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This version of GitHub Enterprise was discontinued on 2023-01-18. No patch releases will be made, even for critical security issues. For better performance, improved security, and new features, upgrade to the latest version of GitHub Enterprise. For help with the upgrade, contact GitHub Enterprise support.

Restoring a deleted repository

You can restore deleted repositories to recover their contents.

Who can use this feature

Enterprise owners can restore a deleted repository.

About repository restoration

Usually, if someone deletes a repository, it will be available on disk for 90 days and can be restored via the site admin dashboard. For more information, see "Site admin dashboard."

Unless a legal hold is in effect on a user or organization, after 90 days the repository is purged and deleted forever.

If a repository was part of a fork network when it was deleted, the restored repository will be detached from the original fork network.

It can take up to an hour after a repository is deleted before that repository is available for restoration.

Restoring a repository will not restore release attachments or team permissions. Issues that are restored will not be labeled.

Restoring a deleted repository

  1. From an administrative account on GitHub Enterprise Server, in the upper-right corner of any page, click .

    Screenshot of the rocket ship icon for accessing site admin settings

  2. If you're not already on the "Site admin" page, in the upper-left corner, click Site admin.

    Screenshot of "Site admin" link

  3. In the search field, type the name of the user or organization and click Search. Site admin settings search field

  4. In the search results, click the name of the user or organization. Site admin settings search options

  5. In the Repositories section, click the Deleted repositories link.

  6. Find the repository you want to restore in the deleted repositories list, then to the right of the repository name click Restore.

  7. To confirm you would like to restore the named repository, click Restore.

Further reading