How to Unfork a Repository in GitHub

When you fork a repository on GitHub, it maintains a connection to the original (upstream) project. While forking is useful for contributing to open-source projects or experimenting independently, you might eventually want to “unfork” the repository—especially if you plan to make it independent or turn it into a standalone project.

GitHub does not currently offer a direct “unfork” button, but there are practical workarounds to achieve the same result.

Table of Contents

🔹 What Does “Unfork” Mean?

Unforking a repository means removing the link between your forked repository and the upstream (original) project. This is often desired when:

You want to make the repo independent
You forked the wrong repo by mistake
You no longer want the forked relationship

🔧 Workaround: How to Unfork a Repository

Since GitHub doesn’t support unforking directly, the best way is to recreate the repository from scratch. Here’s how:

✅ Step 1: Clone the Forked Repository Locally

git clone https://github.com/your-username/forked-repo.git
cd forked-repo

✅ Step 2: Remove Git Remote (Optional but Clean)

To remove the upstream connection (forked origin):

git remote remove origin

✅ Step 3: Create a New Repository on GitHub

Go to GitHub
Click New repository
Give it a unique name (e.g., my-independent-project)
Do not initialize with README, .gitignore, or license

✅ Step 4: Add the New GitHub Repository as Remote

git remote add origin https://github.com/your-username/my-independent-project.git

✅ Step 5: Push to the New Repository

git push -u origin main

Replace main with your branch name if it’s different (e.g., master)

✅ Step 6: Delete the Forked Repository (Optional)

After successfully pushing to the new repository, you can delete the original forked one:

Go to the forked repo on GitHub
Click Settings > Danger Zone
Click Delete this repository

🧠 Summary

Task	Command / Action
Clone forked repo	`git clone ...`
Remove old remote	`git remote remove origin`
Create a new GitHub repo	Via GitHub UI
Add new remote	`git remote add origin <new-URL>`
Push to new repo	`git push -u origin main`

🚀 Final Thoughts

While GitHub doesn’t currently support unforking directly, creating a fresh repository from your forked project is the most effective workaround. It allows you to move forward independently while preserving your code and commit history.