How do you change a repository description on GitHub?

Question

When you create a repository on GitHub, you can optionally create a description of the repository. Unfortunately, I wrote a description that no longer adequately describes the code in the repo.

How do I change the repo description?

Macey

Answer 1

Meta-information about the repository can be changed by clicking on a cog icon in the right-hand side menu's "About" section:

Upon doing so, a popup will appear where the description, website, topics, and homepage settings can be configured:

Abscission

Watch out: you can only get to this if you have 1 or more files in your repo! – Emie

@Emie - well, yeah, kind of stayed the same, the other answer here is still correct in that regards. – Abscission

yep, that's why I upvoted that one :-) Above answer + screenshot is spot on - provided you have one or more files in your repo, which I only figured out when I read the answer below. – Emie

@Emie - I think editing empty repo description and metadata is not that useful, but I agree that it would certainly be nice to have - after all, why should it depend on having files in a repo? Something tells me this is an oversight when changing the legacy UI (after all, the empty repo layout did not change much) – Abscission

in my case, I was setting up some empty repos for other developers and tried to convey the purpose of each repo in the description. However, I made mistake (used the same description twice) and couldn't correct it, so that made it confusing for the devs. I then had to put a dummy file in there to correct my mistake, which did not provide the best user experience... – Emie

@Emie - thank you for sharing your use case for empty repositories. Although I do think that even template repositories should contain at least a license file or a directory structure, admittedly, the inability to edit metadata if there is no data would not be my choice of user experience, I agree. – Abscission

Why is it not possible to describe a repo on the cmd and push it to github, and they do kungfu and put it to the right place? I still do not like guis.. – Nephoscope

Answer 2

They changed the looks slightly, the "Edit" button is seen when on the repositories main page, which is the "Code" tab. Here is a screencast/animated-screenshot:

Arwood

For a github newcomer like me, this was the most confusing accepted solution I've ever seen. According to me, 1) Hovering (where?) doesn't do anything related at all. 2) The addon on the screenshot is unrelated. I bet the screenshot intends to point out the "- Edit" suffix, which acts as a button. It's obvious enough that newcomers wouldn't go searching and land on this question, so the reason you did land here, is: 3) It's not always visible, as noted by Sergio in the comment above. It appears only after adding to the initially created repository (or something like that). – Eastbound

Thanks @Eastbound if you can modify that screenshot and update that would be nice. Maybe blur out the text, and draw an arrow at the "Edit" – Arwood

Sure @Noitidart, that new image is a splendid way to eliminate one source of confusion. – Eastbound

If you don't see it, make sure the account you are logged in with can contribute to that repo. – Ides

Which tools did you use to create that video before uploading to imgur? – Twana

@Twana I used Camtasia Studio – Arwood

The appearance has changed again. Look for a settings gear at top right, as mentioned in other answers. – Trinia

Answer 3

Click on the Edit that comes when you hover your mouse over the description and project url section

Ayotte

They need to change this. The fact I had to turn to Stack Overflow for the answer is shocking. Thanks – Approach

apparently the description only appears in the details of the project if the project is not empty !. I had to commit something before being able to change it. – Spencerspencerian

Ya that was the most confusing part, I was creating a bunch of empty repos for moving a few projects over >< – Geophyte

Answer 4

When you hover over the existing description, an Edit button will appear at the far left.

Austria

Answer 5

Just in case anyone else has a similar issue as me...

You cannot edit the description until one or more files are committed and pushed. In my specific case, I created the repository from IntelliJ IDEA and accidentally filled the description with text I had intended for the first commit. However, I didn't actually commit or push any files.

I went to the repositories page on the GitHub website, where I could see the repository and its description from the repositories page. However, when viewing the individual repository page, the description would not appear and suggestions for setting up the project were the only content displayed. There is no clear indication that you cannot edit the description until a file is uploaded, but once you have done so, the description is clearly displayed and with it a link to edit.

Fic

This is a completely messed up user experience. There is absolutely no reason why the repository description would not just be on the repository Settings page. – Effluent

/\ I can't stress that enough. – Carson

Answer 6

Click on the gear icon like in the image, and then change your repository description

Click "Save Changes"

Paper

Can you please include a description of the steps outlined by your images? It may not be understandable for everyone (for example, think of screenreaders) – Visigoth

Please note that this gear icon is NOT visible if the repository is empty / has no commits. – Nixie

This same answer has already given, multiple times before this. As well, this answer is completely useless to anyone who can't see the images. – Tollgate

Answer 7

1.Go into your repository.

2.On the right side About and symbol of setting.

3.Click on the setting.

4.You get Edit repository details.

5.you can change details.

Expositor

apparently this is only applicable for public repo. cant we do the same to private repo? – Sleep

@HadiKAR it works on my own private repos. It's only for empty repos that I cannot do it. – Paperback

This answer was already present for months before this one, and says exactly the same thing. – Tollgate

Answer 8

You can do so directly from command-line, without having to interact with GitHub website.

Since the GitHub CLI gh 2.4.0, you can use gh repo edit:

gh repo edit --description="your_description"

# Update the description of the repository

Dire

Answer 9

As of 2023, Github UI has been updated again and the option is now located in the top-right corner of a repository page. Click on the Gear Icon next to About, and a new modal will pop up where you can change the description of the repository.

Forebrain

This is no different from this already existing answer. – Tollgate

Answer 10

press the Gear Button and you will see the description to update it or delete it

Fane

This solution was already given here and this answer is useless to anyone unable to see the image. – Tollgate