diff --git a/widget/buffer.go b/widget/buffer.go
index 22e84517..74cacdf8 100644
--- a/widget/buffer.go
+++ b/widget/buffer.go
@@ -35,20 +35,19 @@ func (e *editBuffer) Changed() bool {
 	return c
 }
 
-func (e *editBuffer) deleteRuneForward() {
+func (e *editBuffer) deleteRunes(runes int) {
 	e.moveGap(0)
-	_, s := utf8.DecodeRune(e.text[e.gapend:])
-	e.gapend += s
-	e.changed = e.changed || s > 0
-	e.dump()
-}
-
-func (e *editBuffer) deleteRune() {
-	e.moveGap(0)
-	_, s := utf8.DecodeLastRune(e.text[:e.gapstart])
-	e.gapstart -= s
-	e.caret -= s
-	e.changed = e.changed || s > 0
+	for ; runes < 0 && e.gapstart > 0; runes++ {
+		_, s := utf8.DecodeLastRune(e.text[:e.gapstart])
+		e.gapstart -= s
+		e.caret -= s
+		e.changed = e.changed || s > 0
+	}
+	for ; runes > 0 && e.gapend < len(e.text); runes-- {
+		_, s := utf8.DecodeRune(e.text[e.gapend:])
+		e.gapend += s
+		e.changed = e.changed || s > 0
+	}
 	e.dump()
 }
 
@@ -141,15 +140,15 @@ func (e *editBuffer) dump() {
 	}
 }
 
-func (e *editBuffer) moveLeft() {
-	_, s := e.runeBefore(e.caret)
-	e.caret -= s
-	e.dump()
-}
-
-func (e *editBuffer) moveRight() {
-	_, s := e.runeAt(e.caret)
-	e.caret += s
+func (e *editBuffer) move(runes int) {
+	for ; runes < 0 && e.caret > 0; runes++ {
+		_, s := e.runeBefore(e.caret)
+		e.caret -= s
+	}
+	for ; runes > 0 && e.caret < len(e.text); runes-- {
+		_, s := e.runeAt(e.caret)
+		e.caret += s
+	}
 	e.dump()
 }
 
diff --git a/widget/editor.go b/widget/editor.go
index 8b7b07d2..7ba8d3c8 100644
--- a/widget/editor.go
+++ b/widget/editor.go
@@ -175,6 +175,38 @@ func (e *Editor) processKey(gtx *layout.Context) {
 	}
 }
 
+func (e *Editor) command(k key.Event) bool {
+	switch k.Name {
+	case key.NameReturn, key.NameEnter:
+		e.append("\n")
+	case key.NameDeleteBackward:
+		e.Delete(-1)
+	case key.NameDeleteForward:
+		e.Delete(1)
+	case key.NameUpArrow:
+		line, _, carX, _ := e.layoutCaret()
+		e.carXOff = e.moveToLine(carX+e.carXOff, line-1)
+	case key.NameDownArrow:
+		line, _, carX, _ := e.layoutCaret()
+		e.carXOff = e.moveToLine(carX+e.carXOff, line+1)
+	case key.NameLeftArrow:
+		e.Move(-1)
+	case key.NameRightArrow:
+		e.Move(1)
+	case key.NamePageUp:
+		e.movePages(-1)
+	case key.NamePageDown:
+		e.movePages(+1)
+	case key.NameHome:
+		e.moveStart()
+	case key.NameEnd:
+		e.moveEnd()
+	default:
+		return false
+	}
+	return true
+}
+
 // Focus requests the input focus for the Editor.
 func (e *Editor) Focus() {
 	e.requestFocus = true
@@ -451,15 +483,18 @@ func (e *Editor) invalidate() {
 	e.valid = false
 }
 
-func (e *Editor) deleteRune() {
-	e.rr.deleteRune()
+// Delete runes from the caret position. The sign of runes specifies the
+// direction to delete: positive is forward, negative is backward.
+func (e *Editor) Delete(runes int) {
+	e.rr.deleteRunes(runes)
 	e.carXOff = 0
 	e.invalidate()
 }
 
-func (e *Editor) deleteRuneForward() {
-	e.rr.deleteRuneForward()
-	e.carXOff = 0
+// Insert inserts text at the caret, moving the caret forward.
+func (e *Editor) Insert(s string) {
+	e.append(s)
+	e.caretScroll = true
 	e.invalidate()
 }
 
@@ -549,13 +584,10 @@ func (e *Editor) moveToLine(carX fixed.Int26_6, carLine2 int) fixed.Int26_6 {
 	return carX - carX2
 }
 
-func (e *Editor) moveLeft() {
-	e.rr.moveLeft()
-	e.carXOff = 0
-}
-
-func (e *Editor) moveRight() {
-	e.rr.moveRight()
+// Move the caret: positive distance moves forward, negative distance moves
+// backward.
+func (e *Editor) Move(distance int) {
+	e.rr.move(distance)
 	e.carXOff = 0
 }
 
@@ -612,37 +644,5 @@ func (e *Editor) scrollToCaret() {
 	}
 }
 
-func (e *Editor) command(k key.Event) bool {
-	switch k.Name {
-	case key.NameReturn, key.NameEnter:
-		e.append("\n")
-	case key.NameDeleteBackward:
-		e.deleteRune()
-	case key.NameDeleteForward:
-		e.deleteRuneForward()
-	case key.NameUpArrow:
-		line, _, carX, _ := e.layoutCaret()
-		e.carXOff = e.moveToLine(carX+e.carXOff, line-1)
-	case key.NameDownArrow:
-		line, _, carX, _ := e.layoutCaret()
-		e.carXOff = e.moveToLine(carX+e.carXOff, line+1)
-	case key.NameLeftArrow:
-		e.moveLeft()
-	case key.NameRightArrow:
-		e.moveRight()
-	case key.NamePageUp:
-		e.movePages(-1)
-	case key.NamePageDown:
-		e.movePages(+1)
-	case key.NameHome:
-		e.moveStart()
-	case key.NameEnd:
-		e.moveEnd()
-	default:
-		return false
-	}
-	return true
-}
-
 func (s ChangeEvent) isEditorEvent() {}
 func (s SubmitEvent) isEditorEvent() {}