How to undo "git add"

Key takeaways:

  • We sometimes need to undo git add when files are staged by mistake (e.g., .env, node_modules, or unfinished edits).

  • Use git reset <filename> or git reset to unstage one or all files.

  • Use git restore --staged <filename> or git restore --staged . as a newer, safer alternative.

  • Both commands remove files from the staging area but keep your changes in the working directory.

  • After unstaging, you can edit files further and re-stage them when ready.

When we're working with Git and accidentally use git add to stage files that aren't ready to be committed, we need to know how to undo it. This Answer explains the commands to unstage files, so we can fix our mistake without losing any of our work. We'll cover both the classic git reset command and the newer, safer git restore --staged command.

Understanding the staging area

Before diving into how to undo git add, it’s essential to understand the staging area (also known as the index) in Git:

  • Working directory: This is where we’ll make changes to files.

  • Staging area: This is where we prepare changes to be committed. When we run git add, we move changes from the working directory to the staging area.

// to stage a file 
git add filename 
// to stage all changed files
git add .

  • Repository: This is where your committed changes are stored. After you run git commit, the changes in the staging area are saved to the repository.

Methods to undo git add

Sometimes, we may move changes to the staging area unintentionally and will need to undo this operation. For this, we can use the following two methods:

Both of these methods unstage the files from the staging area.

Method 1: Using the git reset command

  • To remove a single file from the staging area:
git reset filename
  • To remove all files from the staging area:
git reset

After running git reset, the changes remain in our working directory, but they are no longer in the staging area.

Method 2: Using the git restore --staged command

  • To reset a single file from the staging area:
git restore --staged filename
  • To unstage all changes in the staging area while keeping the modifications intact in your current working directory:
git restore --staged .

Hands-on practice

Hands-on practice is essential for truly understanding and mastering new concepts. Just as Donald Knuth suggested:

“The only way to learn about new things is to do them; the way to learn usability is to make something usable.”

Let’s run the following commands in the terminal given below to first add files to the git local repository and then reset them from the staging area:

  • We will first create three files with some text, such as README.md, first.html, and last.html.

  • To add files for Git to track, use the git add filename command.

  • Next, run the git reset command to remove a file from git add.

cd git
git init
echo "# My README.md file" > README.md
echo "# My second file" > first.html
echo "# My third file" > last.html
git add .
git ls-files
git reset filename
git ls-files
Commands for updating the commit message

Let’s execute the above commands one by one and see how to undo git add:

Terminal 1
Terminal
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Frequently asked questions

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What is revert in Git?

The git revert command is also used to undo changes made to a repository. However, it does not remove these changes from Git history. It inverts the changes made after the specified commit. Then, it creates a new commit with the resulting changes.

How do we run git clean?

The git clean command is used to remove untracked files from your working directory.

How can we stage files again after unstaging?

We can stage files again after unstaging using the git add filename or git add . command.

How do we check which files are staged?

We use the git status command to check for the staged files.

How can we learn more about Git commands?

We can use the git help command to learn more about Git commands. Also, check out our detailed Answer on some important git commands.

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