Git Revert: Undo Pushed Commits Safely (Complete Guide for 2026)

Published February 16, 2026 · 12 min read

git revert is the safest undo command for shared branches. Instead of rewriting history, it creates a new commit that inverses an older commit.

If your commit is already on main, in a merged PR, or on any branch teammates might have pulled, revert is usually the right move.

1. Copy/paste revert recipes

Undo the latest commit safely (shared branch)

git revert HEAD
git push origin main

Undo a specific old commit

git revert <commit-hash>

Revert several commits, then make one combined revert commit

git revert --no-commit OLDEST^..NEWEST
git commit -m "Revert problematic auth changes"

Revert a merge commit

git revert -m 1 <merge-hash>

Undo a bad revert (reapply original changes)

git revert <revert-commit-hash>

2. Revert vs reset vs cherry-pick

3. Revert one commit

Case A: undo the most recent commit on main

git switch main
git pull --ff-only
git revert HEAD
git push origin main

Case B: undo an older commit by hash

git log --oneline -n 30
# copy hash
git revert a1b2c3d

If this introduces conflicts, Git pauses and asks you to resolve them. Resolve files, then continue:

git add -A
git revert --continue

To cancel the in-progress revert:

git revert --abort

4. Revert multiple commits

You have two common workflows.

Workflow A: one revert commit per original commit

git revert commit1
git revert commit2
git revert commit3

Use this when you want a clear audit trail for each undone commit.

Workflow B: one combined revert commit

git revert --no-commit OLDEST^..NEWEST
# inspect staged changes
git status
git diff --cached

git commit -m "Revert checkout refactor and follow-up fixes"

Use this when several commits are part of one rollback event.

5. Revert a merge commit

Merge commits have multiple parents, so Git needs a mainline parent:

git revert -m 1 <merge-hash>

• -m 1: keep parent 1 (commonly the target branch such as main)
• -m 2: keep parent 2

Verify parents before reverting:

git show --no-patch --pretty=raw <merge-hash>

Need the full parent-selection walkthrough? Use Git Revert a Merge Commit.

6. Conflict handling and safer review workflow

For production rollbacks, it is often safer to apply reverts without auto-committing, inspect the result, then commit.

git revert --no-commit <hash-or-range>

# inspect before creating the revert commit
git status
git diff --cached

git commit -m "Revert payment retry changes"

If you hit conflicts:

# resolve files in your editor
git add -A
git revert --continue

# if needed
git revert --abort

7. Revert a revert (bring code back)

If the original issue is fixed and you want to reapply reverted code, revert the revert commit:

git log --oneline -n 20
# find the revert commit
git revert <revert-commit-hash>

This is cleaner than force-pushing old history and keeps a transparent audit trail.

8. Team-safe revert checklist

1. Identify exact commit hash(es) with git log --oneline.
2. Prefer git revert on any shared branch.
3. Use --no-commit when reverting ranges or high-risk changes.
4. Run tests before and after pushing the revert.
5. Document why the revert happened in the commit message.

FAQ

What is the safest way to undo a pushed commit in Git?

Use git revert <commit-hash> (or git revert HEAD for the latest commit). It creates a new undo commit without rewriting history.

What is the difference between git revert and git reset?

revert preserves history by adding a new commit. reset moves branch pointers and can rewrite history when force-pushed.

How do I revert multiple commits at once?

Use a range with --no-commit, then create one commit: git revert --no-commit OLDEST^..NEWEST.

How do I revert a merge commit?

Use git revert -m 1 <merge-hash> after confirming parent order with git show --pretty=raw.

Can I bring changes back after a revert?

Yes. Revert the revert commit with git revert <revert-hash>.