# Change branch settings in AWS CodeCommit
<a name="how-to-change-branch"></a>

You can change which branch to use as the default branch in the AWS CodeCommit console or with the AWS CLI. For example, if you created your first commit using a Git client that set the default branch to *master*, you could create a branch named *main*, and then change the branch settings so that the new branch is set as the default branch for the repository. To change other branch settings, you can use Git from a local repo connected to the CodeCommit repository. 

**Topics**
+ [Change the default branch (console)](#how-to-change-branch-console)
+ [Change the default branch (AWS CLI)](#how-to-change-branch-cli)

## Change the default branch (console)
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You can specify which branch is the default branch in a CodeCommit repository in the AWS CodeCommit console. 

1. Open the CodeCommit console at [https://console.aws.amazon.com/codesuite/codecommit/home](https://console.aws.amazon.com/codesuite/codecommit/home).

1. In **Repositories**, choose the name of the repository where you want to change settings. 

1. In the navigation pane, choose **Settings**.

1. In **Default branch**, choose the branch drop-down list and choose a different branch. Choose **Save**.
**Tip**  
If you do not see another branch in the drop-down list, you have not created any additional branches. You cannot change the default branch of a repository if the repository has only one branch. For more information, see [Create a branch in AWS CodeCommit](how-to-create-branch.md).
If you do not see the **Default branch** section but instead see items for notification rules and connections, you are in the general settings menu for the console. The settings menu for repositories is listed under **Repositories** at the same level as **Code** and **Pull requests**.

## Change the default branch (AWS CLI)
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To use AWS CLI commands with CodeCommit, install the AWS CLI. For more information, see [Command line reference](cmd-ref.md). 

To use the AWS CLI to change a repository's branch settings in a CodeCommit repository, run the following command:
+ [update-default-branch](#how-to-change-branch-cli-default) to change the default branch.

### To change the default branch
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1. Run the **update-default-branch** command, specifying:
   + The name of the CodeCommit repository where the default branch is updated (with the **--repository-name** option).
**Tip**  
To get the name of the CodeCommit repository, run the [list-repositories](how-to-view-repository-details.md#how-to-view-repository-details-no-name-cli) command.
   + The name of the new default branch (with the **--default-branch-name** option).
**Tip**  
To get the name of the branch, run the [list-branches](how-to-view-branch-details.md#how-to-view-branch-details-cli) command.

1. For example, to change the default branch to `MyNewBranch` in a CodeCommit repository named `MyDemoRepo`:

   ```
   aws codecommit update-default-branch --repository-name MyDemoRepo --default-branch-name MyNewBranch
   ```

   This command produces output only if there are errors.

For more options, see your Git documentation.