---
title: "Revert an item, a tree of items, or a database"
slug: "revert-an-item-a-tree-of-items-or-a-database-1158436"
abstract: "Undo changes to items or a whole database."
---
# Revert an item, a tree of items, or a database

You can roll back changes to items by reverting them, causing to overwrite them according to their state in the file system. You can use this process to restore some or all of the database to match the file system.

When you attempt to revert an item or an item version:

- If the item or the item version differs from the corresponding one in the file system, overwrites it.
- If the item or the item version is part of a serialized tree:
    - If it exists in the database but not in the file system, deletes it from the database.
    - If it exists in the file system but not in the database, adds it to the database.

You can revert individual items, an item and all its subitems, or every item in the database.

<details>
<summary><h2>Revert an item</h2></summary>

To revert an item:

1. In the **Content Editor**, select the item that you want to revert.
2. On the **Developer** tab, in the **Serialize** group, click **Revert** Item.

    > [!note]
    > If the item is not serialized, nothing is reverted.

</details>

## Revert an item and its subitems

To revert an item and its subitems:

1. In the **Content Editor**, select the parent item you want to revert with all its subitems.
2. On the **Developer** tab, in the **Serialize** group, click **Revert Tree**.

    > [!note]
    > If the root item of the selected item tree, or any of the descendants, is configured to be included in a serialization tree, then the selected subtree is reverted. Otherwise, nothing is reverted.

## Revert a database

To revert a database:

1. In the **Content Editor**, select any item.
2. On the **Developer** tab, in the **Serialize** group, click **Revert Database**.