SourceTree commit author change/update
Asked by Patrick eHawaii:

In SourceTree, how do I update the author that shows in the Author field of the commit UI? it always seems to revert back to a name \& email that i don't recall inputting.


Answers:
author: KieranA
body: Hi Patrick,

There are two places this could be happening. Firstly you have a global user details setting in SourceTree. This can be found in the SourceTree menu then "Preferences" (or Cmd+,) and you'll see at the top which user details are used.

![](http://i.imgur.com/9FWqnt5.png)

If these are correct then there are repository-level settings instead allowing you to override the global settings per-repository. You can find these by going to either the "Repository" menu (when the repo window is open) and hitting "Repository Settings" or clicking the "Settings" button on the toolbar of the repository window on the right hand side. Click on the "Advanced" tab and you'll see some further author details. If the checkbox "Use global user settings" is turned off then it'll be using those author details instead.

![](http://i.imgur.com/CpI2nby.jpg)

Hope that helps!

comments: author: Patrick eHawaii
body: Thank you for your response! This helped, though I should mention...

I checked both settings, and both showed identical author name \& email, but only when I uncheck "Use global user setting" does the commit author change as expected. And, in order for the "Use global user setting" to work when checked (even though both showed the same info), I needed to edit the Default user info and just re-enter the same info.

Thanks again!


author: David Scherer
body: I can confirm this is the case. Version 1.5.2.0 of SourceTree.

You have to clear the "Default User Information" save, then re-type and save before it will update and correctly use this for commits on Repos that are set to use the default info.


author: zenyuk
body: Can confirm this behavior on SourceTree version 1.7.0.32059


author: Scott Davis
body: Issue still exists in 1.9.10.0. Glad for the workaround mentioned by David. I had to delete my email address from the Default User Information field, apply, open, type in same email address as appeared there before, apply. Now the commit dialog shows the correct info.


author: Anthony Gibbs
body: Thanks Scott. I had the same issue with 2.0.20.1, and your suggested workaround fixed the problem for me too.


author: dhenrybitbucket
body: Can confirm - still happening in the version immediately prior to 2.7.1. I applied the fix concurrent with upgrading, so I can't say if this still exists in 2.7.1.


author: dardandemiri
body: I can confirm too, it is still happening my version is: 2.4.8.0  
What an annoying bug !!! :@


author: Certus_Desenv2
body: Thanks [David Scherer](https://community.atlassian.com/t5/user/viewprofilepage/user-id/617947),  
I got it with your help.


author: Frank M. Brown
body: This issue is currently happening in version 2.5.5 also.


author: oksana_tvori
body: Still an issue in 2.6.9. Will it be fixed!?!


author: Yousof
body: 2.6.10.0 has the same issue. That is not fun


author: Dean Faizal
body: deleted


author: RAIS SHAIKH
body: In my case ExDev who handed-over this computer to me, his ID PW was there as global. I entered mine one and checked use globally. And it worked.


author: itisiyke
body: v 3.0.12, still an issue


author: ivnnv
body: Almost 6 years later and this stills an issue on 2.7.6 macOS.  
Need to untick "use global user settings" to manually type name/email on each repo settings :D


author: Quan Tran
body: I also faced this issue with v 3.0.17.

Now 7 years later, this issue has not been fixed. Bravo !


author: Dean Faizal
body: Just forget it and move on to GitKraken: <https://www.gitkraken.com>


author: David G
body: 3.2.6 is still broken. I looked everywhere I could think of to try to see where it's being cached, but to no avail. [@David Scherer](/t5/user/viewprofilepage/user-id/617947) 's method worked for me. Going to bite the bullet and buy GitKraken before my next project.


author: Maik Wandrei
body: Had incorrect author set in my commits too on Version 3.2.6. Unchecking the "Use global settings" checkbox under the advanced repository settings worked for me. Not sure if this is related to the crash on commit issue, when no user.name and user.email is set in git settings.


author: Michael Reiff
body: Behaviour still valid in 3.3.8


author: Tommy
body: Still same behaviour in 3.4.4


author: seesharp
body: You can use command prompt to fix it:

$ git config user.name "John Doe" $ git config user.email "john@doe.org"

For Globally you can do that by:

$ git config --global user.name "John Doe" $ git config --global user.email "john@doe.org"


Tags: author