remove file or directory from all history

Remove_file_from_all_history.md

Remove file from all Git history!

1. Use the comamnd

   git filter-branch --force --index-filter \
     'git rm -r --cached --ignore-unmatch [FILE_TO_DELETE]' \
     --prune-empty --tag-name-filter cat -- --all
   

2. After the filter branch is complete, verify that no unintended file was lost.

3. Now add a .gitignore rule

   echo [FILE_DELETED] >> .gitignore
   git add .gitignore && git commit -m "ignore rule for [FILE_DELETED]"
   

4. Now do a push

   echo [FILE_DELETED] >> .gitignore
   git push -f origin branch
   

Check this, this and this for further help. Just to be on the safer side, I would suggest you create a backup copy of the repo on your system before going ahead with these instructions.

References: StackOverflow original answer

Issues

Hey, i'm with the same problem but when typing the command at step 1, i get an error: fatal: bad revision ' --prune-empty'. Any clue?

– kevin

Oct 16, 2014 at 21:48

• @kevin sorry, missed this comment. You can run it without that flag. Pruning would have removed any empty commit object.

  – Anshul Goyal

  Feb 2, 2015 at 4:13