Cheat Sheets · Git Cheat Sheet · Git Rename Local Branch — Safely & Quickly

Git Rename Local Branch — Safely & Quickly

git branch -m <new-name>

Rename the branch you are currently on

git branch -m <old-name> <new-name>

Rename any branch without switching to it first

git branch -M <new-name>

Force rename — even if new-name already exists

Rename commands

Command	Effect
`git branch -m <new-name>`	`Rename the branch you are currently on`
`git branch -m <old-name> <new-name>`	`Rename any branch without switching to it first`
`git branch -M <new-name>`	`Force rename — even if new-name already exists`

Renaming a local branch changes its pointer in .git/refs/heads. It is safe, instant, and does not touch your commit history.

Related Git recipes

Undo Last Commit — 3 Safe Ways Discard Local Changes — Safely and Completely Delete a Branch — Local and Remote Stash — Park Changes Without Committing Amend the Last Commit Undo a Pushed Commit — The Safe Way (git revert) Rename Remote Branch — Complete 3-Step Process Cherry Pick — Apply a Specific Commit Elsewhere Squash Last N Commits — Combine Multiple Commits Sync Fork with Upstream — Step-by-Step Delete Remote Tag — Local and Remote Change Commit Author — Email & Name Unstage File — Remove from Staging Area Log Graph — Visual Commit History in Terminal Clean Untracked Files — Remove Clutter Safely Switch Branch — Modern Branch Navigation Create Branch from Commit — Branch Off History Stash Untracked Files (-u and -a Flags) Force Pull — Overwrite Local Changes with Remote Resolve Merge Conflict — Complete Workflow Show Commit — Inspect Changes in a Commit Tag a Release — Lightweight & Annotated Tags

FAQ

Does renaming a local branch affect the remote?
No. Renaming locally only changes your local ref. To update GitHub/GitLab, push the new name and delete the old remote branch.

What if -m fails with "already exists"?
If you are certain you want to overwrite an existing branch, use capital -M.

How do I verify the rename worked?
Run git branch --show-current to inspect your active branch name.

Stop memorizing — build it interactively

Build branch commands in the Git Builder

Full reference: Git Cheat Sheet