# Update a label

> Change a label's name, color or description; only the fields given change.

<div class="g1t-endpoint"><span class="g1t-method" data-method="patch">PATCH</span><code>/repos/{owner}/{name}/labels/{label}</code></div>

Renaming it renames it on every issue and pull request that carries it. Needs the Write role or higher; applying labels and milestones needs Triage.

Renaming a label renames it on every issue and pull request that carries it.

- **Authentication:** Required. Send an [access token](/reference/api/#authentication) as `Authorization: Bearer`.
- **MCP tool:** [`repository`](/reference/mcp/#repository) with `action` `update_label`, and the same inputs
- **Scope:** An access token needs [`issues:write`](/guides/authentication/#scopes).

## Path parameters

| Name | Type | Required | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `owner` | string | Yes | The workspace that owns the repository. |
| `name` | string | Yes | The repository's name. |
| `label` | string | Yes | The label's name, e.g. "good first issue". URL-encode spaces in the path. |

## Body parameters

Send a JSON object. Names are `snake_case`, as in responses; the `camelCase` spelling is accepted too.

| Name | Type | Required | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `new_name` | string | No | Rename it, on everything that carries it. |
| `color` | string | No | Six hex digits. |
| `description` | string | No | An empty string clears it. |

## Example request

```sh
curl -X PATCH https://api.g1t.sh/repos/flagon-io/hello/labels/area%3A%20cli \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $G1T_TOKEN" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "new_name": "cli",
    "color": "0052cc"
  }'
```

## Example response

A successful request answers `200` with:

```json
{
  "name": "cli",
  "color": "0052cc",
  "description": "The command-line tool",
  "issues": 3,
  "pulls": 1
}
```

## Errors

A failed request answers with one of these statuses and a body like `{"error": {"code": "not_found", "message": "Repository not found."}}`. See [errors](/reference/api/#errors).

| Status | Code | When |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 401 | `unauthenticated` | A token is required, or the one sent is not valid. |
| 403 | `forbidden` | The token is valid but not allowed to do this, such as a member-only change or an agent token outside its repository. |
| 404 | `not_found` | It does not exist, or you cannot see it. |
| 409 | `conflict` | The request conflicts with the current state. |
| 422 | `invalid` | The input is not valid. `message` says which field and why. |