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If an AI agent unexpectedly edits or deletes a file, stop any action that could cause more changes, identify exactly what changed, then choose recovery based on where a usable copy exists: the agent’s checkpoint, Git, or an operating-system, backup, or service-specific history. Do not assume an agent’s rewind reverses shell commands or actions outside your workspace.
Stop the agent and assess what happened
- Stop further activity. If a destructive action is still running, cancel it if safe to do so. Avoid starting another restore or cleanup operation until you know what it might overwrite.
- Identify the affected files and timing. Check the editor’s changed-file list or checkpoint view, then inspect Git status and diffs if the project uses Git. Note the earliest unwanted change and any files that disappeared.
- Review what the agent did. Examine recent tool calls, terminal output, and error messages. Determine whether the result was limited to workspace files or also involved a shell command, network request, deployment, or external service. VS Code’s recovery guide recommends establishing this scope before choosing how to recover: Get an agent back on track.
This distinction matters: restoring a file does not undo a command that already ran or reverse a change made in another service.
Use the agent’s checkpoint or rewind only if it covers the change
VS Code checkpoints
In supported VS Code sessions, a checkpoint from before the unwanted edit can restore affected workspace files and conversation history. Checkpoints are temporary and are not a replacement for Git history. They do not reverse terminal commands, network requests, deployments, or changes to external services, as Microsoft’s VS Code recovery guide states.
Inspect the checkpoint’s timing and affected-file scope before restoring it. A checkpoint is useful only if it includes the file state you need; it cannot recover an outside effect merely because that effect happened during the same chat.
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GitHub Copilot CLI rewind
GitHub’s documented Copilot CLI controls include /undo or /rewind; while idle, pressing Esc twice also opens a rewind picker. Choose whether to rewind the conversation only or rewind and restore files. File restoration requires a rewind point and session file-change tracking to have been enabled. The rollback refers to the state before the selected prompt began.
File restoration is not guaranteed for every path: the CLI may skip a file that no longer matches its last written content, or one too large to back up. See GitHub’s instructions for rolling back changes made during a Copilot CLI session. These controls are product-specific; other agents may have different recovery features or none.
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Restore a tracked file with Git
First check what is changed. GitHub recommends git status to list modified, staged, and untracked paths, and git diff to review unstaged edits. Review the target carefully: restoring a path replaces its working-tree contents with the contents from the selected source.
To restore a tracked path from the index (the default source), use:
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git restore -- path/to/file
A deleted tracked file can be restored this way when it is present in the index. To restore from a known-good commit instead, specify that source:
git restore --source=<commit> -- path/to/file
Replace <commit> with the commit identifier you selected. To choose only particular changes interactively, use:
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git restore --patch -- path/to/file
These commands are path-scoped, but they can still discard newer content in the target file. Avoid restoring a whole directory or using a broad command if you have unrelated work to preserve. Also check that the chosen source contains the file: Git removes a tracked path from the working tree when that path is absent from the source. The Git restore manual documents these options and behaviors.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Check other recovery options when the copy is missing
If neither the agent’s recovery point nor Git contains the version you need, look for a copy in the recovery systems configured for your environment. Depending on your setup, that may mean:
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- Checking the operating system’s deleted-items or file-recovery feature.
- Reviewing version history in a sync provider or cloud drive.
- Restoring from a configured backup.
- Using the affected external service’s own recovery controls for changes made there.
These options depend on the system and service, and may not exist or contain a recoverable copy. Git restore uses the index or a chosen source; it is not a backup for content that never entered Git’s recoverable history. Similarly, an agent checkpoint’s workspace recovery does not cover every command or outside action.
Verify the recovery and check for outside effects
After restoring, run git status and inspect git diff to confirm which changes remain. Open the restored file and check that it contains the expected version; if it is tracked as deleted, confirm it is present again. Then separately verify any shell, deployment, network, or external-service action identified during triage. A file rewind alone is not proof that those effects were reversed.
Reduce the chance of losing work next time
- Set a known-good starting point. Before a large or risky task, commit the current work so there is a clear version to compare with or restore.
- Define the change boundary. Tell the agent which files or areas it may change, what it should leave untouched, and how you will judge the result. For larger tasks, ask for a plan before execution.
- Review early changes. Inspect the first meaningful diff before allowing a broad task to continue.
- Keep unfamiliar workflows under manual permission controls. Review what the agent is allowed to do, especially before approving commands or actions with effects beyond the workspace.
- Use sandboxing with its actual limits in mind. VS Code documents OS-level terminal sandboxing for terminal commands and child processes; built-in file tools instead use VS Code’s permission system. Support and maturity vary by platform, and some sandbox capabilities are marked Preview or Experimental. Sandboxing is a boundary, not an undo mechanism. See VS Code’s trust and safety documentation.
A Git worktree, agent checkpoint, terminal sandbox, remote repository, and general backup serve different purposes. None should be treated as a universal record of every file operation and external action.
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