Push Rejected

How to Fix “Push Rejected” in GitHub (2026 Guide) The Short Answer To fix the “Push Rejected” error in GitHub, advanced users can use the command git push -f to force push their changes, but be cautious as this can overwrite existing commits. Alternatively, use git push --force-with-lease to safely force push while avoiding overwriting other users’ changes. Why This Error Happens Reason 1: The most common cause of the “Push Rejected” error is when the remote repository has been updated since the last time you pulled, and your local branch is not up-to-date. This can happen when multiple users are collaborating on the same repository and one user pushes changes before you do. Reason 2: An edge case cause of this error is when the Git configuration option receive.denyCurrentBranch is set to updateInstead on the remote repository, which prevents pushing to the current branch if it’s not a fast-forward update. Impact: The “Push Rejected” error results in a Git error, preventing you from pushing your changes to the remote repository, which can hinder collaboration and version control. Step-by-Step Solutions Method 1: The Quick Fix Go to Repository Settings > Branches > Branch permissions Toggle Update permissions to allow force pushes or set the default branch to a different branch that allows force pushes. Refresh the page and try pushing again. Method 2: The Command Line/Advanced Fix Use the command git push origin <branch-name> --force-with-lease to force push your changes while ensuring you don’t overwrite other users’ changes. This method is safer than a simple git push -f as it checks if the remote branch has been updated before forcing the push. ...

How to Fix “Push Rejected” in GitHub (2026 Guide) The Short Answer To fix the “Push Rejected” error in GitHub, use the command git push -f with caution, as it will overwrite the remote repository. Alternatively, resolve the conflict by pulling the latest changes, merging them with your local code, and then pushing again. Why This Error Happens Reason 1: The most common cause of the “Push Rejected” error is when the remote repository has been updated since your last pull, and your local branch is not up-to-date. This can happen when multiple developers are working on the same project, and one of them pushes changes to the remote repository before you do. Reason 2: An edge case cause of this error is when the Git configuration option receive.denyCurrentBranch is set to updateInstead on the remote repository, and you’re trying to push to a non-bare repository. This option is typically used on shared repositories to prevent accidental overwrites. Impact: The “Push Rejected” error can significantly impact code deployment, as it prevents you from updating the remote repository with your latest changes. This can lead to delays in releasing new features or fixing critical bugs, ultimately affecting your users and customers. Step-by-Step Solutions Method 1: The Quick Fix Go to Settings > Branches > Branch permissions Toggle Require pull request reviews before merging to Off Refresh the page to ensure the changes take effect. Method 2: The Command Line/Advanced Fix Use the following Git command to force push your changes: git push origin <branch-name> -f. However, be cautious when using this command, as it will overwrite the remote repository. To avoid conflicts, make sure to pull the latest changes, merge them with your local code, and then push again: ...