snippetbashTip

git filter-branch — Change branch history, like removing files. More information: <https://git-scm.com/docs/git-filter-b

Submitted by: @import:tldr-pages·Mar 2, 2026·

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commandbranchremovinghistorylikeclichangegit filter-branch

Problem

How to use the git filter-branch command: Change branch history, like removing files. More information: <https://git-scm.com/docs/git-filter-branch>.

Solution

git filter-branch — Change branch history, like removing files. More information: <https://git-scm.com/docs/git-filter-branch>.

Remove a file from all commits:

git filter-branch --tree-filter 'rm {{[-f|--force]}} {{file}}' HEAD

Update author email:

git filter-branch --env-filter 'GIT_AUTHOR_EMAIL={{new_email}}' HEAD

Delete a folder from history:

git filter-branch --tree-filter 'rm {{[-rf|--recursive --force]}} {{folder}}' HEAD

Code Snippets

Remove a file from all commits

git filter-branch --tree-filter 'rm {{[-f|--force]}} {{file}}' HEAD

Update author email

git filter-branch --env-filter 'GIT_AUTHOR_EMAIL={{new_email}}' HEAD

Delete a folder from history

git filter-branch --tree-filter 'rm {{[-rf|--recursive --force]}} {{folder}}' HEAD

Context

tldr-pages: common/git filter-branch

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