Last updated: February 2026
Learn how to edit, save, and manage files using GitKraken Desktop’s built-in editor.
Quick Start
Edit files directly in GitKraken Desktop without switching to an external editor.
To open a file for editing:
- Right-click any file in the Commit Panel or via View all files and select Edit file.
- Or open the Command Palette (Ctrl/Cmd + P), type
Edit File, and enter the filename. - Or click the Edit this file button from any file diff view.
To save changes:
- Press Ctrl/Cmd + S. A blue dot in the editor indicates unsaved changes.
To discard unsaved changes:
- Hover over the blue dot in the editor tab and click the X, then confirm with Don’t Save.
To stage your edits:
- Click Stage File in the Commit Panel. Choose Save and stage to save and stage together, or Stage saved changes only to stage only what was already saved.
For .md files, click Preview in the editor toolbar to toggle a rendered Markdown preview alongside the editor. GitKraken Desktop expects UTF-8 encoding by default; adjust the encoding setting from the dropdown in the editor or under Preferences > Encoding.
Enter Edit Mode Automatically
If you create a new file, GitKraken Desktop opens the file immediately in edit mode so you can begin editing right away.
Ways to Edit an Existing File
1. Use the Context Menu
Right-click a file (from a previous commit or via View all files) and select Edit file.
2. Use the Command Palette
- Press Ctrl/Cmd + P
- Type
Edit Fileand press Enter - Type the filename and press Enter
3. Use the Diff or File View
Click the button from a file diff.
Note: If viewing a file on a different branch, the button will read Edit in working directory. It opens the file version from your current branch.
File Edit Indicators
The upper-left corner of the file editor shows:
- editable tag: Indicates the file can be modified
- blue dot: Indicates unsaved changes
Save or Discard Changes
- Press Ctrl/Cmd + S to save
- To discard unsaved changes:
- Hover over the blue dot
- Click the X
- Select Don't Save
Stage Your File Edits
After editing, click to commit your changes. Options include:
- Save and stage
- Stage saved changes only
File Encoding
GitKraken Desktop expects most files to use UTF-8 encoding. To review or adjust encoding:
- Use the dropdown at the top of the editor
- Visit Preferences > Encoding
- Or select Guess Encoding to let GitKraken match it automatically
Note: GitKraken Desktop does not change a file’s encoding upon save. Use an external editor like VS Code if you need to convert encodings.
Markdown Preview
GitKraken Desktop includes a built-in markdown preview for .md files. To access the option, first click to edit a file in the upper left of the file diff.
From here, toggle the preview pane by clicking the button in the top of the editor.
You can switch between editing and previewing the markdown content.
