docs/content/github/collaborating-with-issues-and-pull-requests/syncing-a-fork.md

title, intro, redirect_from, versions

title	intro	redirect_from	versions
Syncing a fork	Sync a fork of a repository to keep it up-to-date with the upstream repository.	/articles/syncing-a-fork	free-pro-team enterprise-server * *

Before you can sync your fork with an upstream repository, you must configure a remote that points to the upstream repository in Git.

{% data reusables.command_line.open_the_multi_os_terminal %} 2. Change the current working directory to your local project. 3. Fetch the branches and their respective commits from the upstream repository. Commits to main will be stored in a local branch, upstream/main.

$ git fetch upstream
> remote: Counting objects: 75, done.
> remote: Compressing objects: 100% (53/53), done.
> remote: Total 62 (delta 27), reused 44 (delta 9)
> Unpacking objects: 100% (62/62), done.
> From https://{% data variables.command_line.codeblock %}/<em>ORIGINAL_OWNER</em>/<em>ORIGINAL_REPOSITORY</em>
>  * [new branch]      main     -> upstream/main

4. Check out your fork's local main branch.

$ git checkout main
> Switched to branch 'main'

5. Merge the changes from upstream/main into your local main branch. This brings your fork's main branch into sync with the upstream repository, without losing your local changes.

$ git merge upstream/main
> Updating a422352..5fdff0f
> Fast-forward
>  README                    |    9 -------
>  README.md                 |    7 ++++++
>  2 files changed, 7 insertions(+), 9 deletions(-)
>  delete mode 100644 README
>  create mode 100644 README.md
``` If your local branch didn't have any unique commits, Git will instead perform a "fast-forward":
```shell
$ git merge upstream/main
> Updating 34e91da..16c56ad
> Fast-forward
>  README.md                 |    5 +++--
>  1 file changed, 3 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)

{% tip %}

Tip: Syncing your fork only updates your local copy of the repository. To update your fork on {% data variables.product.product_location %}, you must push your changes.

{% endtip %}