git stash -u (--include-untracked): stash new files too

git stash -u (--include-untracked) saves your modified tracked files and your untracked files in the stash, then cleans them out of the working tree. Without -u, git stash only stashes changes to files Git already tracks (plus anything staged), so a brand-new file you never ran git add on stays behind. That surprises people who stash to get a clean tree before a checkout, a pull or a rebase.

Without and with -u

git init -q -b main repo && cd repo
echo one > tracked.txt && git add tracked.txt && git commit -qm init
echo change >> tracked.txt
echo new > notes.txt
echo "== git stash"
git stash -q
git status --short
git stash pop -q
echo "== git stash -u"
git stash -q -u
git status --short
echo "(clean)"
git stash show --include-untracked --name-status
git stash pop -q
git status --short

== git stash
?? notes.txt
== git stash -u
(clean)
A	notes.txt
M	tracked.txt
 M tracked.txt
?? notes.txt

Plain git stash took the edit to tracked.txt and left notes.txt (shown as ??). With -u both are saved and the tree is clean; git stash pop puts both back. The untracked files are stored in a third commit attached to the stash entry, which is why git stash show lists them only with --include-untracked.

Related options

git stash save is the older, deprecated spelling; git stash push (or plain git stash) accepts the same -u and -a options.

When you need it

• Switching branches. A checkout that would overwrite an untracked file aborts with "untracked working tree files would be overwritten by checkout". Stashing with -u moves the file out of the way; see also local changes would be overwritten by checkout for tracked files.
• Pulling with rebase. git pull --rebase refuses to run on a dirty tree (cannot pull with rebase); git stash -u, pull, then git stash pop.
• Testing a clean tree. Before running a build to check that a commit is complete, -u removes stray new files that might make the build pass by accident.

Pitfalls

• Pop conflicts with new files. If a file with the same name as a stashed untracked file exists when you run git stash pop, Git refuses to restore it and keeps the stash entry (see the block below). Move or delete the file and pop again.
• -a is heavy. --all stashes node_modules, virtual environments and build directories if they are ignored, then deletes them from disk. Prefer -u unless you really want ignored files too.

git init -q -b main repo && cd repo
echo one > tracked.txt && git add tracked.txt && git commit -qm init
echo new > notes.txt
git stash -q -u
echo "recreated" > notes.txt
git stash pop

Already up to date.
notes.txt already exists, no checkout
error: could not restore untracked files from stash
On branch main
Untracked files:
  (use "git add <file>..." to include in what will be committed)
	notes.txt

nothing added to commit but untracked files present (use "git add" to track)
The stash entry is kept in case you need it again.

The pop fails with exit code 1, notes.txt keeps the recreated content and stash@{0} is still there.

FAQ