Discard unstaged changes in Git

Use git restore -- file to discard a tracked file's unstaged changes. By default, it copies the version from the index, so staged changes remain intact. It does not necessarily restore the last commit's version.

git diff -- src/app.js
git restore -- src/app.js

Inspect the diff first. Work that was never saved in a commit, stash, or another backup has no dependable Git recovery path after it is overwritten.

Choose the scope

# One tracked file
git restore -- src/app.js

# A directory
git restore -- src/

# The current directory and its descendants
git restore -- .

# All tracked working-tree paths, even from a subdirectory
git restore -- :/

Run these in an ordinary resolved working tree. An unmerged index needs conflict-specific handling. Before Git 2.23, git checkout -- path provides the familiar index-to-working-tree form.

Staged and untracked files are separate cases

To unstage changes while retaining their working-tree contents:

git restore --staged -- .

To discard both staged and unstaged changes in tracked paths, use git reset --hard HEAD only when that loss is intended. It can also delete untracked files or directories that obstruct writing tracked paths; it does not generally clean every unrelated untracked file.

For untracked files and directories, preview before cleaning:

git clean -nd
# After reviewing the proposed removals:
git clean -fd

Ignored files are normally excluded. Adding -x expands deletion to ignored contents, so it can remove local configuration, dependencies, or generated assets as well.

Save changes instead of discarding them

git stash push -m "Work before trying another approach"

The default stash includes tracked changes. Add -u when you also need untracked files, or arrange a separate backup for ignored files. Restore a stash with git stash apply or git stash pop; applying it can produce conflicts.

FAQ

Can Git recover edits after restore?

Only if another copy remains somewhere, such as a commit, stash, or editor history. Do not rely on Git to recover arbitrary unstaged text it never recorded.

Are git checkout -- . and git restore . equivalent?

For normal, resolved tracked paths, both restore from the index within the current directory's scope. Neither is a command to clear staged changes automatically.

Why does clean require force?

The usual clean.requireForce setting protects untracked data from accidental removal. Use -n to inspect candidates even when you know you will eventually use -f.

See git-restore, git-clean, git-reset, and git-stash.