diff --git a/v2/writer.go b/v2/writer.go
index 8ed5756f..72675cb2 100644
--- a/v2/writer.go
+++ b/v2/writer.go
@@ -1,12 +1,15 @@
 package car
 
 import (
+	"bytes"
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
 	"os"
 
+	"github.com/ipfs/go-cid"
 	"github.com/ipld/go-car/v2/index"
+	"github.com/ipld/go-car/v2/internal/carv1"
 	internalio "github.com/ipld/go-car/v2/internal/io"
 )
 
@@ -210,3 +213,100 @@ func AttachIndex(path string, idx index.Index, offset uint64) error {
 	indexWriter := internalio.NewOffsetWriter(out, int64(offset))
 	return index.WriteTo(idx, indexWriter)
 }
+
+// ReplaceRootsInFile replaces the root CIDs in CAR file at given path with the given roots.
+// This function accepts both CARv1 and CARv2 files.
+//
+// Note that the roots are only replaced if their total serialized size exactly matches the total
+// serialized size of existing roots in CAR file.
+func ReplaceRootsInFile(path string, roots []cid.Cid) (err error) {
+	f, err := os.OpenFile(path, os.O_RDWR, 0o666)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	defer func() {
+		// Close file and override return error type if it is nil.
+		if cerr := f.Close(); err == nil {
+			err = cerr
+		}
+	}()
+
+	// Read header or pragma; note that both are a valid CARv1 header.
+	header, err := carv1.ReadHeader(f)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	var currentSize int64
+	var newHeaderOffset int64
+	switch header.Version {
+	case 1:
+		// When the given file is a CARv1 :
+		// 1. The offset at which the new header should be written is zero (newHeaderOffset = 0)
+		// 2. The current header size is equal to the number of bytes read, and
+		//
+		// Note that we explicitly avoid using carv1.HeaderSize to determine the current header size.
+		// This is based on the fact that carv1.ReadHeader does not read any extra bytes.
+		// Therefore, we can avoid extra allocations of carv1.HeaderSize to determine size by simply
+		// counting the bytes read so far.
+		currentSize, err = f.Seek(0, io.SeekCurrent)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+	case 2:
+		// When the given file is a CARv2 :
+		// 1. The offset at which the new header should be written is carv2.Header.DataOffset
+		// 2. The inner CARv1 header size is equal to the number of bytes read minus carv2.Header.DataOffset
+		var v2h Header
+		if _, err = v2h.ReadFrom(f); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		newHeaderOffset = int64(v2h.DataOffset)
+		if _, err = f.Seek(newHeaderOffset, io.SeekStart); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		var innerV1Header *carv1.CarHeader
+		innerV1Header, err = carv1.ReadHeader(f)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		if innerV1Header.Version != 1 {
+			err = fmt.Errorf("invalid data payload header: expected version 1, got %d", innerV1Header.Version)
+		}
+		var readSoFar int64
+		readSoFar, err = f.Seek(0, io.SeekCurrent)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		currentSize = readSoFar - newHeaderOffset
+	default:
+		err = fmt.Errorf("invalid car version: %d", header.Version)
+		return err
+	}
+
+	newHeader := &carv1.CarHeader{
+		Roots:   roots,
+		Version: 1,
+	}
+	// Serialize the new header straight up instead of using carv1.HeaderSize.
+	// Because, carv1.HeaderSize serialises it to calculate size anyway.
+	// By serializing straight up we get the replacement bytes and size.
+	// Otherwise, we end up serializing the new header twice:
+	// once through carv1.HeaderSize, and
+	// once to write it out.
+	var buf bytes.Buffer
+	if err = carv1.WriteHeader(newHeader, &buf); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	// Assert the header sizes are consistent.
+	newSize := int64(buf.Len())
+	if currentSize != newSize {
+		return fmt.Errorf("current header size (%d) must match replacement header size (%d)", currentSize, newSize)
+	}
+	// Seek to the offset at which the new header should be written.
+	if _, err = f.Seek(newHeaderOffset, io.SeekStart); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	_, err = f.Write(buf.Bytes())
+	return err
+}
diff --git a/v2/writer_test.go b/v2/writer_test.go
index c29b4339..11b5ff12 100644
--- a/v2/writer_test.go
+++ b/v2/writer_test.go
@@ -131,3 +131,149 @@ func assertAddNodes(t *testing.T, adder format.NodeAdder, nds ...format.Node) {
 		assert.NoError(t, adder.Add(context.Background(), nd))
 	}
 }
+
+func TestReplaceRootsInFile(t *testing.T) {
+	tests := []struct {
+		name       string
+		path       string
+		roots      []cid.Cid
+		wantErrMsg string
+	}{
+		{
+			name:       "CorruptPragmaIsRejected",
+			path:       "testdata/sample-corrupt-pragma.car",
+			wantErrMsg: "unexpected EOF",
+		},
+		{
+			name:       "CARv42IsRejected",
+			path:       "testdata/sample-rootless-v42.car",
+			wantErrMsg: "invalid car version: 42",
+		},
+		{
+			name:       "CARv1RootsOfDifferentSizeAreNotReplaced",
+			path:       "testdata/sample-v1.car",
+			wantErrMsg: "current header size (61) must match replacement header size (18)",
+		},
+		{
+			name:       "CARv2RootsOfDifferentSizeAreNotReplaced",
+			path:       "testdata/sample-wrapped-v2.car",
+			wantErrMsg: "current header size (61) must match replacement header size (18)",
+		},
+		{
+			name:       "CARv1NonEmptyRootsOfDifferentSizeAreNotReplaced",
+			path:       "testdata/sample-v1.car",
+			roots:      []cid.Cid{requireDecodedCid(t, "QmdfTbBqBPQ7VNxZEYEj14VmRuZBkqFbiwReogJgS1zR1n")},
+			wantErrMsg: "current header size (61) must match replacement header size (57)",
+		},
+		{
+			name:       "CARv1ZeroLenNonEmptyRootsOfDifferentSizeAreNotReplaced",
+			path:       "testdata/sample-v1-with-zero-len-section.car",
+			roots:      []cid.Cid{merkledag.NewRawNode([]byte("fish")).Cid()},
+			wantErrMsg: "current header size (61) must match replacement header size (59)",
+		},
+		{
+			name:       "CARv2NonEmptyRootsOfDifferentSizeAreNotReplaced",
+			path:       "testdata/sample-wrapped-v2.car",
+			roots:      []cid.Cid{merkledag.NewRawNode([]byte("fish")).Cid()},
+			wantErrMsg: "current header size (61) must match replacement header size (59)",
+		},
+		{
+			name:       "CARv2IndexlessNonEmptyRootsOfDifferentSizeAreNotReplaced",
+			path:       "testdata/sample-v2-indexless.car",
+			roots:      []cid.Cid{merkledag.NewRawNode([]byte("fish")).Cid()},
+			wantErrMsg: "current header size (61) must match replacement header size (59)",
+		},
+		{
+			name:  "CARv1SameSizeRootsAreReplaced",
+			path:  "testdata/sample-v1.car",
+			roots: []cid.Cid{requireDecodedCid(t, "bafy2bzaced4ueelaegfs5fqu4tzsh6ywbbpfk3cxppupmxfdhbpbhzawfw5od")},
+		},
+		{
+			name:  "CARv2SameSizeRootsAreReplaced",
+			path:  "testdata/sample-wrapped-v2.car",
+			roots: []cid.Cid{requireDecodedCid(t, "bafy2bzaced4ueelaegfs5fqu4tzsh6ywbbpfk3cxppupmxfdhbpbhzawfw5oi")},
+		},
+		{
+			name:  "CARv2IndexlessSameSizeRootsAreReplaced",
+			path:  "testdata/sample-v2-indexless.car",
+			roots: []cid.Cid{requireDecodedCid(t, "bafy2bzaced4ueelaegfs5fqu4tzsh6ywbbpfk3cxppupmxfdhbpbhzawfw5oi")},
+		},
+		{
+			name:  "CARv1ZeroLenSameSizeRootsAreReplaced",
+			path:  "testdata/sample-v1-with-zero-len-section.car",
+			roots: []cid.Cid{requireDecodedCid(t, "bafy2bzaced4ueelaegfs5fqu4tzsh6ywbbpfk3cxppupmxfdhbpbhzawfw5o5")},
+		},
+	}
+	for _, tt := range tests {
+		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			// Make a copy of input files to preserve original for comparison.
+			// This also avoids modification files in testdata.
+			tmpCopy := requireTmpCopy(t, tt.path)
+			err := ReplaceRootsInFile(tmpCopy, tt.roots)
+			if tt.wantErrMsg != "" {
+				require.EqualError(t, err, tt.wantErrMsg)
+				return
+			}
+			require.NoError(t, err)
+
+			original, err := os.Open(tt.path)
+			require.NoError(t, err)
+			defer func() { require.NoError(t, original.Close()) }()
+
+			target, err := os.Open(tmpCopy)
+			require.NoError(t, err)
+			defer func() { require.NoError(t, target.Close()) }()
+
+			// Assert file size has not changed.
+			wantStat, err := original.Stat()
+			require.NoError(t, err)
+			gotStat, err := target.Stat()
+			require.NoError(t, err)
+			require.Equal(t, wantStat.Size(), gotStat.Size())
+
+			wantReader, err := NewBlockReader(original, ZeroLengthSectionAsEOF(true))
+			require.NoError(t, err)
+			gotReader, err := NewBlockReader(target, ZeroLengthSectionAsEOF(true))
+			require.NoError(t, err)
+
+			// Assert roots are replaced.
+			require.Equal(t, tt.roots, gotReader.Roots)
+
+			// Assert data blocks are identical.
+			for {
+				wantNext, wantErr := wantReader.Next()
+				gotNext, gotErr := gotReader.Next()
+				if wantErr == io.EOF {
+					require.Equal(t, io.EOF, gotErr)
+					break
+				}
+				require.NoError(t, wantErr)
+				require.NoError(t, gotErr)
+				require.Equal(t, wantNext, gotNext)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
+
+func requireDecodedCid(t *testing.T, s string) cid.Cid {
+	decoded, err := cid.Decode(s)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	return decoded
+}
+
+func requireTmpCopy(t *testing.T, src string) string {
+	srcF, err := os.Open(src)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	defer func() { require.NoError(t, srcF.Close()) }()
+	stats, err := srcF.Stat()
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	dst := filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), stats.Name())
+	dstF, err := os.Create(dst)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	defer func() { require.NoError(t, dstF.Close()) }()
+
+	_, err = io.Copy(dstF, srcF)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	return dst
+}