How to configure up arrow to search the history? [duplicate]

Both methods below are almost equivalent, it just depends on which file you want to edit. I'd recommend .bashrc myself, as it doesn't involve editing a local copy of a system file.

If you experience any problems with this, please comment below so that it can be fixed.

Using ~/.bashrc

1. Edit ~/.bashrc with this command:

   gedit ~/.bashrc
   

2. Add the following lines:

   bind '"\e[A": history-search-backward'
   bind '"\e[B": history-search-forward'
   

3. Save then close the file.

4. Execute this command in a terminal:

   source ~/.bashrc
   

Using ~/.inputrc

1. Execute this command in a terminal:

   cp /etc/inputrc ~/.inputrc
   

2. Edit the new ~/.inputrc file with this command:

   gedit ~/.inputrc
   

3. Append these lines to the file:

   "\e[A": history-search-backward
   "\e[B": history-search-forward
   

References:

• incremental history searching with .inputrc ?
• In bash, how do I bind a function key to a command?

As alternative, you can press Ctrl+R then start typing the command or any part of the command that you are looking for. You'll see an auto-complete of a past command at your prompt. If you keep typing, more specific options will appear. You can also press Ctrl+R again as many times as you want to, this goes back in your history to the previous matching command each time (source: Navigating Bash History with Ctrl+R).

Another suggestion, if you want to find, for example, the last 5 commands from your history starting with "p", you can use the following command:

grep "^p" ~/.bash_history | tail -n 5