diff --git a/doc/.emacs b/doc/.emacs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..77ea5db
--- /dev/null
+++ b/doc/.emacs
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+(setq visible-bell t)
+(setq line-number-mode t)
+(setq column-number-mode t)
+(global-linum-mode t)
diff --git a/doc/setup-emacs.md b/doc/setup-emacs.md
index 4c78713..981f838 100644
--- a/doc/setup-emacs.md
+++ b/doc/setup-emacs.md
@@ -9,3 +9,10 @@ sudo apt update
 ```
 sudo apt install emacs --no-install-recommends
 ```
+
+* personalise Emacs by copying this
+[.emacs file](.emacs)
+into the users root folder ```~/```
+```
+cp doc/.emacs ~/
+```