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How to Restore a Deleted Git Repository on GitHub

Bring back a deleted GitHub repository from the settings, or recover an overwritten commit with the API.

How-To Guides2 min read4 screenshots

Restore a deleted repository

GitHub keeps a deleted repository for 90 days. You can restore it from your account settings. A deleted repository that was a fork of a network with other forks cannot always be restored.

Step 1: Open the settings

Click your profile picture and choose Settings.

Opening the GitHub settings

Step 2: Open the repositories section

In the left menu, under Code, planning, and automation, click Repositories, then Deleted repositories.

The deleted repositories list

Step 3: Restore the repository

Find the repository in the list and click Restore next to it. Confirm the question.

Restoring the repository

GitHub shows a message when the restore is done. It can take a short time before the repository appears. Issues, pull requests and wiki come back with it, but some items such as forks and webhooks may not.

The restored repository

Restore an overwritten commit with the GitHub API

If a force-push removed commits, GitHub may still have them for some time.

1. Find the commit ID with the Events API

curl https://api.github.com/repos/<USERNAME>/<REPOSITORY>/events

Look for a PushEvent and the before value. That is the SHA of the commit that was overwritten.

2. Create a new branch that points to the commit

curl -i -H "Accept: application/json" -H "Content-Type: application/json" -H "Authorization: token <TOKEN>" -X POST -d '{"ref":"refs/heads/<NEW_BRANCH_NAME>","sha":"<COMMIT_SHA>"}' https://api.github.com/repos/<USERNAME>/<REPOSITORY>/git/refs
  • Replace <TOKEN> with a personal access token that has permission for the repository.
  • Replace <NEW_BRANCH_NAME> with the name of the new branch.
  • Replace <COMMIT_SHA> with the commit ID.

The branch now holds the lost work.

Restore from your own computer

If you have a local clone, nothing is lost. Recreate the remote and push:

git remote add origin https://github.com/<USERNAME>/<REPOSITORY>.git
git push -u origin --all
git push origin --tags

To bring back a commit that you reset locally, use the reflog:

git reflog
git checkout -b recovered <SHA>

Prevent loss

  • Keep regular backups or mirrors of important repositories.
  • Protect the main branch from force-pushes.
  • Limit who can delete repositories.

Quick recap

  • Settings > Repositories > Deleted repositories > Restore, within 90 days.
  • Use git reflog or the Events API for lost commits.