Mastering the Linux “more” Command: Paging, Line Limits, and Advanced Options

Basic Usage of more

In a Linux environment, long text files often need to be viewed page by page. The more command displays a file one screen at a time. more file_name Example: view the kernel log file. more /var/log/dmesg Press the Space key to move to the next screen; the lower‑left corner shows the percentage of the file displayed.

Common Navigation Keys

Space : show the next screen

Enter : scroll down one line

b : go back one screen

q : quit

Start Displaying from a Specific Line

To begin viewing from line N, add +N after the command.

more +100 /var/log/dmesg

Limit the Number of Lines per Page

Use the -N option where N is the number of lines you want per screen.

more -10 /var/log/dmesg

Show Prompt Information

The -d option displays a prompt line with additional information. more -10 -d /var/log/dmesg If an unrecognized key is pressed, more suggests pressing h for help, which then lists all available commands.

Prevent Automatic Scrolling

When you want each page to stay fixed after pressing Space, add the -c option. more -10 -c /var/log/dmesg This forces the display to show only the specified number of lines per page, regardless of how many times Space is pressed.