How do I undo 'git reset'?

Better Stack Team
Updated on July 25, 2024

Undoing a git reset can be tricky depending on the type of reset you performed (--soft, --mixed, --hard) and the specific context. Here are steps for each scenario:

1. Soft or Mixed Reset

If you used git reset --soft or git reset --mixed, you can easily undo the reset:

  1. Find the Commit SHA Before the Reset:

    • Use the git reflog command to see a history of your commands and their corresponding commit SHAs.

       
      git reflog
 
- Locate the SHA of the commit before the reset.

  1. Reset Back to the Previous Commit:

    • Once you have identified the correct commit SHA, you can reset back to it.

       
      git reset --soft <commit_SHA>

2. Hard Reset

If you used git reset --hard, this is more complex because this type of reset discards changes in the working directory and the staging area.

  1. Find the Commit SHA Before the Reset:

    • Use git reflog to identify the commit SHA before the reset.

       
      git reflog

  2. Reset Back to the Previous Commit:

    • Reset to the previous commit using the SHA identified.

       
      git reset --hard <commit_SHA>

Example: Undoing a Reset Step-by-Step

  1. Run git reflog to Get History:

     
    git reflog

    You might see something like:

     
    a1b2c3d (HEAD -> main) HEAD@{0}: reset: moving to a1b2c3d
e4f5g6h HEAD@{1}: commit: Added new feature
i7j8k9l HEAD@{2}: commit: Fixed bug

  2. Identify the Commit Before Reset:

    • Let's say you reset to a1b2c3d, and the commit before that was e4f5g6h.

  3. Undo the Reset:

    • To undo, you would reset back to e4f5g6h.

       
      git reset --hard e4f5g6h

Notes:

  • Data Loss Risk: If you performed a hard reset and had uncommitted changes, they are likely lost unless you can recover them from a backup or a stash.
  • Backup and Caution: Always ensure you have a backup or use stashes (git stash) before performing potentially destructive operations like git reset --hard.

By carefully using git reflog, you can navigate through your command history and correct the effects of a reset.

Got an article suggestion? Let us know
Explore more
Git
Licensed under CC-BY-NC-SA

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.