Undo a Git commit (the safe way)

Which undo you need depends on whether you’ve pushed. Here’s how to pick the right one without losing work.

3 min4 stepsmacOS · Linux · Windows

1
Look at recent history
Find the commit you want to undo.
$git log --oneline -5
```
3f2a9c1 (HEAD -> main) Oops, wrong files
7c1d2e4 Update
2e8d6a1 Initial commit
```
2
Not pushed yet? Uncommit and keep the changes
The commit disappears but every change stays staged so you can fix it and commit again.
$git reset --soft HEAD~1
If the commit was already pushed, use git revert instead so you don’t rewrite shared history.
```
$ git log --oneline -1
3f2a9c1 (HEAD -> main) Oops, wrong files
```
Already pushed? Revert instead
Revert adds a new commit that cancels the old one, so teammates’ history isn’t rewritten.
$git revert
4
Went too far? Get it back
The reflog remembers every commit HEAD has pointed to, even after a reset.
$git reflog
```
3f2a9c1 HEAD@{0}: reset: moving to HEAD~1
8d4e7b2 HEAD@{1}: commit: The commit you thought was gone
```

Look at recent history