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FZF_DEFAULT_OPTS and Configuration

fzf has no config file. All persistent configuration is done through the FZF_DEFAULT_OPTS environment variable. Every fzf invocation inherits these options, which you can override per-invocation with explicit flags.

No Config File

This is intentional Unix design. FZF_DEFAULT_OPTS is scriptable, composable, and source-controllable in your dotfiles. You can inspect it with echo $FZF_DEFAULT_OPTS.

Setting FZF_DEFAULT_OPTS​

~/.bashrc or ~/.zshrc
export FZF_DEFAULT_OPTS="
  --height=60%
  --layout=reverse
  --border=rounded
  --margin=1
  --padding=1
  --prompt='  '
  --pointer='▶'
  --marker='✓'
  --info=inline
  --no-separator
"

Multi-line value works: everything inside the quotes is treated as one string.

Layout Options​

--height​

--height=40%      # use 40% of terminal height (floating window over shell)
--height=20       # use 20 lines (absolute)
--height=-10      # use all but 10 lines
--height=100%     # full screen (default if not set)

--layout​

--layout=default    # results top, query bottom (classic)
--layout=reverse    # query at top, results below (modern, most popular)
--layout=reverse-list  # results reversed, query at bottom

--border​

--border=none       # no border
--border=rounded    # rounded corners (─ ╭ ╮ ╰ ╯)
--border=sharp      # sharp corners (─ ┌ ┐ └ ┘)
--border=bold       # bold borders
--border=block      # block characters
--border=thinblock  # thin block
--border=double     # double lines
--border=horizontal # top and bottom only
--border=vertical   # left and right only
--border=top|bottom|left|right  # single side

--margin and --padding​

--margin=1          # 1 char margin on all sides outside border
--margin=2,4        # 2 vertical, 4 horizontal
--padding=1         # 1 char padding inside border

--min-height​

--min-height=10     # don't shrink below 10 lines even with --height=20%

Prompt and Pointer​

--prompt="  "       # nerd font search icon
--prompt="> "       # classic
--pointer="▶"       # currently selected item indicator
--marker="✓"        # multi-select mark character

Info Display​

--info=default      # shows match count below input
--info=right        # shows count at right of input
--info=inline       # shows count inline with input (cleaner)
--info=hidden       # hide match count

--tmux — Floating Popup Window (fzf 0.53+)​

Run fzf as a tmux popup instead of taking over the terminal:

fzf --tmux                # center, 50% width and height
fzf --tmux center         # center of screen
fzf --tmux top            # top edge
fzf --tmux bottom         # bottom edge
fzf --tmux left           # left edge
fzf --tmux right          # right edge
fzf --tmux center,80%,60% # center, 80% wide, 60% tall

# In FZF_DEFAULT_OPTS:
export FZF_DEFAULT_OPTS="--tmux center,80%,60%"
tip

--tmux is a major quality-of-life improvement when inside a tmux session. The fzf picker floats over your work instead of taking over the full pane.

--walker — Built-in File Walker (fzf 0.56+)​

Replace find / fd with fzf's built-in parallel walker:

--walker=file,dir,follow,hidden
# file: include files
# dir: include directories
# follow: follow symlinks
# hidden: include hidden files/dirs

# In FZF_DEFAULT_OPTS:
export FZF_DEFAULT_OPTS="--walker=file,follow,hidden --walker-skip=.git,node_modules"
~/.bashrc or ~/.zshrc
# ─── fzf core defaults ────────────────────────────────────────────
export FZF_DEFAULT_COMMAND='fd --type f --hidden --follow --exclude .git'

export FZF_DEFAULT_OPTS="
  --height=60%
  --layout=reverse
  --border=rounded
  --margin=1,2
  --padding=1
  --prompt='  '
  --pointer='▶'
  --marker='✓ '
  --info=right
  --ansi
  --bind='ctrl-/:toggle-preview'
  --bind='ctrl-u:preview-half-page-up'
  --bind='ctrl-d:preview-half-page-down'
  --bind='ctrl-a:select-all'
  --bind='alt-enter:print-query'
  --bind='ctrl-y:execute-silent(echo -n {} | xclip -selection clipboard)+abort'
  --color=fg:#cdd6f4,bg:#1e1e2e,hl:#89b4fa
  --color=fg+:#cdd6f4,bg+:#313244,hl+:#89b4fa
  --color=info:#94e2d5,prompt:#89b4fa,pointer:#f5c2e7
  --color=marker:#a6e3a1,spinner:#f5c2e7,header:#a6e3a1
  --color=border:#313244
"

# ─── Shell integration defaults ──────────────────────────────────
export FZF_CTRL_T_COMMAND='fd --type f --hidden --follow --exclude .git'
export FZF_CTRL_T_OPTS="
  --preview 'bat --color=always --style=numbers --line-range=:300 {}'
  --preview-window 'right:60%:hidden'
  --bind 'ctrl-/:toggle-preview'
"

export FZF_ALT_C_COMMAND='fd --type d --hidden --follow --exclude .git'
export FZF_ALT_C_OPTS="
  --preview 'tree -C {} | head -200'
  --preview-window 'right:50%'
"

export FZF_CTRL_R_OPTS="
  --scheme=history
  --preview 'echo {}'
  --preview-window 'up:3:hidden:wrap'
  --bind 'ctrl-/:toggle-preview'
"

What's Next​