How to Recover Discarded Code in Xcode Without a Git Commit?

If you’ve discarded code changes in Xcode without committing them to Git, don’t worry—your Mac offers a built-in way to recover previous versions of your files. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you retrieve your code using the macOS “Revert to” feature:

Step 1: Navigate to the File Location

First, locate the file that contains the code you want to recover. This will be the file you were working on before the changes were discarded. You can find the file within your project directory.

Step 2: Open the File with TextEdit

1. Right-click on the file.
2. From the context menu, select Open With and choose TextEdit.

TextEdit will allow you to view and manage the file’s previous versions using macOS’s versioning feature.

Step 3: Access the “Revert to” Menu

1. In the TextEdit window, click on File in the top menu bar.
2. From the dropdown, select Revert To and then choose Browse All Versions.

This will open the macOS version history interface, displaying all previously saved versions of the file.

Step 4: Browse and Restore Your Code

1. Use the timeline on the right side of the screen to navigate through different versions of the file.
2. Preview each version to find the one that contains the code you want to recover.
3. Once you’ve identified the correct version, click Restore to recover it.

Important Notes

• This recovery method works because macOS automatically saves snapshots of files as you work on them, even if you haven’t explicitly saved changes.
• If you are working on a non-text file (e.g., a project file specific to Xcode), you might need to open it with an editor that supports version history, or use Xcode’s own file history tools if available.
• To avoid losing code in the future, consider regularly committing changes to a Git repository or using version control tools.

By following these steps, you can confidently restore your discarded changes and continue working without losing progress!