> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://mintlify.com/livrasand/desktop/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Quickstart

> Get up and running with GitHub Desktop in minutes

Get started with GitHub Desktop and make your first commit in just a few steps.

## Prerequisites

Before you begin, make sure you have:

* [Installed GitHub Desktop](/installation) on your computer
* A GitHub account (sign up at [github.com](https://github.com))

## Step 1: Sign In to GitHub

<Steps>
  <Step title="Launch GitHub Desktop">
    Open GitHub Desktop from your Applications folder (macOS) or Start menu (Windows).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Sign in with your GitHub account">
    1. Click **Sign in to GitHub.com**
    2. You'll be redirected to GitHub in your browser
    3. Click **Authorize desktop** to grant access
    4. Return to GitHub Desktop

    <Info>
      For GitHub Enterprise, click **Sign in to GitHub Enterprise Server** and enter your server URL.
    </Info>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Configure Git">
    GitHub Desktop will automatically configure Git with your name and email from your GitHub account.

    You can verify or change these settings in **Preferences → Git** (macOS) or **File → Options → Git** (Windows).
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Step 2: Clone a Repository

<Steps>
  <Step title="Choose a repository to clone">
    On the welcome screen, click **Clone a Repository from the Internet**.

    Alternatively, go to **File → Clone Repository** (or `⌘⇧O` on macOS, `Ctrl+Shift+O` on Windows).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Select your repository">
    You'll see a list of repositories from your GitHub account:

    1. Browse the **GitHub.com** tab for your personal repositories
    2. Search for a specific repository
    3. Or enter a URL in the **URL** tab

    <Tip>
      Don't have a repository yet? Create one on [GitHub](https://github.com/new) first, or click **Create a New Repository** in GitHub Desktop.
    </Tip>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Choose local path">
    Select where you want to save the repository on your computer, then click **Clone**.

    <Note>
      By default, repositories are saved to `~/Documents/GitHub` on macOS or `%USERPROFILE%\Documents\GitHub` on Windows.
    </Note>
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Step 3: Make Changes

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open the repository in your editor">
    Click **Repository → Open in \[Your Editor]** or press `⌘⇧A` (macOS) / `Ctrl+Shift+A` (Windows).

    This will open the repository in your configured external editor (VS Code, Atom, etc.).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Edit a file">
    Make a change to any file in the repository. For example:

    1. Open `README.md`
    2. Add a new line of text
    3. Save the file
  </Step>

  <Step title="View changes in GitHub Desktop">
    Switch back to GitHub Desktop. You'll see:

    * The **Changes** tab showing modified files
    * A diff view showing what changed (green for additions, red for deletions)
    * Checkboxes to select which changes to include

    <Info>
      GitHub Desktop automatically detects all changes in your repository.
    </Info>
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Step 4: Make Your First Commit

<Steps>
  <Step title="Stage your changes">
    By default, all changes are selected (staged). You can:

    * Uncheck files to exclude them from the commit
    * Check/uncheck individual lines by clicking in the diff view
  </Step>

  <Step title="Write a commit message">
    In the bottom-left corner:

    1. Enter a **summary** (e.g., "Update README with project description")
    2. Optionally add a **description** for more context

    <Tip>
      Good commit messages are clear and explain *why* you made the change, not just *what* changed.
    </Tip>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Create the commit">
    Click the **Commit to main** button.

    Your changes are now saved in your local Git history!
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Step 5: Push to GitHub

<Steps>
  <Step title="Push your commits">
    After committing, you'll see a notification: **Push origin**.

    Click the **Push origin** button in the top-right corner to upload your commits to GitHub.

    <Info>
      The button shows the number of commits ready to push (e.g., "Push origin ↑1").
    </Info>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Verify on GitHub">
    Open your repository on GitHub.com to verify your changes:

    1. Go to `github.com/[your-username]/[your-repo]`
    2. You should see your commit in the commit history
    3. Your changes are now visible to collaborators!
  </Step>
</Steps>

## What You've Learned

Congratulations! You've successfully:

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Signed In" icon="check">
    Connected GitHub Desktop to your GitHub account
  </Card>

  <Card title="Cloned" icon="check">
    Downloaded a repository to your computer
  </Card>

  <Card title="Committed" icon="check">
    Saved changes with a descriptive commit message
  </Card>

  <Card title="Pushed" icon="check">
    Uploaded your commits to GitHub
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Next Steps

Now that you know the basics, explore more features:

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Branches" icon="code-branch" href="/features/branches">
    Learn how to create and switch between branches
  </Card>

  <Card title="Pull Requests" icon="code-pull-request" href="/features/pull-requests">
    Create pull requests directly from GitHub Desktop
  </Card>

  <Card title="Merge Conflicts" icon="code-merge" href="/features/merge-conflicts">
    Resolve conflicts when collaborating with others
  </Card>

  <Card title="History & Diffs" icon="clock-rotate-left" href="/features/history-and-diffs">
    View commit history and compare changes
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Common Next Actions

<Accordion title="How do I create a new repository?">
  1. Go to **File → New Repository** (or `⌘N` / `Ctrl+N`)
  2. Enter the repository name and description
  3. Choose a local path
  4. Click **Create Repository**
  5. Optionally publish it to GitHub with **Publish Repository**
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="How do I switch branches?">
  1. Click the **Current Branch** dropdown at the top
  2. Select an existing branch or click **New Branch**
  3. GitHub Desktop will switch to that branch
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="How do I pull changes from GitHub?">
  Click the **Fetch origin** button regularly to check for new commits. If there are changes, click **Pull origin** to download them.
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="How do I undo a commit?">
  1. Go to the **History** tab
  2. Right-click on the commit you want to undo
  3. Select **Revert Changes in Commit**

  This creates a new commit that undoes the changes.
</Accordion>

<Note>
  Need more help? Check out our [Troubleshooting Guide](/support/troubleshooting) or [FAQ](/support/faq).
</Note>