How to Approve a Pull Request on GitHub

How to

Milan Stanojevic

Windows Toubleshooting Expert

How to

3 min. read

Published on September 25, 2025

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Learning GitHub how to approve pull request is essential for efficient collaboration. This guide shows you how to review, approve, and merge contributions in just a few steps.

How to Approve Pull Request on GitHub?

How to Approve Pull Request on GitHub?

1. Navigate to the Pull Request

Start by opening the repository and accessing the pull request you want to review.

Open your repository on GitHub.
Click the Pull requests tab and select the request you want to review.

If you need to prepare your repository before approving changes, here’s how to create a folder in GitHub.

2. Review the Changes

Next, examine the modifications made by the contributor to ensure everything is correct.

Click the Files changed tab to see all modifications.
Use the line-by-line view to comment on specific changes.
Check commit history for context.

When reviewing large updates, it can also help to know how to download a GitHub folder for offline inspection.

3. Leave a Review

Once you have checked the changes, you can leave your review and approval.

Click Review changes in the top right corner.
Select Approve to confirm the request.
Add an optional comment for feedback.

4. Merge the Pull Request

Finally, apply the approved changes by merging them into the main branch.

Once approved, click Merge pull request.
Confirm by clicking Confirm merge.
Delete the branch if it is no longer needed.

If you face conflicts during merging, here’s a complete guide on resolving GitHub conflicts.

Why Approvals Matter

Approvals ensure that code meets project standards and prevents errors from reaching production. They also provide transparency in teamwork by recording every decision in the repository history.

FAQs

How do I approve a pull request on GitHub?

Open the pull request, click Review changes, choose Approve, and submit your review.

Can anyone approve a pull request?

Only users with write or admin access to the repository can approve pull requests.

Do I need to merge after approving?

Yes, approval only confirms changes. You still need to merge the pull request to apply the updates.

Can I request changes instead of approving?

Yes, you can select Request changes when reviewing. This sends feedback to the contributor so they can fix issues before merging.

Conclusion

Now you know GitHub how to approve pull request quickly and efficiently. Following these steps will help maintain code quality and keep your projects organized.

After you approve and merge changes, it is also useful to know how to change the default branch in GitHub so your repository always points to the correct branch for future work.