diff --git a/.github/workflows/R-CMD-check.yaml b/.github/workflows/R-CMD-check.yaml
index 7814fb6e4..cdc2e8b2f 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/R-CMD-check.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/R-CMD-check.yaml
@@ -7,11 +7,9 @@
 on:
   push:
     branches:
-      - master
       - main
   pull_request:
     branches:
-      - master
       - main
 
 name: R-CMD-check
diff --git a/.github/workflows/pkgdown.yaml b/.github/workflows/pkgdown.yaml
index a68547778..0bcb616cc 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/pkgdown.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/pkgdown.yaml
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 on:
   push:
-    branches: [main, master]
+    branches:
+      main
 
 name: pkgdown
 
diff --git a/CONTRIBUTING.md b/CONTRIBUTING.md
index 26c961fa3..442498fff 100644
--- a/CONTRIBUTING.md
+++ b/CONTRIBUTING.md
@@ -8,12 +8,12 @@ This repo uses the [tic](https://github.com/ropenscilabs/tic) package for CI.
 
 To create a new hook, have a look at the [official
 documentation](https://pre-commit.com/#new-hooks) on creating new hooks, then have a look
-at existing hooks in this repo. The actual executables are defined in [`inst/hooks/`](https://github.com/lorenzwalthert/precommit/tree/master/inst/hooks). In
+at existing hooks in this repo. The actual executables are defined in [`inst/hooks/`](https://github.com/lorenzwalthert/precommit/tree/main/inst/hooks). In
 the script, you can expect the passed command line arguments to be all options, 
 finally the files that should be processed with the hook.
 
 For the scripts to become a hook, they need to be *registered* in
-[`.pre-commit-hooks.yaml`](https://github.com/lorenzwalthert/precommit/blob/master/.pre-commit-hooks.yaml). As R is not currently a supported language of
+[`.pre-commit-hooks.yaml`](https://github.com/lorenzwalthert/precommit/blob/main/.pre-commit-hooks.yaml). As R is not currently a supported language of
 pre-commit (https://github.com/pre-commit/pre-commit/issues/926), most hooks use
 `language: script` and then a shebang in the `entrypoint` script.
 
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ pre-commit (https://github.com/pre-commit/pre-commit/issues/926), most hooks use
 
 Hooks should be tested by checking both the positive outcome (hook passes) and
 the negative outcome (hook fails) by adding two `run_test()` statements to
-[`./tests/testthat/test-all.R`](https://github.com/lorenzwalthert/precommit/blob/master/tests/testthat/test-all.R). Look at existing examples and [the documentation
+[`./tests/testthat/test-all.R`](https://github.com/lorenzwalthert/precommit/blob/main/tests/testthat/test-all.R). Look at existing examples and [the documentation
 of `run_test()`](https://lorenzwalthert.github.io/precommit/reference/run_test.html). Note that this won't actually use pre-commit. It will simply
 call the hook script the same way as pre-commit would, with the difference that
 the test uses a path to the `Rscript` executable whereas with pre-commit, the 
diff --git a/NEWS.md b/NEWS.md
index 21070960b..b7dcea5cc 100644
--- a/NEWS.md
+++ b/NEWS.md
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@ includes switching to R based hook for `readme-rmd-render`, avoiding the
 used packages, roxygen snippet generation and more. In addition:
 
 * Always sort `inst/WORDLIST` (#303).
+* rename default branch to *main* (#307).
+
 
 # precommit v0.1.3.9012
 
diff --git a/R/config.R b/R/config.R
index cb34ee058..27297a0e2 100644
--- a/R/config.R
+++ b/R/config.R
@@ -126,5 +126,5 @@ set_config_source <- function(config_source,
 
 
 example_remote_config <- function() {
-  "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/lorenzwalthert/precommit/master/inst/pre-commit-config-proj.yaml"
+  "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/lorenzwalthert/precommit/main/inst/pre-commit-config-proj.yaml"
 }
diff --git a/R/release.R b/R/release.R
index 860746d49..994e5ba23 100644
--- a/R/release.R
+++ b/R/release.R
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
 #'
 #' @section CRAN release:
 #' If `is_cran` is `TRUE`, the workflow is changed slightly:
-#' - push to release branch, not master.
+#' - push to release branch, not main.
 #' - doesn't run [release_complete()]. This must be done manually after accepted
 #'   on CRAN.
 #' @keywords internal
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ release_gh <- function(bump = "dev", is_cran = bump != "dev") {
   new_dsc$write()
   git_branch_set(is_cran)
   if (!is_cran) {
-    on.exit(sys_call("git", c("checkout", "master")), add = TRUE)
+    on.exit(sys_call("git", c("checkout", "main")), add = TRUE)
   }
 
   # if we fail, must reset version, if we succeed, it's not stage
@@ -78,12 +78,12 @@ release_gh <- function(bump = "dev", is_cran = bump != "dev") {
 #' @param tag The tag to push. `NULL` will derive the tag from `DESCRIPTION`.
 #' @keywords internal
 release_complete <- function(ask = TRUE, is_cran = ask, tag = NULL) {
-  if (git_branch_get() != "master") {
-    rlang::abort("Must be on master to complete the release.")
+  if (git_branch_get() != "main") {
+    rlang::abort("Must be on main to complete the release.")
   }
   if (ask) {
-    abort_if_not_yes("Did you merge the release branch into master?")
-    abort_if_not_yes("Did you pull the latest master from origin?")
+    abort_if_not_yes("Did you merge the release branch into main?")
+    abort_if_not_yes("Did you pull the latest main from origin?")
   }
   if (is_cran) {
     if (is.null(tag)) {
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ release_complete <- function(ask = TRUE, is_cran = ask, tag = NULL) {
     }
     sys_call("git", glue::glue("push origin {tag}"))
   }
-  precommit::autoupdate() # only updates if tag is on the master branch
+  precommit::autoupdate() # only updates if tag is on the main branch
   desc::desc_bump_version("dev")
   cli::cli_alert_success("Bumped version to dev")
   sys_call("git", glue::glue('commit DESCRIPTION .pre-commit-config.yaml -m "use latest release"'),
@@ -184,9 +184,9 @@ git_branch_set <- function(is_cran) {
     )
     cli::cli_alert_success("Checked out branch {branch_name} for CRAN release process.")
   } else {
-    if (git_branch_get() != "master") {
+    if (git_branch_get() != "main") {
       rlang::abort(paste(
-        "Need to be on branch 'master' to create a release, otherwise autoudate",
+        "Need to be on branch 'main' to create a release, otherwise autoudate",
         "won't use the new ref."
       ))
     }
@@ -196,9 +196,9 @@ git_branch_set <- function(is_cran) {
 
 git_assert_even_with_origin <- function() {
   tmp <- tempfile()
-  system2("git", "diff HEAD..origin/master", stdout = tmp)
+  system2("git", "diff HEAD..origin/main", stdout = tmp)
   if (length(readLines(tmp) > 0)) {
-    rlang::abort("remote master must be even with local master before release process can start.")
+    rlang::abort("remote main must be even with local main before release process can start.")
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/man/release_gh.Rd b/man/release_gh.Rd
index 16ecdbaaa..070947d90 100644
--- a/man/release_gh.Rd
+++ b/man/release_gh.Rd
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ not possible interactively, hence we run in advance).
 
 If \code{is_cran} is \code{TRUE}, the workflow is changed slightly:
 \itemize{
-\item push to release branch, not master.
+\item push to release branch, not main.
 \item doesn't run \code{\link[=release_complete]{release_complete()}}. This must be done manually after accepted
 on CRAN.
 }
diff --git a/vignettes/FAQ.Rmd b/vignettes/FAQ.Rmd
index 18ed07c0f..2d9430843 100644
--- a/vignettes/FAQ.Rmd
+++ b/vignettes/FAQ.Rmd
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ described [here](https://pre-commit.com/#temporarily-disabling-hooks).
 
 ## How does one create a new pre-commit hook?
 
-How to contribute new hooks is explained in [`CONTRIBUTING.md`](https://github.com/lorenzwalthert/precommit/blob/master/CONTRIBUTING.md).
+How to contribute new hooks is explained in [`CONTRIBUTING.md`](https://github.com/lorenzwalthert/precommit/blob/main/CONTRIBUTING.md).
 
 ***