GitHub Push Rejected: Updates Were Rejected (Non-Fast-Forward)

How to fix it

Try these in order — the most common fix is first.

1. 1. Fetch and merge the remote changes

   Copy steps
   1. Run git fetch origin
   2. Run git merge origin/YOUR_BRANCH
   3. Resolve conflicts if any, commit, then git push origin YOUR_BRANCH
   Did this fix it? Yes No

2. 2. Pull with rebase for a linear history

   Copy steps
   1. Run git pull --rebase origin YOUR_BRANCH
   2. Fix conflicts, git rebase --continue, then git push
   Did this fix it? Yes No

3. 3. If you rewrote your own branch on purpose, use a safe force push

   Copy steps
   1. Run git push --force-with-lease origin YOUR_BRANCH
   2. This refuses to overwrite commits you have not seen, unlike plain --force
   3. Never do this on a shared protected branch
   Did this fix it? Yes No

4. 4. Unrelated histories after creating a repo with a README

   Copy steps
   1. Run git pull origin main --allow-unrelated-histories
   2. Resolve conflicts, commit and push
   Did this fix it? Yes No

Symptoms

git push shows '! [rejected] main -> main (fetch first)' or '(non-fast-forward)' and 'failed to push some refs'.

Why it happens

• Someone else (or you, from another machine or the web editor) pushed to the same branch
• You amended or rebased commits that were already pushed
• The local branch was created from a different history than the remote

This guide also covers

• github updates were rejected because the remote contains work
• git push rejected non-fast-forward
• failed to push some refs github
• github push rejected fetch first

Other GitHub errors

• GitHub Permission Denied (publickey) Error
• GitHub 'Password Authentication Was Removed' Error
• GitHub Push Blocked: Repository Rule Violations (GH013 / Secret Detected)
• GitHub Push Rejected: File Exceeds 100 MB Limit
• GitHub 'Permission Denied' or 403 When Pushing Over HTTPS
• GitHub Locked Out: Lost 2FA Device or Recovery Codes
• GitHub Actions Workflow Stuck in Queued / Waiting for a Runner
• GitHub Actions: 'Recent Account Payments Have Failed or Spending Limit Needs to Be Increased'