---
slug: "git-skip-worktree-guide"
title: "How to Ignore Changes to Tracked Files with `git skip-worktree`"
description: "Use Git's `skip-worktree` flag to hide specific local edits from `git status` — handy for tracked files you cannot `.gitignore` but want to keep modified locally."
url: "https://www.ytyng.com/en/blog/git-skip-worktree-guide"
publish_date: "2026-01-09T03:02:43.095Z"
created: "2026-01-09T03:02:43.097Z"
updated: "2026-05-11T13:21:25.611Z"
categories: []
keywords: ""
featured_image_url: "https://media.ytyng.com/resize/20260109/7e68b4d5edc04dc1bb9e11699a7dd180.png.webp?width=768"
has_video: true
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video_urls: ["https://media.ytyng.net/ytyng-blog/328/featured-video-1.mp4", "https://media.ytyng.net/ytyng-blog/328/featured-video-2.mp4", "https://media.ytyng.net/ytyng-blog/328/featured-video-3.mp4"]
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lang: "en"
---

# How to Ignore Changes to Tracked Files with `git skip-worktree`

## TL;DR

If you want Git to ignore changes to a file that’s already committed (tracked), use `git update-index --skip-worktree`. `.gitignore` and `.git/info/exclude` only work for untracked files.

## Problem: `.git/info/exclude` can’t ignore changes to tracked files

When you want to ignore files only in your local environment on a per-project basis, you might think `.git/info/exclude` is the right tool. But there’s a catch.

**Both `.git/info/exclude` and `.gitignore` are meant to ignore untracked files. They have no effect on files that are already committed (tracked).**

So if you customize a configuration file that’s already in the repository and want Git to ignore your local changes, these won’t help.

## Solution: Use `--skip-worktree`

To ignore local changes to a file that’s already tracked, use `git update-index --skip-worktree`:

```bash
# Ignore local changes
git update-index --skip-worktree path/to/file

# Revert it
git update-index --no-skip-worktree path/to/file
```

### What `--skip-worktree` is

This tells Git: “I’ll modify this file locally, but don’t track those changes.” It’s useful when you intentionally want Git to ignore modifications, such as local customization of config files.

### Common use cases

- Customizing development environment config files (`config/local.py`, `.env.local`, etc.)
- Personal tweaks to IDE settings files
- Local-only debug settings

## Check which files are configured

```bash
# List files with --skip-worktree enabled
git ls-files -v | grep '^S'

# If you only want the path names
git ls-files -v | grep '^S' | cut -c 3-
```

### Meaning of `git ls-files -v` output

- `S` = skip-worktree is set
- `H` = normal tracked file
- `h` = assume-unchanged is set

### A handy alias

```bash
git config --global alias.skipped "ls-files -v | grep '^S'"

# Usage
git skipped
```

## `--skip-worktree` vs `--assume-unchanged`

Git also has a similar option, `--assume-unchanged`, but it’s meant for a different purpose:

| Option | Purpose | Stability |
|--------|---------|-----------|
| `--skip-worktree` | Intentionally ignore changes | Stable (persists unless you explicitly unset it) |
| `--assume-unchanged` | Performance optimization | Unstable (can be reset by Git operations) |

**Recommendation:** If you intentionally want to ignore local changes, `--skip-worktree` is the more reliable choice.

## Caveats

### Conflicts with remote updates

If the same file is updated remotely and you try to `git pull`, you may get conflicts. In that case:

```bash
# Temporarily disable skip-worktree
git update-index --no-skip-worktree path/to/file

# Stash your local changes
git stash

# Pull from remote
git pull

# Restore your changes if needed
git stash pop

# Enable skip-worktree again
git update-index --skip-worktree path/to/file
```

### Notes for team development

Since `--skip-worktree` is a local setting, you should use `.gitignore` for files the whole team should ignore.

## Summary

- Ignore **untracked files**: `.gitignore` or `.git/info/exclude`
- Ignore **changes to tracked files**: `git update-index --skip-worktree`
- Check settings: `git ls-files -v | grep '^S'`

It’s a subtle but useful technique that lets you develop without worrying about local, environment-specific config tweaks.