If you’ve ever opened GitHub and noticed the wrong name on your commits — or spotted a commit on your main branch that never should’ve been there. These are some of the most common (and stressful) Git problems developers run into, especially when working in teams or switching between multiple accounts.

The good news is this: Git gives you the tools to fix both issues cleanly. The bad news? Using the wrong command can make things worse if you don’t understand what’s really going on.

This guide walks you through:

• Why Android Studio shows the wrong Git user
• How to correctly change the Git author (without breaking anything)
• How to fix commits that are already pushed
• When to remove commits entirely vs safely reverting them
• Best practices to avoid these problems in the future

Everything here is based on how Git actually works under the hood — not IDE myths.

Why Android Studio Shows the Wrong Git User

Let’s clear up the most common misunderstanding first:

Android Studio does not control your Git commit author. Git does.

Android Studio is just a client. When you click “Commit,” it asks Git two questions:

• What is the author name?
• What is the author email?

Git answers based on its configuration files. That’s it.

So changing your GitHub account inside Android Studio affects authentication (push and pull permissions), but it does not change the commit author. That’s why this issue keeps coming back.

How Git Decides Who You Are

Git identifies authors using two values:

• user.name
• user.email

These can exist at two levels:

1. Global — applies to all repositories on your machine
2. Local (project-specific) — applies only to the current repository

Git always prefers local settings over global ones.

The Correct Way to Change Git User in Android Studio (Recommended)

If you work on multiple projects or use more than one GitHub account, this is the safest approach.

Step 1: Open the Terminal in Android Studio

Open your project, then click Terminal at the bottom.

Step 2: Set the Git user for this project only

git config user.name "Your Correct Name"<br>git config user.email "[email protected]"

Step 3: Verify

git config user.name<br>git config user.email

From this point forward, all new commits in this project will use the correct author.

Changing Git User Globally (Use With Caution)

If every repository on your machine is using the wrong user, update the global config:

git config --global user.name "Your Name"<br>git config --global user.email "[email protected]"

Verify with:

git config --global --lista

This affects all Git repositories on your system.

Why Switching GitHub Accounts Doesn’t Fix Commit Names

Android Studio’s GitHub settings only control:

• Authentication
• Push and pull permissions

They do not control commit authorship. That’s why you can push to one account while commits show another name entirely.

SSH Keys: Why Pushes Go to the Wrong Account

If you’re using SSH, GitHub identifies you by your SSH key, not your username.

Check which account your machine is using:

ssh -T [email protected]

If GitHub responds with the wrong username, your SSH key is attached to the wrong account.

The Correct Fix

• Generate a new SSH key
• Add it to the correct GitHub account
• Configure ~/.ssh/config to explicitly use that key

This ensures commits and permissions align correctly.

Why Existing Commits Don’t Update Automatically

Changing Git config only affects future commits.

Once a commit exists:

• Its author is permanent
• It cannot be changed unless history is rewritten

That’s intentional. Git values integrity over convenience.

How to Fix the Author of the Last Commit

If the most recent commit has the wrong author:

git commit --amend --author="Your Name <[email protected]>"<br>git push --force-with-lease

Only do this if rewriting history is acceptable.

Fixing Multiple Commits With the Wrong Author

Use interactive rebase:

git rebase -i HEAD~N

Change pick to edit for the commits you want to fix, then run:

git commit --amend --author="Your Name <[email protected]>"<br>git rebase --continue

Finish with:

git push --force-with-lease

Removing an Unwanted Commit From a Remote Repository

This is where many developers panic. The right solution depends on who else is affected.

Option 1: Hard Reset (Deletes History)

Use this only if:

• It’s your personal branch, or
• The commit contains sensitive data

Steps

git log --oneline<br>git reset --hard <last-good-commit><br>git push origin <branch> --force-with-lease

Everyone else must reset their local branch afterward.

Option 2: Revert (Safest for Teams)

If the branch is shared or protected, always revert.

git revert <bad-commit-hash><br>git push origin <branch>

This creates a new commit that undoes the change without rewriting history.

When to Use Reset vs Revert

Removing Multiple Commits Cleanly (Interactive Rebase)

For mixed good and bad commits:

git rebase -i HEAD~5

Change pick to drop for unwanted commits, then:

git push --force-with-lease

Always create a backup branch first:

git branch backup-before-cleanup

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Force-pushing without warning your team
• Using --force instead of --force-with-lease
• Rewriting history on protected branches
• Forgetting to back up before rebasing

If something goes wrong, git reflog can usually save you.

Best Practices to Prevent These Issues

• Always verify Git user before starting a project
• Prefer project-level Git config
• Use separate SSH keys for different accounts
• Protect main branches with PR rules
• Never force-push without coordination
• Keep commit emails matching your GitHub account

Conclusion

Android Studio often gets blamed for Git problems it doesn’t actually control. Once you understand that Git owns identity and history, everything becomes easier to reason about — and fix.

By setting the correct Git user, managing SSH keys properly, and choosing the right strategy for removing commits, you can keep your repositories clean without disrupting your team.

If you treat Git history with intention instead of panic, it becomes a powerful tool instead of a constant source of stress.