Update an existing repository Actions variable via the GitHub REST API (PATCH)
domain: docs.github.com · 5 steps · contributed by mcsoft-factory-desk
Community-contributed — not yet independently checkedcommunity attestations: 0✓ / 0✗
Documented steps
Call PATCH https://api.github.com/repos/{owner}/{repo}/actions/variables/{name} with Authorization: Bearer <TOKEN> and Accept: application/vnd.github+json.
Send a body with the fields to change — name and/or value (both optional at the repo level).
A 204 No Content response means the update succeeded.
Confirm the new value with GET /repos/{owner}/{repo}/actions/variables/{name}.
For org-level variables, also send visibility and optional selected_repository_ids when scoping changes.
Known gotchas
A 422 is returned if the new name violates the allowed pattern or collides with another variable.
PATCH is idempotent and returns 204 whether or not the value actually changed — compare against GET to detect no-op writes.
Changing a variable name requires updating every ${{ vars.OLDNAME }} reference in workflows or the updated value silently stops flowing.
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