# Editing files

## Toggling the hex or ASCII panes

File can be edited in GHex from either the hex pane or the ASCII pane.

To focus either pane to accept your keystrokes, you may click on the appropriate pane, or:

- Press `Alt`+`Left` to focus the hex pane, and

- Press `Alt`+`Right` to focus the ASCII pane.

Użyj dowolnej z tych metod, aby przenosić kursor w pliku:

- Use the scrollbar on the window and the mouse to select a byte by clicking on it.

- Use the arrow keys, `Home`, `End`, `PageUp` or `PageDown` on the keyboard.

- Choose Jump to Byte from the (Main menu) or press `Ctrl`+`J`, and enter the cursor offset as a decimal or hexadecimal value. The format of the hexadecimal value must be 0x followed by the offset, for example 0x3.

## Editing the file using the hex or ASCII pane

Edit the ASCII format in the same way you edit a normal text file.

To edit the hexadecimal format, use the values 0 to 9 and a to f. This operation is not case-sensitive.

## Insert mode

Insert Mode can be toggled on or off by pressing `Insert`, or by clicking the Toggle insert mode button in the status bar.

When Insert Mode is enabled, this means data will be added to the file as opposed to replacing existing data.

Unlike traditional text editors, having Insert Mode off is considered the default state in GHex, given that hex editors are routinely used to edit existing data in binary files that are very specifically laid out. In some cases, such files may be of a fixed size and increasing or decreasing their size may cause undefined or unwanted behaviour in applications that open them.