> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://ploegert.gitbook.io/til/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://ploegert.gitbook.io/til/tools/git/untrack-a-file-without-deleting-it.md).

# Untrack A File Without Deleting It

Generally when I invoke `git rm <filename>`, I do so with the intention of removing a file from the project entirely. `git-rm` does exactly that, removing the file both from the index and from the working tree.

If you want to untrack a file (remove it from the index), but still have it available locally (in the working tree), then you are going to want to use the `--cached` flag.

```bash
$ git rm --cached <filename>
```

If you do this, you may also consider adding that file to the `.gitignore` file.

[source](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/15027873/untrack-and-stop-tracking-files-in-git)