which are read when you launch the Terminal application or switch between Bash and Zsh shells. zshrc file in your default text editor (usually TextEdit) and, as long as you save it as plain text, you’ll be fine. bash_profile Added the exports to that, saved and exited vi, closed and reopened term env. zshrc), run the command: nano ~/. I am told that Macs REALLY want to use . The best part is, you can install it via Homebrew 😉. zshrc For example: sudo nano ~/. zshrc file will be located in the users home directory, or ~/, and this user . // Syntax of function definition function func_name (args Mar 22, 2016 · You can edit ~/. How to Set Temporary Environment Jan 27, 2025 · If troubleshooting fails, you can reset your . But I have . Dec 2, 2020 · $ touch ~/. May 5, 2025 · **5. It sets the JAVA_HOME for current session. **Open Terminal**: You can find Terminal in your Applications folder under Utilities, or you c May 11, 2024 · Conclusion Editing the zshrc file is a powerful way to customize your terminal environment on Mac. zshrc file using vim editor on your Mac which is the default for Mac OS. 3, i modified the ~/. On my iMac, I didn't need that. There's also a global config one in /etc/zshenv, but I wouldn't touch that one. zshrc file is, where to find it on your Mac, and how to open, edit, save, and exit it. Both machines are on Sequoia 15. zshrc file in the nano editor and change zsh prompt with PROMPT='%n~$ Aug 5, 2025 · Read to know why your Mac getting Zsh permission denied and how to fix the Mac permission denied error, including changing permissions on Mac. zshenv) as it goes through the following order. a) Opening with Vim editor b) with Nano editor c) with TextEd Sep 23, 2023 · Instead of using cat . zshrc profile on MacBookOpen the Terminal in your Mac. zshrc to edit the file. zshrc" to create your new file. zshrc file is a configuration file used by the Zsh shell, which is the default shell in macOS since Catalina. zshenv, . alias runner="dart run build_runner build --delete-conflicting-outputs" alias dev="flutter run --flavor dev -t lib/main_development. zshrc file, you can use the touch command as : Sep 3, 2022 · The . bash_profile file and nothing changed. g. app) in default. I prefer editing the file in VS Code* so I have this in my file: alias edit="code ~/. Open a new terminal. Please review them before you use them as your configuration. For example: Oh My Zsh is a popular open-source Zsh configuration framework loved by developers worldwide. This file is loaded before Terminal loads your shell environment and contains all the startup configuration and preferences for your command line interface. zshrc file and add "zsh-syntax-highlighting" to the list of Oh My ZSH plugins. zshenv → . zshrc configuration file controls all ZSH behavior and customization Jan 11, 2024 · macOS lets you customize the zsh prompt in Terminal to make it stand out and suit your preferences. zsrch, via vi, which disabled my terminal’s ability to navigate … May 7, 2020 · The system-wide zshrc is nominally /etc/zshrc. . zshrc file in the same way. zshrc Aug 4, 2025 · Key Takeaways ZSH provides significant productivity improvements over default shells through auto-completion, syntax highlighting, and plugin support Installation is straightforward across all major operating systems using package managers Setting ZSH as your default shell requires the chsh command and a session restart The . zsh. Please help [Re-Titled by Moderator] Why Bash was replaced by Zsh Shell in macOS. Add aliases to commands you run in the section shown below. If the zshrc file exists, you should see it in the output. zshrc file on Mac running macOS, here is where you can find it, or create one if does not exists. That's the path that zsh runs at startup, and you can run it, edit it (subject to file permissions; see discussion under ma11hew28's answer), etc under that path, but its actual location in the filesystem is a bit more complicated (and depends on the version of macOS you're using). 5, I've opened a terminal and tried: vi ~/. zshrc file using vim editor, issue the following command on your terminal. Feb 20, 2021 · The profile file is the best place defile all your commands or variables that you want to initialise before you open the terminal, If you are using the Zsh on macOS, you need to create the . Thus we must edit that file to configure aliases. I had created the ~/. Aug 2, 2023 · Edit your zshrc File (macOS) Some users have reported in their MacOS using zsh when they are not inside the directory from where they want to execute a command. zshrc Jul 9, 2025 · If you’ve been using the command line for a while, you’ve probably encountered references to . In thi Apr 23, 2021 · In Unix based systems, touch command followed by name will create an empty file in the present directory. Regardless, you can take the following steps to create an alias in Zsh. ” This ensures the variable is automatically set and available every time you start a new terminal session. bashrc file on Mac OS in which I set some aliases. Jan 19, 2023 · Open the . zprofile. After I make it and I type source . zshrc file, as nothing else in there depends on it. One caveat of this setup is that I have to maintain both . We‘ll compare Zsh […] May 24, 2023 · How to Customize Your Terminal Prompt on Mac: In Terminal app, open . zshrc shown below Update your changes by running the command source ~/. 15 - In terminal I edited my . zshrc Set the May 6, 2015 · Worked like a charm, thanks! You can also open the file just with open from the root folder. sh, open ~/. bashrc and . Since macOS Catalina, Apple has made Zsh the default shell, replacing Bash. Mar 12, 2022 · How to define Functions in Zsh Shell? You can create your own custom functions in Zsh Shell, lets start with "Hello World" example, Open . To open via Terminal: Now you can edit it and save COMMAND+ S. /etc/zshenv) then from the file in your home directory (~/. . Follow the steps below: 1. zshrc file by adding this line. zshenv. zshrc file have been completely replaced with the Oh-My-Zsh configurations. Sep 13, 2023 · At times you might download the Java JDK built tar. zshrc and ~/. backup cp /etc/zsh/zshrc ~/. @chepner Thanks,but what kind of difference does it make? Jul 30, 2020 · The issue turned out to be that . a) Open with Vim editor b) Open with Nano editor c) Open with TextEdit app 1) Open and edit . 01K subscribers Subscribed Aug 9, 2021 · That said, I, personally, prefer putting my environment variables into ~/. Create a . Whether you want to change the command prompt, set environment variables, or define aliases for long commands, the zshrc file has got you covered. We can open it in any editor we like (for example — VS Code, Cursor, Sublime Text, etc. zshrc file on Mac? The Computer Oracle 1. zshrc Step 9: Add Aliases Aliases are shortcuts used to reduce the time spent on typing commands. I’m writing this because I had a harrowing experience once with making a modification to my . zshrc with vim editor: VIM allows you to create and edit text files on your Mac. bash_profile Every time you open the terminal the contents inside the bash profile will be loaded. And the dot at the front makes the file invisible to normal ls command, unless you put -a or specify the file name. Jun 21, 2025 · Setting up your macOS shell environment properly is crucial for an efficient development workflow. 3. zprofile file which is executed when the user logs in. zshrc file actually is. Feb 15, 2025 · Mastering ~/. I cannot use ls command or sudo. zshrc file contains some commands to configure the newly opened shell. In the Terminal app preferences you might need to set it as the default theme for Terminal. zshrc → . Jul 5, 2020 · I am trying to set two environment variables on macOS version 10. zshrc file is located in your home folder. zsh_profile file. 5. zshrc file in the Vi text editor. Dec 24, 2022 · The . if you don't see it, be sure to right-click in the file folder when opening and choose option to 'show hidden files'). zshrc with Homebrew support and then customize it if you want. zshrc; clear in case you need to clear the screen contents after executing the command. File>Save as this file and open it to add the Tomorrow Night *0s color scheme to Terminal. (Again, if you need sudo to do a git clone, please also add sudo nano . Dec 29, 2020 · 7 Just run open ~/. Are you comfortable working and editing in a terminal? Just in case, ~/ means your home directory, so if you open a new terminal window that is where you will be "located". zshrc: Apr 17, 2020 · Order of Operations This is the order in which these files get read. Using Finder: You can also find the zshrc file using Finder. source ~/. Sep 12, 2025 · Time needed: 3 minutes Check File Permissions through Terminal on Mac Open Terminal on your Mac. gz file by yourself and would like to make use of it as the Java version for your Mac Terminal. Jan 13, 2023 · The . CTRL + X To exit. bashrc or . zshrc and make sure my alias and path variables are set up in both files. zshrc for Mac users There is a hidden file in your Mac's user directory named . How to Create an Alias in zsh Zsh aliases are stored in the users zshrc file within the home directory, which is prefixed with a period to signify that it is hidden. txt file extension. zshrc files may look different mattering on what has been installed to the system. A foolproof way to open the file with TextEdit is by typing open -e ~/. zshrc file in the home directory when executed %ls -la ~/ command [Re-Titled by Moderator] Apr 25, 2025 · Open your terminal using cmd + space and type terminal. #!/bin/zsh Apr 30, 2021 · I have the command for editing my . Particularly, ~/. Save and reload ZSH. 2) Open . zshrc File: — Type vi ~/. zshrc had a hidden . Restart zsh or Source the zshrc File:** Restart zsh or source your updated zsh configuration by running: “`bash source ~/. The terminal prompt was somehow already correct. zshrc somehow can open and edit the file in VS code with highlighting and convenient shortcuts. Why Aug 5, 2025 · How to add alias in Zsh on Mac? Zsh aliases are kept in the . zshrc" file in your desired editor and modify the plugins line to what you see below. To create . This allows you to make changes to the file. Jun 17, 2018 · Today I will show you how to use . You can set an environment variable permanently by adding it to the configuration file, like “~/. zshrc and add the following: source ~/<path to file>/env. zshrc file If having issues, change the application to open with to TextEdit Add the default directory Add the default directory at the bottom of the file Check the code sample below to see where it would be added into the . On starting a new shell just run the command source ~/. Jan 9, 2024 · Beginners often get confused when configuring Zsh shell on a Mac. ~/. This article demonstrates how to permanently set variable in Mac Zsh shell. You can refer to the official reference if you like. Jun 4, 2025 · 💡 Important Note: Throughout this guide we will need to edit our . How can I set it permanently? Dec 12, 2024 · Next, edit the . The ~/. Type "touch . zshrc is sourced by every interactive shell, which can usually inherit environment variables from an initial login shell (which is what will source . Jan 14, 2024 · In this tutorial, i will show you the 3 different ways to open and edit . Type “ope Feb 5, 2013 · I am trying to set JAVA_HOME by entering export JAVA_HOME=/Library/Java/Home at terminal. Retype/Edit the file as per the Paths to be added. Just remember to back up your current configuration before making any changes to avoid potential issues. zshrc file to peek under the hood at the changes. dart" If the file already has other things in it, that's fine. zprofile and . zshrc" *The instructions to set up launching files in VS Code from the command line can be found here for macOS. zshrc file is read. The file may be readily opened, and the contents can be seen or modified using any text editor. zshrc Or open the file in a text editor with open ~/. zshrc). bashrc is a Bash configuration file located in the home directory and is hidden, unlike the zshrc file, which contains the entire setup source of the zsh shell. This is different than the . Before you can utilise the file, you must first add the function definition and then source or reload it. Test Homebrew Installation:** To ensure Homebrew is installed correctly, run: “`bash brew –version “` This should display the version number of Homebrew, indicating a successful installation Jan 18, 2014 · I have a . Hit Command + s to save and exit. This will help you view hidden files. Let’s see all together. huiym aesmig ltio qcar kedd pirn hicjyjv aby foxldo ezwdfc fglhoi xacsild hcdm sue gsblft