How to Stash Changes in Visual Studio Quickly

How to

Milan Stanojevic

Windows Toubleshooting Expert

How to

3 min. read

Oct 10th, 2025 9:02 AM EEST

If you need to switch branches without losing your progress, use Git stash in Visual Studio. It temporarily stores your uncommitted work so you can restore it later.

How do I Stash Changes in Visual Studio?

How do I Stash Changes in Visual Studio?

How to Stash Changes in Visual Studio

Follow these steps to stash your work safely.

Open Visual Studio and load your project.
Go to the Git menu in the top toolbar.
Select Stash > Stash All.
Enter a descriptive message for the stash.
Click Stash to save your changes.

Your uncommitted files are now saved in a stash and your working directory is clean.

For project navigation, learn how to open Solution Explorer in Visual Studio.

How to Apply a Stash in Visual Studio

When you are ready to bring your stashed work back, do this.

Open the Git menu.
Choose Stash > Apply Stash.
Select the stash entry you want to apply.
Click Apply to restore changes.

If you want to remove the stash after restoring, choose Apply and Delete.

Before applying a stash, confirm your build is healthy. See how to compile a project in Visual Studio.

When troubleshooting build interruptions before applying your stash, learn how to stop a build in Visual Studio to ensure a smooth workflow.

How to View or Delete Stashed Changes

Manage your stashes from the Git Repository window.

Open View > Git Repository.
Expand the Stashes section.
Right-click a stash to Apply, View, or Delete.

This keeps your repo organized when switching tasks.

Prefer a different interface language while working? You can change the display language in Visual Studio.

To better review differences between your stashed files, you can compare two files in Visual Studio and see changes side by side before applying them.

Why Use Git Stash in Visual Studio

Keeps unfinished work safe when switching branches
Reduces merge conflicts while testing quick fixes
Makes it easy to pause and resume progress

FAQs

Can I stash untracked files in Visual Studio?

Yes. Check the Include untracked option when creating a stash.

Where are stashed changes stored?

They are stored locally in your Git repository and do not affect remote branches.

Can I name my stash for easier tracking?

Yes. Add a clear message when you stash to identify the saved work.

Can I view stash details without applying them?

Yes. Open View > Git Repository, expand Stashes, then double-click a stash to preview its changes.

Conclusion

Stashing changes in Visual Studio is a quick way to save work without committing. Use the built-in Git tools to stash, apply, and manage entries so you can switch branches with confidence.