Commons:History merging and splitting

Visualization of the merging process.

Shortcuts: COM:HMS • COM:HISTMERGE This page provides information on issues and solutions relating pages and files that underwent cut-and-paste moves (which its history has to be put back together), and inappropriate merging/overwriting (of which its history needs to be split).

History merging

Because most users have the ability to use the move page function, cut-and-paste moves are usually done by people who are not aware of that function, or when the move function fails (e.g. because the target has history), and people who aren't aware of the Administrators Noticeboard forum to ask for help from an administrator.

When a cut-and-paste move is done, the page history of a page can be split among two or more different pages. This is very undesirable, because we need to keep the history with the content for copyright reasons. In most circumstances, administrators are able to fix this by merging page histories.

Instructions for admins
  1. Temporarily delete NewPage
  2. Move OldPage to NewPage, using the move functionality. (In case it is a file, you have to open the Move & Replace link in a new tab or disable AjaxQuickDelete in your preferences.) (Now the old history versions are the whole of the new title’s.)
  3. Undelete the NewPage page, by:
    1. Viewing the page/file history
    2. Clicking “View or restore … deleted edits?”, and
    3. Clicking on “Restore!”. (Now the new title’s history has both the old and new versions, including an extra copy of the most recent version of OldPage, created by the move tool.)
  4. At this stage, NewPage will only show the text “#REDIRECT NewPage” (assuming a redirect was the most recent version of OldPage, the NewPage page will now be showing whatever the most recent version of OldPage was). The last step is to revert (or RevisionDelete) to the last version of NewPage from before the move.

Special:MergeHistory makes it possible to automatically merge the history of two pages.

History splitting

Over time, pages or files may change from one underlying topic to a completely separate topic. Normally, this should be accomplished through moves of pages, or by reuploading an altered file on a slightly different title. However, if a user is unfamiliar with those processes they may simply change the subject of a page or file (overwriting the old). If this is not caught immediately it is very easy for the new topic to build up a substantial edit history of its own.

Instructions for admins
  1. Temporarily delete the page/file (original title)
  2. Restore previous revisions up to (but not including) the point where the topic was changed.
  3. Move (without redirect) the restored versions (old topic) to the desired new title. (In case it is a file, you have to open the Move & Replace link in a new tab or disable AjaxQuickDelete in your preferences.)
    • If there’s already a file or page under the new title and you wish to histmerge into it:
    a) select the “delete the existing article” option, while moving;
    b) restore deleted revisions of new title.
  4. Restore new revisions of new topic (still at original title).

A history merge could also be undone in this way.

Requesting a merge or split

To request a merge or split, fill the following template, and submit it at the bottom of this page. Remember, both files need to be of the same type. Merging of more than two files may also be possible in some cases.


== [[:FILE/PAGE 1]] → [[:FILE/PAGE 2]] ==
* Request: [Split or Merge]
* Reason:
--~~~~

For merges, replace FILE/PAGE 2 with the page you want FILE/PAGE 1 contents to be merged into.

For splits, replace FILE/PAGE 2 with the new filename which you want the newer content to be moved from FILE/PAGE 1.

 

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Current requests

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 See also categories: Media requiring a split up and Requested merges.

File:Docomo new logo.svg → File:NTT Docomo 2025.svg

  • Request: [Merge]
  • Reason: Both files are same image except with different file size (the former had 126x24, while the latter had 490x89). Giving that situation, i want to see both files to be merged as a single file.

--2404:8000:1037:587:507C:BD88:68D3:25A2 09:37, 1 July 2025 (UTC)

✓ Done --Sreejith K (talk) 18:52, 2 July 2025 (UTC)
Checkmark This section is resolved and can be archived. If you disagree, replace this template with your comment. --Sreejith K (talk) 18:52, 2 July 2025 (UTC)

File:Tic tac toe plausible.svg → File:Tic tac toe.svg

  • Request: Merge
  • Reason: The new file was intended to replace the original file, but I lack permissions to overwrite the original file. The images serve exactly the same purpose, with the only difference being the swapping of the X and the O on the sides of the horizontal row. The reason this is relevant is because the new version of the image actually represents a plausible game of Tic Tac Toe being played, whereas the original cannot occur when the game is played by players who actually want to win (there are single-move wins present in any order of moves that end up in the original end state).

If there are issues with the licensing on the image, I am also okay with adopting the exact same license as the original image (I just selected a license from the upload wizard for this image). --Joeytje50 (talk) 13:23, 1 July 2025 (UTC)

✓ Done --Sreejith K (talk) 18:54, 2 July 2025 (UTC)
Checkmark This section is resolved and can be archived. If you disagree, replace this template with your comment. --Sreejith K (talk) 18:54, 2 July 2025 (UTC)

Category:Max (streaming service) → Category:HBO Max

File:HBO Max Logo.svg

  • Request: [Split]
  • Reason: please split

2601:8C:4182:9AB0:5406:9CC1:5E56:4EB 22:13, 1 July 2025 (UTC)

Question If you stated the reason of the split is to separate pre-October 2019 logos uploaded by Vistadan such as 21 July 2019 revision, 25 December 2023 revision, 21 July 2019 original upload, and 30 October 2019 revision to a new combined files (and possibly merge with File:HBO Max Logo Old.svg), this request will be acceptable. However, the IPv6 request looks unclear regarding the reason. Yayan550 (talk) 23:49, 1 July 2025 (UTC)
✓ Done - See File:HBO Max Logo (2).svg and File:HBO Max Logo (3).svg. Add {{Logo history}} wherever it is required. --Sreejith K (talk) 19:02, 2 July 2025 (UTC)
Checkmark This section is resolved and can be archived. If you disagree, replace this template with your comment. --Sreejith K (talk) 19:02, 2 July 2025 (UTC)

File:HBO Max logo (May 2025) (Black monochrome).svg → File:HBO Max (2025).svg

  • Request: [Merge]
  • Reason: Both file are same image and same file size, except the former was uploaded by Lee6597 on 15 May 2025 at 03:41, while the latter was uploaded by LucasJance2006 on 15 May 2025 at 02:57 UTC. I suggest that two files to be merged as a single file with File:HBO Max (2025).svg as the combined name for two files.

--Yayan550 (talk) 01:25, 10 July 2025 (UTC)

✓ Done --Sreejith K (talk) 13:10, 10 July 2025 (UTC)
Checkmark This section is resolved and can be archived. If you disagree, replace this template with your comment. --Sreejith K (talk) 13:10, 10 July 2025 (UTC)

Follow-up to: File:Byzantine imperial flag, 14th century.svg → File:Byzantine imperial flag, 14th century (firesteels vesion).svg

  • Reason: for clarity's sake, the edit-war reverts that took place before the split should be deleted from the file history.

1) The following versions of File:Byzantine imperial flag, 14th century.svg should be deleted:

  • 15:44, 9 January 2021
  • all the version after 15:44, 9 January 2021

2) The following versions of File:Byzantine imperial flag, 14th century (firesteels vesion).svg should be deleted:

  • 11:08, 9 January 2021
  • all the versions after 11:08, 9 January 2021

--Veverve (talk) 09:26, 13 July 2025 (UTC)

✓ Done --Sreejith K (talk) 15:01, 14 July 2025 (UTC)
Checkmark This section is resolved and can be archived. If you disagree, replace this template with your comment. --Sreejith K (talk) 15:01, 14 July 2025 (UTC)

Follow-up to: File:Flag of Palaeologus Emperor - Libro del conosçimiento de todos los rregnos.svg → File:Flag of Palaeologus Emperor - Libro del conosçimiento de todos los rregnos (Bs).svg

1) The following versions of File:Flag of Palaeologus Emperor - Libro del conosçimiento de todos los rregnos.svg should be deleted:

  • 11:06, 9 January 2021

2) The following versions of File:Flag of Palaeologus Emperor - Libro del conosçimiento de todos los rregnos (Bs).svg shoukd be deleted:

  • 15:56, 9 January 2021

--Veverve (talk) 09:43, 13 July 2025 (UTC)

✓ Done --Sreejith K (talk) 19:07, 14 July 2025 (UTC)
Checkmark This section is resolved and can be archived. If you disagree, replace this template with your comment. --Sreejith K (talk) 19:07, 14 July 2025 (UTC)

File:Motoise-gegu01.png → File:Motoise-gegu02.png

  • Request: Merge
  • Reason: The second one is just a new upload for the 1st with a minor edit removing an apparent error

--Immanuelle ❤️💚💙 (please tag me) 05:13, 15 July 2025 (UTC)

✓ Done --Sreejith K (talk) 19:34, 15 July 2025 (UTC)
Checkmark This section is resolved and can be archived. If you disagree, replace this template with your comment. --Sreejith K (talk) 19:34, 15 July 2025 (UTC)

See also

Category:Commons help
Category:Commons help