diff --git a/packages/bazel/src/utils/tasks.ts b/packages/bazel/src/utils/tasks.ts
index 64f79a00e7..2a20e80898 100644
--- a/packages/bazel/src/utils/tasks.ts
+++ b/packages/bazel/src/utils/tasks.ts
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ export class FormatFiles implements TaskConfigurationGenerator<any> {
     return {
       name: 'node-package',
       options: {
-        command: 'run format',
+        command: 'run format -- --untracked',
         quiet: true
       }
     };
diff --git a/packages/schematics/src/command-line/affected.ts b/packages/schematics/src/command-line/affected.ts
index 27c4344434..d851e95b27 100644
--- a/packages/schematics/src/command-line/affected.ts
+++ b/packages/schematics/src/command-line/affected.ts
@@ -38,6 +38,9 @@ function printError(command: string, e: any) {
   console.error(
     `Or pass the list of files, as follows: npm run affected:${command} -- --files="libs/mylib/index.ts,libs/mylib2/index.ts".`
   );
+  console.error(
+    `Or to get the list of files from staged or unstaged changes: npm run affected:${command} -- staged | unstaged".`
+  );
   console.error(e.message);
 }
 
diff --git a/packages/schematics/src/command-line/shared.ts b/packages/schematics/src/command-line/shared.ts
index 17dd1bd744..798526b85c 100644
--- a/packages/schematics/src/command-line/shared.ts
+++ b/packages/schematics/src/command-line/shared.ts
@@ -29,12 +29,25 @@ export function parseFiles(
   });
 
   const dashDashFiles = named.filter(a => a.startsWith('--files='))[0];
+  const uncommitted = named.some(a => a === '--uncommitted');
+  const untracked = named.some(a => a === '--untracked');
+
   if (dashDashFiles) {
     named.splice(named.indexOf(dashDashFiles), 1);
     return {
       files: parseDashDashFiles(dashDashFiles),
       rest: [...unnamed, ...named]
     };
+  } else if (uncommitted) {
+    return {
+      files: getUncommittedFiles(),
+      rest: [...unnamed, ...named]
+    };
+  } else if (untracked) {
+    return {
+      files: getUntrackedFiles(),
+      rest: [...unnamed, ...named]
+    };
   } else if (unnamed.length >= 2) {
     return {
       files: getFilesFromShash(unnamed[0], unnamed[1]),
@@ -53,8 +66,20 @@ function parseDashDashFiles(dashDashFiles: string): string[] {
   return f.split(',').map(f => f.trim());
 }
 
+function getUncommittedFiles(): string[] {
+  return parseGitOutput(`git diff --name-only HEAD .`);
+}
+
+function getUntrackedFiles(): string[] {
+  return parseGitOutput(`git ls-files --others --exclude-standard`);
+}
+
 function getFilesFromShash(sha1: string, sha2: string): string[] {
-  return execSync(`git diff --name-only ${sha1} ${sha2}`)
+  return parseGitOutput(`git diff --name-only ${sha1} ${sha2}`);
+}
+
+function parseGitOutput(command: string): string[] {
+  return execSync(command)
     .toString('utf-8')
     .split('\n')
     .map(a => a.trim())
diff --git a/packages/schematics/src/utils/tasks.ts b/packages/schematics/src/utils/tasks.ts
index 64f79a00e7..2a20e80898 100644
--- a/packages/schematics/src/utils/tasks.ts
+++ b/packages/schematics/src/utils/tasks.ts
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ export class FormatFiles implements TaskConfigurationGenerator<any> {
     return {
       name: 'node-package',
       options: {
-        command: 'run format',
+        command: 'run format -- --untracked',
         quiet: true
       }
     };