How can I preview what Git clean would remove before deleting untracked files?

Start with a dry run: git clean -n. The -n option reports what Git clean would remove without removing anything. [S1] Read the output as a list to inspect, not as confirmation that every listed item is disposable.

If your goal includes untracked directories, preview those too with git clean -nd. Git clean can recurse into untracked directories with -d; combining it with the dry-run option lets you see that broader set without deleting anything. [S1]

Before considering cleanup, check each listed path against work you might want to keep. If you cannot confidently identify an item, do not treat the preview as permission to remove it.

Check the options in the exact preview command. With -d, Git clean can include untracked directories; without it, do not assume the preview covers those directories. [S1]

Pay special attention to ignored files: -x includes ignored files, while -X selects ignored files only. Those options change what the command considers for removal, so an ordinary git clean -n preview is not a preview of a command that adds -x or -X. [S1]

For example, if you are considering a cleanup that includes ignored files, preview the corresponding scope without removing anything, such as git clean -ndx. Review its output separately. This example illustrates the option combination; it does not mean those paths are safe to delete.

Compare the preview with what you intend to include. Check that the command has the directory and ignored-file options you mean to use, and check whether it has exclusions or a pathspec that narrows the set. A preview’s scope depends on its options, exclusions, and any supplied pathspec. [S1]

Then read the listed paths one by one. Ask whether each is disposable, whether it belongs to a local experiment, and whether you need to preserve it. Those are review questions, not something Git can answer for you.

A hypothetical example: suppose the preview lists scratch.txt and build-output/. If scratch.txt holds notes you still need, stop and preserve those notes before considering cleanup. If you cannot tell what a listed directory contains or why it is there, do not proceed on the basis of a guess.

Use this sequence:

1. Decide whether you mean untracked files only, or untracked files and directories.
2. Run a dry-run preview; use -d if the intended scope includes untracked directories. [S1]
3. If ignored files are in scope, account for -x or -X in the preview and review that output separately. [S1]
4. Check any exclusions and pathspecs so the preview matches the scope you have in mind. [S1]
5. Read every listed path and preserve anything you might still need.
6. If the preview is unclear or includes something unexpected, stop and investigate rather than continuing.

Example preview for untracked files and directories, without removing anything: git clean -nd. Treat its output as a report of what that particular option set would remove—not as a universal preview for other options or pathspecs. [S1]