Unstage Git Add Command

Table of Contents

If you want to undo git add command, use git reset.

git reset <file>: Unstage a specific file.
git reset: Unstage all files.

A example for a specific file.

echo "test" >> file.txt
git add file.txt

git status
# Changes to be committed:
#  (use "git rm --cached <file>..." to unstage)
#        new file:   file.txt

git reset file.txt

git status
# Untracked files:
#   (use "git add <file>..." to include in what will be committed)
#         file.txt

A example for all files.

git add .
git reset

Additionally, you can use HEAD or a commit ID with git reset command.

# For a specific file
git reset file.txt # Same as "git reset HEAD file.txt"
git reset HEAD file.txt # Same as "git reset file.txt"
git reset abc123 file.txt # Reset to the file.txt of the commit ID "abc123"

# For all files
git reset
git reset HEAD
git reset abc123

According to the message of git status, git rm --cached <file> also works. However, this command can only be applied to a specific file.