How do I switch branches in Git Gui?

Question

I cant seem to figure out how to switch branches in Git Gui.

In Git Gui , I have cloned a repository from GitHub. There are 2 branches: main and development. I used the Branch > Create option to create and checkout 2 tracking branches: origin/main and origin/development. Now I want to be able to switch between the 2 branches. I thought that Branch > Checkout would let me do that. But I end up with the message "You are no longer on a local branch. If you wanted to be on a branch, create one now starting from 'This Detached Checkout'". And my current branch says "HEAD".

All I want to do is be able to switch between my tracking branches.

How do I do this in Git Gui? Please only answers for Git Gui, not command line.

Does this answer your question? [git gui branch management](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/4730760/git-gui-branch-management) — Arun A S, May 23 '23 at 15:38
Flûte, I did not even check if there were duplicates... Voting for it. — Itération 122442, May 23 '23 at 15:41

score 0 · Answer 1 · answered May 23 '23 at 15:40

Here is how to change branch (checkout) with git GUI:

Open the branch tab, click "checkout"

Click the branch you want to checkout:

Side note: You really should use the command line. This way you understand way better, in my opinion, what you are actualy doing, like, for example:

git checkout "mybranch"

Plus it's way faster, and git GUI, some might agree, sucks.

How do I switch branches in Git Gui?

1 Answers1