`git` staged changes are harder to undo

[hamirmahal]

Type: Bug

1. Commit a file with text contents.
2. Remove the contents of the file, and stage changes with git.
3. Try to undo the changes directly in the editor, just using the UI.

VS Code version: Code 1.103.1 (360a4e4, 2025-08-12T16:25:40.542Z)
OS version: Linux x64 6.14.0-27-generic
Modes:

System Info

Item	Value
CPUs	Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-7700K CPU @ 4.20GHz (8 x 4499)
GPU Status	2d_canvas: enabled direct_rendering_display_compositor: disabled_off_ok gpu_compositing: enabled multiple_raster_threads: enabled_on opengl: enabled_on rasterization: enabled raw_draw: disabled_off_ok skia_graphite: disabled_off trees_in_viz: disabled_off video_decode: enabled video_encode: disabled_software vulkan: disabled_off webgl: enabled webgl2: enabled webgpu: disabled_off webnn: disabled_off
Load (avg)	3, 2, 1
Memory (System)	31.28GB (8.25GB free)
Process Argv	--crash-reporter-id 9746525a-a815-4ecc-8c8a-eb4404b733be
Screen Reader	no
VM	0%
DESKTOP_SESSION	ubuntu
XDG_CURRENT_DESKTOP	Unity
XDG_SESSION_DESKTOP	ubuntu
XDG_SESSION_TYPE	x11

Extensions (51)

Extension	Author (truncated)	Version
biome	bio	3.2.0
vscode-tailwindcss	bra	0.14.26
ruff	cha	2025.24.0
vscode-eslint	dba	3.0.16
vscode-axe-linter	deq	4.10.9
docker	doc	0.15.0
gitlens	eam	17.3.4
prettier-vscode	esb	11.0.0
figma-vscode-extension	fig	0.4.1
shell-format	fox	7.2.8
copilot	Git	1.350.0
copilot-chat	Git	0.30.1
vscode-github-actions	git	0.27.2
go	gol	0.48.0
symbols	mig	0.0.24
vscode-containers	ms-	2.1.0
vscode-docker	ms-	2.0.0
playwright	ms-	1.1.15
debugpy	ms-	2025.10.0
pylint	ms-	2025.2.0
python	ms-	2025.12.0
vscode-pylance	ms-	2025.7.1
vscode-python-envs	ms-	1.2.0
remote-containers	ms-	0.422.1
remote-wsl	ms-	0.99.0
cpptools	ms-	1.26.3
makefile-tools	ms-	0.12.17
vscode-speech	ms-	0.16.0
oxc-vscode	oxc	1.11.2
prisma	Pri	6.14.0
java	red	1.44.0
rust-analyzer	rus	0.3.2577
vs-code-prettier-eslint	rve	6.0.0
sonarlint-vscode	Son	4.28.0
code-spell-checker	str	4.0.47
vscode-stylelint	sty	1.5.3
even-better-toml	tam	0.21.2
shellcheck	tim	0.38.3
pdf	tom	1.2.2
errorlens	use	3.26.0
vscode-lldb	vad	1.11.5
intellicode-api-usage-examples	Vis	0.2.9
vscodeintellicode	Vis	1.3.2
vscode-gradle	vsc	3.16.4
vscode-java-debug	vsc	0.58.2
vscode-java-dependency	vsc	0.24.1
vscode-java-pack	vsc	0.29.2
vscode-java-test	vsc	0.43.1
vscode-maven	vsc	0.44.0
vscode-webhint	web	2.1.14
pretty-ts-errors	Yoa	0.6.1

A/B Experiments

vsliv368cf:30146710
binariesv615:30325510
vscrp:30673768
nativeloc1:31344060
dwcopilot:31170013
dwoutputs:31242946
copilot_t_ci:31333650
e5gg6876:31282496
pythoneinst12:31285622
996jf627:31283433
pythonrdcb7:31342333
usemplatestapi:31297334
jjjhb125:31275178
aj953862:31281341
9d2cg352:31346308
convertlamdat:31368659
usemarketplace:31343026
nesew2to5:31336538
agentclaude:31335814
82j33506:31327384
replacestringexc:31350595
nes-set-on:31340697
63221493:31336333
envsactivate1:31353494
0927b901:31350571
ji9b5146:31348712
45650338:31358607
0cj2b977:31352657
0574c672:31362109
newchatstate:31363049
gemagent1cf:31368470
retrydisabled:31368125

[hamirmahal]

Expected behavior

Users should be able to easily undo their changes.

Actual behavior

Users have to

1. Go to the source control tab
2. Click unstage changes
3. Click on the changed lines in the UI again, and
4. Finally click Revert change

[hamirmahal]

I don't remember this process requiring so many steps before. It used to just be

1. Click on the changed lines in the UI, and
2. Click Revert change,

even if the changes were already staged, if I recall correctly.

[hamirmahal]

Did something change recently?

[hamirmahal]

double_the_amount_of_steps_to_undo_changes.webm

[lszomoru]

Until relatively recently VS Code would not show the quick diff decorator for staged changes so one would only have the option to unstage the change, then click on the quick diff decorator and revert the change. As far as I know nothing changed in VS Code but given that you have 51 installed extensions maybe the functionality that you are missing was enabled by an extension?

[hamirmahal]

That's possible, although I think the only extension I have installed that affects git is GitLens, and I haven't added or removed it recently.

[RedCMD]

works fine for me

[lszomoru]

@RedCMD, that is a change that has not been staged yet. The issue here is to revert a change that has been staged since for doing that you first have to unstage the change and then revert it.