I Deleted My Connected GitHub Repo in Lovable

What happens when you delete the connected GitHub repo?

Deleting the GitHub repository that Lovable was syncing to immediately breaks GitHub sync — Lovable can no longer push to the now-gone path. However, your Lovable project itself is unaffected: the editor, all your prompts, and the full version history remain in Lovable. You have not lost your app. What you have lost is the GitHub push history and any code that existed only in the repository and not in the Lovable editor.

GitHub soft-deletes repositories for 30 days after deletion — they are accessible to the account owner via the deleted repositories list and can be fully restored during that window. After 30 days, the deletion is permanent and the repository cannot be recovered through any GitHub-provided path.

The critical question is: does your Lovable editor state reflect the version of the code you want? If the Lovable editor is current, you can reconnect to a new repository and push from there. If your most recent work was pushed to GitHub but is not yet reflected in the Lovable editor — for example, if you made manual commits to the repo outside Lovable — then recovering the deleted repo during the 30-day window is the only way to get that work back.

How do I recover a deleted GitHub repository?

GitHub allows repository owners to restore a deleted repository within 30 days. The process is straightforward — but it requires you to be the repository owner or an organisation admin. Restoring the repository also restores the full commit history, branches, pull requests, and issues. The Lovable GitHub App connection should resume automatically once the original path is restored.

1. Go to github.com/settings/deleted_repositories (personal) or github.com/organizations/YOUR-ORG/settings/deleted_repositories (org).
2. Find the deleted repository in the list and click Restore.
3. Confirm the restoration — GitHub will restore the repo to the same path it was at before deletion.
4. Go to GitHub → Settings → Applications → Lovable → Configure and verify the restored repo is in the access list.
5. Return to the Lovable editor and make a small change to trigger a push.
6. Confirm a new commit appears on the default branch (main) in the restored repository.

What if the 30-day recovery window has closed?

If 30 days have passed since deletion, GitHub cannot recover the repository through any supported path. Your option is to disconnect GitHub in Lovable and reconnect — this creates a new repository and Lovable pushes the current editor state there. Your previous commit history from the deleted repository is permanently gone, but your Lovable editor state and version history remain intact.

1. Open the Lovable editor → Settings → GitHub → Disconnect.
2. Click 'Connect to GitHub' and complete the OAuth flow.
3. Lovable will create a new repository and begin pushing there.
4. Make a change in the editor to trigger the first push to the new repository.
5. Update any deployment pipelines or CI/CD configurations that referenced the old repository path.

Is my Lovable app code safe if I deleted the GitHub repo?

Yes. The Lovable editor stores your project state independently of GitHub. Deleting the connected repository does not delete or alter what is in the Lovable editor. Think of the GitHub connection as a push mirror — the repository receives copies of what is in the editor, but the editor is the primary store. The editor state, all previous prompt versions, and the full rollback history remain accessible regardless of what happened to GitHub.

The only code at risk is anything that was committed directly to the GitHub repository outside the Lovable editor — manual commits, pull request merges, or CI-generated changes. Those exist only in GitHub, not in Lovable's version history, and will be permanently lost after the 30-day window closes.

How do I reconnect to a new GitHub repo after losing the old one?

After the 30-day window closes — or if you decide not to restore the deleted repo — you reconnect Lovable to a new repository through the standard GitHub connect flow. The Lovable editor pushes your current code state to the new repository on the first sync. The new repository starts with a single initial commit reflecting the current editor state, not the full historical commit log.

1. Confirm the Lovable GitHub App is installed at github.com/apps/lovable-dev.
2. In the Lovable editor, go to Settings → GitHub and click Connect (if previously disconnected) or Reconnect.
3. Complete the OAuth flow — Lovable will create a new repository.
4. Make a change in the editor to trigger the initial push.
5. Verify the new repository receives the commit within 30 seconds.
6. Archive or note the name of the new repository for your deployment configuration.

When do I need a senior engineer after losing the repo?

If your most recent, critical work was in manual commits to the deleted repository and the 30-day window has closed, a senior engineer can sometimes recover partial git history from local clones, CI artefacts, or deployment build logs — but this is not guaranteed and is time-sensitive. The earlier you engage, the more recovery options exist.

Even if full history recovery is not possible, a senior engineer can set up a new repository cleanly, reconcile any divergence between the Lovable editor state and your deployment, and establish a backup strategy to prevent the same loss in the future.