Neovim Notetaking - User Guide The Basics Neovim has two main modes you need to know about: Normal mode — for navigating and running commands. This is the default when you open Neovim. Insert mode — for typing text. Press i to go from Normal to Insert mode. Press Escape to go back to Normal mode. When in doubt, press Escape to get back to Normal mode. Opening and Saving Files All commands below are typed in Normal mode. ...