How to see all branches in a GitHub repository

The branch picker on a repository's home page only shows a short dropdown, so it's easy to miss how many branches actually exist. GitHub keeps the full list on a dedicated Branches page, one click away. This guide shows how to see all branches in a GitHub repository, what the Overview, Active, Stale, and All tabs mean, and how to read each branch's status at a glance.

The branch count sits next to the branch picker

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Steps

1. Open the repository

   Go to the repository on github.com. Next to the branch picker at the top of the code view, GitHub shows how many branches the repository has.

2. Click the Branches link

   Click the branch count (for example "3 Branches") to open the Branches page. You can also get there directly by adding /branches to the repository URL.

3. Review the branches overview

   The Overview tab shows the default branch and the most recently active branches, each with its last update, check status, and any open pull request.

4. Switch to All branches

   Click the All tab to list every branch in the repository — including stale ones that haven't seen a commit in a while.

5. Browse the complete list

   Each row shows when the branch was last updated and how far it is ahead of or behind the default branch. Use the search box above the list to filter branches by name.

Why see all branches in a GitHub repository?

The Branches page answers questions the code view can't: what's currently in flight, which branches have gone stale and are safe to clean up, and how far a branch has drifted ahead of or behind the default branch before you merge. Checking it regularly keeps a team's branch list an honest picture of active work rather than an archive of forgotten experiments.

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