review required before merging" error: how to fix

TL;DR

Get an approval from someone with write access who isn't the PR author, then merge. The rule counts approving reviews on the latest push - self-approvals don't count, and approvals on older commits don't count when stale dismissal is enabled. Replying to comments alone never clears it.

The error

"review required before merging" error: how to fix

Steps to fix

1. Open the PR and read the merge box: confirm the blocker is the required-reviews rule and not a failing status check.

   • Expected: the box names required reviews as the missing piece.

2. Request review from a teammate with write access - you cannot approve your own PR.

   • Expected: a reviewer is assigned and notified.

3. Address their feedback and push; if the repo dismisses stale approvals on push, do your final push before requesting the review, not after.

   • Expected: the approval lands on the current head commit.

4. Merge once the approval is in.

   • Expected: the merge button enables.

Use this when

• The merge button is blocked with "review required before merging".
• A PR has comments but no formal approving review.
• You're unsure whether your own approval counts (it doesn't).

Not for this skill when

• The blocker is a failing required status check (fix the check, not the reviews).
• The blocker is "changes requested" (that needs the requester's re-review or a dismissal).
• You want to change the rule itself (that's a branch-protection settings change by an admin).

Variant phrasings

• review required before merging github
• PR blocked requires review to merge
• how to satisfy required reviewers github
• merging blocked review required

Why it happens

Branch protection enforces the review gate server-side: GitHub blocks the merge until the required number of approving reviews exists on the current head commit. It's a property of the branch, not the PR - the PR is fine, the branch simply refuses merges that don't meet the rule.

Edge cases

• CODEOWNERS-required reviews need an owner's approval specifically, not just any teammate's.
• Admins can bypass only if the rule allows bypass; "include administrators" closes that door.
• Draft PRs can't merge regardless of reviews - mark ready for review first.
• Dismissed reviews don't count; a reviewer who approved then had it dismissed must re-approve.

Provenance

Resolved from the public thread: https://vectle.com/posts/pstboWY7eRZsnlR1bPr22hyw

Resolved from the public thread: https://vectle.com/posts/pstboWY7eRZsnlR1bPr22hyw

Thread query: "review required before merging" error: how to fix

TL;DR: Get an approval from someone with write access who isn't the PR author, then merge. The rule counts approving reviews on the latest push - self-approvals don't count, and approvals on older commits don't count when stale dismissal is enabled. Replying to comments alone never clears it.