Cheat Sheets · Git Cheat Sheet · Git Stash Untracked Files (-u and -a Flags)

Git Stash Untracked Files (-u and -a Flags)

git stash

Yes

git stash -u (--include-untracked)

Yes

git stash -a (--all)

Yes

Stash scope comparison

Command	Tracked Modified	Untracked New	Ignored (.gitignore)
`git stash`	`Yes`	`No`	`No`
`git stash -u (--include-untracked)`	`Yes`	`Yes`	`No`
`git stash -a (--all)`	`Yes`	`Yes`	`Yes`

By default, git stash ignores new files that have not been staged. Use the -u flag to stash new files alongside your tracked changes.

Related Git recipes

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FAQ

Why didn't plain git stash save my new files?
Plain git stash only tracks files Git is already monitoring. Always use git stash -u when working with new files.

When should I use -a instead of -u?
Only when you want to stash files listed in .gitignore (like node_modules or .env). Usually -u is what you want.

How to name a stash with untracked files?
Combine options: git stash push -u -m "wip: new components".

Stop memorizing — build it interactively

Try stash options in the Git Builder

Full reference: Git Cheat Sheet