How to Merge Branches in TortoiseGit

The task of merging branches where separate features are developed and combining them into the main branch is an essential part of using Git. TortoiseGit is a helpful GUI for managing a Git project. It provides a simple interface for complex operations such as merging branches.

Merging in TortoiseGit

There are two primary ways of merging branches in TortoiseGit:

Method 1 - Merge another branch into the current branch

  1. In File Explorer navigate to your Git repo location and right-click on the repository directory.
  2. Ensure you have checked out the branch that you want to merge changes into.
  3. In the context menu navigate to TortoiseGit > Merge.
  4. In the following window under From > Branch select the branch you want merged into the current branch.
  5. Click OK.

Method 2 - Merge when Switching Branches

In TortiseGit you can choose which branch you want to merge when switching branches.

  1. In File Explorer, right-click on the repository directory.
  2. Select TortoiseGit > Switch/Checkout.
  3. Under Switch To select the branch you want to merge changes into.
    • For example, if you want to merge changes from FEATURE-BRANCH-ONE into MAIN branch, check out the MAIN branch.
  4. In the window that notifies you the checkout has been successful, click Merge.
    • Note: You may need to stash any unpublished changes or resolve merge conflicts before you are able to switch to another branch.
  5. In the Merge window under From > Branch select the branch you wish to merge into the current branch.
  6. Click OK.