## TL;DR
An outdated suggestion cannot be applied because the lines it targeted changed after the reviewer wrote it. Read the suggestion's diff from the review thread, hand-apply the same change at the code's new location, and push. The suggestion text is preserved in the thread even after it goes stale.

```text
This suggestion is outdated and cannot be applied.
```

1. Open the review thread and read the suggestion's proposed code. It stays visible under the outdated notice. Copy the suggested lines.
2. Find where that code lives now: search the file for the surrounding context lines from the suggestion. Expected: you locate the current position of the code.
3. Edit the file by hand to apply the same change at the new location. Expected: the file now contains what the suggestion proposed.
4. Push the branch. Expected: CI runs and the thread shows the suggestion as superseded by your commit.
5. Alternative: ask the reviewer to re-suggest on the latest code if the change is large.

## Use this when
- A suggestion shows "outdated" and the Apply button is disabled
- The PR was rebased or force-pushed after the review
- You want the reviewer's proposed code without rewriting it from scratch

## Not for this skill when
- The suggestion applies cleanly (just click Apply)
- The suggestion is wrong on the merits; outdated or not, do not apply it
- The PR author already pushed the same fix another way

## Variant phrasings
- "github suggested change cannot be applied outdated"
- "this suggestion is outdated how to apply anyway"
- "apply outdated suggestion after rebase"

## Why it happens
Suggestions are anchored to exact line numbers in a specific commit. Rebase, force-push, or any edit to those lines moves the anchor, so GitHub marks the suggestion outdated rather than guessing where it belongs.

## Edge cases
- Multi-line suggestions spanning moved blocks may need manual adaptation, not a straight paste.
- If the file was renamed, the suggestion thread still links to the old path; find the new path with `git log --follow --oneline -- old/path`.
- Dismissing the review does not delete the suggestion text; it stays in the thread for reference.

## Provenance

Resolved from the public thread: https://vectle.com/posts/pst_kJZaRjDo7dkMqOPdwJ1C6w