Using Keyboard Shortcuts

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Keyboard shortcuts provide a quick and easy way of navigating though JIRA and performing fundamental actions on issues without having to take your fingers off the keyboard.

(info) You may not have permission to perform all the keyboard shortcut actions described on this page. This depends on how your JIRA administrator(s) have configured permissions for your user account.

On this page:

Keyboard Shortcuts

Global Shortcuts

These shortcuts are available from any JIRA screen.

Operation

Keyboard Shortcut

Description

Go to Dashboard

g then d

Directs you to the Dashboard screen.

Browse to a Project

g then p

Directs you to your current project browser screen.

Find Issues

g then i

Opens the Issue Navigator, where you can search for issues using either the Simple Search or Advanced Search features.

Quick Search

/

Directs your cursor to the Quick Search text field in the top right-hand corner.
(info) In 'Administration' mode, this keyboard shortcut directs your cursor to the 'Administration Quick Search' text field (also in the top right-hand corner), whose functionality is identical to the Administration Search Dialog Box (below).

Create an Issue

c

Opens the Create Issue dialog box for creating an issue.

Open shortcut help

?

Opens the keyboard shortcuts dialog box (described below). To close this dialog box, press the 'Esc' key or click 'Close' in the lower-right of the box.

Dashboards drop-down menu

Modifier key(s) + d

Opens the 'Dashboards' drop-down menu in the top navigation bar. You can then use the arrow keys to navigate to an item, then press 'Enter' to select it.
(info) Modifier Keys are specific to each combination of browser and operating system. Refer to the Modifier Keys section below for more details.

Projects drop-down menu

Modifier key(s) + p

Opens the 'Projects' drop-down menu in the top navigation bar. You can then use the arrow keys to navigate to an item, then press 'Enter' to select it.

Issues drop-down menu

Modifier key(s) + i

Opens the 'Issues' drop-down menu in the top navigation bar. You can then use the arrow keys to navigate to an item, then press 'Enter' to select it.

Administration Search dialog box

(Only available if you have the JIRA Administrators global permission.)

g then g

Opens the Administration Search dialog box.

  • Press the 'Cursor Down' key to show a list of all Administration options, then:
    1. use the cursor keys to select an Administration option, and
    2. press 'Enter' to choose your selected option.
  • Type one to a few letters of the Administration option's name to restrict the list down to options whose names match the series of letters you entered, then:
    1. if there is more than one option in the restricted list, use the cursor keys to select one, and
    2. press 'Enter' to choose your selected option.

(warning) Keyboard shortcuts are not available on JIRA's Workflow Designer page.

'View Issue' and 'Issue Navigator' Shortcuts

These shortcuts are available from JIRA's View Issue and Issue Navigator screens only.

Operation

Keyboard Shortcut

Description

Availability

View selected Issue

o or Enter

Opens the currently selected issue on the Issue Navigator.

Issue Navigator

Next Issue

j

Navigates to the next issue. This keyboard shortcut only applies to a View Issue screen if you got there via the Issue Navigator.

View Issue and Issue Navigator

Previous Issue

k

Navigates to the previous issue. This keyboard shortcut only applies to a View Issue screen if you got there via the Issue Navigator.

View Issue and Issue Navigator

Back to the Navigator

u

Returns to the Issue Navigator from the View Issue screen. This keyboard shortcut only applies to a View Issue screen if you got there via the Issue Navigator.

View Issue

Hide/Show Left Section

[ (left square bracket)

Hides or shows the left section on the Issue Navigator.

Issue Navigator

Next Activity

n

Navigates to the next item in the activity section of the View Issue screen.

View Issue

Previous Activity

p

Navigates to the previous item in the activity section of the View Issue screen.

View Issue

Focus search field

f

Focuses the cursor in the Advanced Search text field or the Simple Search's Query text field.

Issue Navigator

Escape field

Esc

Escapes the cursor out of the current text field so that you can use more keyboard shortcuts. Pressing the 'Esc' key can also be used to Close or Cancel JIRA's dialog boxes.
(info) If the auto-complete dropdown list is visible on the Advanced Search text field, you must press the 'Esc' key twice to escape the cursor out of this text field.

View Issue and Issue Navigator

Edit Issue

e

Opens the Edit Issue dialog box (if you have appropriate permission), where you can edit the issue.

View Issue and Issue Navigator

Assign Issue

a

Opens the Assign dialog box (if you have appropriate permission), where you can assign the issue to another JIRA user.

View Issue and Issue Navigator

Comment on Issue

m

On the View Issue screen, this opens the comment panel at the top of the page and focuses on the comment text box.
On the Issue Navigator, this opens the Add Comment dialog box for adding a comment to the currently selected issue.

View Issue and Issue Navigator

Edit Issue Labels

l (lower-case 'L')

Opens the Labels dialog box, where you can edit the labels associated with the issue.

View Issue and Issue Navigator

Share IssuesOpens the Share bubble, which allows you to send a link to an issue or search result (with an optional note) to the email address of any JIRA user, or any arbitrary email address. See Sharing an Issue or Sharing a Search Result for details.View Issue and Issue Navigator

Operations dialog box

. (full-stop/period)

Opens the Operations dialog box, from which you can perform any permitted issue operation on the current JIRA issue by doing either of the following:

  • Press the 'Cursor Down' key, then:
    1. use the cursor keys to select an issue operation, and
    2. press 'Enter' to choose your selected operation.
  • Type one to a few letters of the issue operation's name to restrict the list down to operations whose names match the series of letters you entered, then:
    1. if there is more than one operation in the restricted list, use the cursor keys to select one, and
    2. press 'Enter' to choose your selected operation.
Screenshot: The 'Operations' dialog box


The list of issue operations available in the drop-down menu are split into the following categories:

  • Workflow Transitions — Choose the appropriate workflow transition to change the issue's status. The workflow transitions available depend on the current issue's status and on how your JIRA administrator has customized your JIRA workflow. The default JIRA workflow transitions include:
    • Start Progress — Set the issue's Status to In Progress.
    • Resolve issue — Set the issue's Status to Resolved and select the appropriate Resolution.
    • Close issue — Set the issue's Status to Closed and if the issue has not already been Resolved, select the appropriate Resolution.
    • Reopen issue — Set a Resolved or Closed issue's Status to Reopened.
  • Actions — Choose the appropriate action to perform on the issue.

    • Edit — Edit the issue's details (Summary, Description, etc).
    • Assign — Select an asignee for the issue.
    • Assign To Me — Assign the issue to yourself.
    • Comment — Add a comment to the issue.
    • Log Work — Record the work done and time spent on the issue. This option is only available if Time Tracking has been activated on your JIRA site.
    • Attach Files — Select a file, upload it and attach it to the issue.
    • Attach Screenshot — Select a file, upload it and attach it to the issue.
    • Voters — Opens the Voters list of the issue, where you can manage your vote and see others who have voted on the issue too.
    • Add Vote — Adds your vote to the issue. (This option is only available if you did not create the issue.)
    • Watch Issue — Become a watcher of the issue.
    • Stop Watching — Stop watching the issue. (This option is only available on issues you are currently watching.)
    • Watchers — Opens the Watchers List, where you can manage watchers of the issue.
    • Create Sub-Task — Create a new issue which is a sub-task of the issue.
    • Convert to Issue — If the issue is a sub-task, convert it to a standalone issue.
    • Convert to Sub-Task — If the issue is a standalone issue, convert it to a sub-task.
    • MoveMove the issue to a different project.
    • Link — Create a link between the issue and another issue. This option is only available if Issue Linking has been enabled on your JIRA site.
    • Clone — Create a new issue which is an identical copy of the issue.
    • Labels — Edit the issue's labels.
    • Delete — Permanently remove the issue.

    Note that some options in the Actions menu will only be available if you have the necessary permissions, or if certain features have been enabled by your JIRA administrator.

View Issue and Issue Navigator

 

 

Form Shortcuts

These shortcuts are available on JIRA forms, including those involved in editing an issue's fields, such as the Create Issue or Edit Issue forms and JIRA login forms.

Operation

Keyboard Shortcut

Description

Form Submit

Modifier key(s) + s
(Alt + s only in Chrome on
Windows or Linux/Solaris)

Submits any currently open form in JIRA. The keyboard shortcuts dialog box will show which modifier key (or keys) are required for your combination of web browser and operating system.
(info) Modifier Keys are specific to each combination of browser and operating system. Refer to the Modifier Keys section below for more details.

Cancel Form

Modifier key(s) + ` (backquote)

Cancels any currently open form in JIRA.

Escape Field

Esc

Escapes the cursor out of any field on the currently open form, so that you can use more keyboard shortcuts. Pressing the 'Esc' key can also be used to Close or Cancel JIRA's dialog boxes.

Back

u

Returns to the View Issue screen from any form that results from an action performed on that issue. You must have escaped out of all fields on the form (by pressing 'Esc') before using this keyboard shortcut.

'Remember my login' check box

Modifier key(s) + r

Automatically selects the 'Remember my login on this computer' check box. This shortcut only applies to JIRA's login forms.

Modifier Keys

If a keyboard shortcut requires modifier keys, one or two of these modifier keys (for example, 'Shift', 'Alt' or 'Ctrl') must be pressed simultaneously, along with a single 'action' key. In the shortcuts dialog box, these keystrokes are indicated as 'modifier (+ modifier) + x', where 'x' is an action key, with the exception of a 'Shift + x' key combination.

Modifier keys differ depending on your combination of operating system and web browser. For example, when running Firefox on Mac OS X, you will need to press 'Ctrl' + 'S' to submit a form, while on Windows, you will need to press 'Alt' + 'S'. The following table identifies the modifier keys for the various combinations of supported web browsers and operating systems:

Web Browser

Mac OS X

Windows

Linux/Solaris

Firefox

Ctrl

Alt + Shift

Alt + Shift

Internet Explorer

 

Alt

 

Safari

Ctrl + Alt/Option

Ctrl

 

ChromeCtrl + Alt/OptionAlt + ShiftAlt + Shift


(info) Please note:

  • Modifier key shortcuts differ from two-key shortcuts. For the latter, one discrete keystroke follows another (without the keys being pressed simultaneously). In the shortcuts dialog box, two-key shortcuts are indicated as 'x then y', where 'x' is the first keystroke and 'y' is the second.
  • In Internet Explorer, typing a 'Modifier key shortcut' that leads to a link results in the link being highlighted only. Hence, after typing a modifier key shortcut, you will then need to press the 'Enter' key to complete the action - for example, to open a link's drop-down menu. The actions of modifier key shortcuts that lead to buttons, however, are fully completed.
  • In Firefox, it is possible to customize 'Modifier key shortcuts'. Please read Mozilla's Ui.key.contentAccess documentation for more information.

Accessing the Keyboard Shortcuts Dialog Box

The keyboard shortcuts dialog box shows an overview of JIRA actions that are available as keyboard shortcuts and the combination of keystrokes required to perform them.

To open the keyboard shortcuts dialog box:
Choose > Keyboard Shortcuts.
You can also open this dialog by pressing ? (Shift + /) on your keyboard. Note, your cursor must not be focused in a JIRA text field for ? to work.

(info) If you have JIRA plugins installed, you may have additional keyboard shortcuts available. For example, if you have JIRA Agile installed, you will see a series of Agile keyboard shortcuts in the lower-right of this dialog box (and some additional Global keyboard shortcuts specific to JIRA Agile in the upper-left section). However, the keyboard shortcuts in the Agile Shortcuts section only function in JIRA Agile and not in a JIRA context.


(warning) Please Note:

  • Be aware that when you press '?', the keyboard shortcuts dialog box will not appear if your cursor is already focused inside any JIRA text entry field. Press 'Esc' first to escape from a field.
  • If you have JIRA Agile 6.7 installed, you will see a series of Agile keyboard shortcuts in the lower-right of this dialog box (and some additional Global keyboard shortcuts specific to JIRA Agile in the upper-left section). However, the keyboard shortcuts in the Agile Shortcuts section only function in JIRA Agile and not in a JIRA context.

Disabling and Re-enabling Keyboard Shortcuts

Keyboard shortcuts are enabled by default. However, you can disable them on a per-user basis via the Keyboard Shortcuts dialog box.

To disable or re-enable keyboard shortcuts:

  1. Ensure you are logged in to JIRA and open the Keyboard Shortcuts dialog box (described above).
  2. At the bottom of the Keyboard Shortcuts dialog box, click 'Disable Keyboard Shortcuts' or 'Enable Keyboard Shortcuts' to respectively disable or re-enable keyboard shortcuts for the currently logged in user.
    (info) Alternatively, you can disable or re-enable keyboard shortcuts by editing the Preferences section of the Summary Tab of your User Profile.
Last modified on Sep 17, 2015

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