Configure emacs to insert spaces when pressing the the tab key

Question

How can I configure emacs so that when I press the the Tab key it inserts spaces?

@Eight - not sure this is a "find and replace" issue. It could be simply asking how to make "tab" produce spaces, from now on.
There's probably a better tag to go along with emacs here. @gno
yes, this isn't find and replace. I want tab to produce spaces :)

Gnoupi · Accepted Answer · 2010-02-16 14:47:30Z

up vote 12 down vote accepted

To configure Emacs so that pressing Tab will produce spaces instead of actual tab characters:

M-x set-variable<RET> indent-tabs-mode<RET> nil

Or in your .emacs file:

(setq-default indent-tabs-mode nil)

answered Feb 16 '10 at 14:47

Gnoupi
6,89252344

	(setq-default indent-tabs-mode nil) worked!!!! – Zubair Feb 16 '10 at 16:26
	Note that there's more to this than meets the eye in Emacs. See emacswiki.org/emacs/CategoryIndentation for details. – phils Jul 1 '10 at 22:05

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