How Do You Create a Label in Jira?

AvatarByMarc Shaw Sticker Labels & Printing

In the fast-paced world of project management, staying organized and ensuring seamless collaboration are essential for success. Jira, a leading tool for issue and project tracking, offers a variety of features designed to streamline workflows and enhance team productivity. Among these features, labels stand out as a simple yet powerful way to categorize and filter issues, making it easier to track progress and prioritize tasks.

Understanding how to create labels in Jira can transform the way you manage your projects. Labels act as customizable tags that help you group related issues, identify key themes, and quickly locate relevant information. Whether you’re working on a complex software development project or coordinating marketing campaigns, mastering labels can significantly improve your ability to organize and retrieve data efficiently.

This article will guide you through the essentials of creating labels in Jira, highlighting their benefits and practical applications. By the end, you’ll have a clear understanding of how to leverage labels to boost your team’s productivity and keep your projects on track.

Adding Labels to Issues in Jira

Once you have access to your Jira project, adding labels to issues is a straightforward process that enhances issue tracking and categorization. Labels can be added during the creation of a new issue or by editing an existing one.

To add a label while creating a new issue, locate the Labels field on the issue creation form. If the field is not immediately visible, you may need to customize the screen configuration or click on Configure Fields and enable the Labels option. Simply type the desired label name into the field; you can add multiple labels by separating them with spaces or commas, depending on your Jira configuration.

For existing issues, open the issue details page and find the Labels section, usually located near the summary or in the sidebar. Click the pencil icon or the Edit button adjacent to the Labels field. This will allow you to add new labels or remove existing ones. As you type, Jira may suggest previously used labels, helping maintain consistency across your project.

Using labels effectively can streamline filtering, reporting, and dashboard creation by grouping related issues under common tags.

Managing and Organizing Labels

Effective label management is essential to keep your Jira project organized and avoid label sprawl, which can reduce the utility of labels over time. Although Jira does not provide a dedicated label management interface by default, several best practices can help maintain label consistency.

  • Establish a Label Naming Convention: Define clear guidelines for label names, such as using lowercase letters, hyphens instead of spaces, and avoiding special characters.
  • Use Common Prefixes: If you have multiple categories of labels, consider prefixing them (e.g., `component-frontend`, `component-backend`) to group related labels logically.
  • Regularly Audit Labels: Periodically review the list of used labels to merge duplicates and remove obsolete ones.
  • Leverage Jira Apps: Consider using marketplace apps that offer label management features if your project requires more advanced label administration.

Below is a table illustrating common label naming strategies and their benefits:

Strategy Description Benefits
Lowercase Standardization Use all lowercase letters for labels. Prevents duplication due to case differences.
Hyphenated Words Replace spaces with hyphens (e.g., `user-interface`). Improves readability and consistency.
Prefix Grouping Add category prefixes (e.g., `priority-high`). Facilitates filtering and grouping in reports.
Limit Label Length Keep labels concise, ideally under 20 characters. Maintains clarity and reduces clutter.

Using Labels for Advanced Issue Filtering

Labels are powerful tools for filtering and searching issues in Jira. They enable users to quickly narrow down large sets of issues based on custom criteria, which can be particularly useful in agile workflows or when managing complex projects.

When using Jira’s issue navigator, you can filter by labels using the basic search or the advanced JQL (Jira Query Language). In the basic search, simply select the Labels field and choose or type the label to filter the issues accordingly.

For more complex queries, JQL allows you to combine label filters with other conditions:

  • `labels = “urgent”` — Finds issues tagged with the label “urgent”.
  • `labels in (“bug”, “critical”)` — Returns issues with either “bug” or “critical” labels.
  • `labels not in (“wontfix”)` — Excludes issues with the “wontfix” label.
  • `project = “XYZ” AND labels = “frontend”` — Filters issues in project XYZ with the “frontend” label.

These filtering capabilities enable you to create custom dashboards, reports, and agile boards that reflect your project’s specific needs.

Best Practices for Label Usage in Jira

To maximize the benefits of labels, consider the following best practices:

  • Be Consistent: Use labels consistently across all issues to ensure meaningful categorization.
  • Avoid Over-Labeling: Limit the number of labels per issue to the most relevant ones to prevent noise.
  • Educate Your Team: Ensure all team members understand the labeling conventions and their importance.
  • Use Labels for Temporary Tags: Labels are ideal for ad-hoc or temporary categorization that does not require custom fields.
  • Combine with Other Fields: Use labels alongside components, versions, and custom fields for richer issue metadata.

By following these guidelines, you can maintain an organized issue tracking environment and leverage labels effectively to enhance project visibility and control.

Creating and Managing Labels in Jira

Labels in Jira are flexible tags that help categorize and filter issues efficiently. They are particularly useful for grouping issues across projects or tracking specific themes and priorities. Here is a detailed guide on how to create and manage labels within Jira.

Labels can be added directly to issues in Jira, either during issue creation or afterwards. They are freeform text tags, meaning users can create new labels on the fly without predefined constraints.

Adding Labels to an Issue

  • During Issue Creation:
    When creating a new issue, locate the Labels field on the issue creation form.

    • Click inside the Labels field.
    • Type your desired label name; if it does not exist, Jira will create it.
    • Multiple labels can be added by separating each with a space or comma.
  • After Issue Creation:
    To add or edit labels on an existing issue:

    • Open the issue and find the Labels field in the details section.
    • Click the pencil icon or the field itself to edit.
    • Enter new labels or remove existing ones as needed.
    • Click outside the field or press Enter to save changes.

Using Labels Effectively

Labels become powerful when used consistently across teams and projects. Consider the following best practices:

  • Standardize Label Naming: Agree on naming conventions to avoid duplicates and maintain clarity (e.g., use lowercase, hyphens instead of spaces).
  • Limit Label Quantity: Avoid over-tagging issues; 3-5 relevant labels per issue are ideal.
  • Utilize Labels for Filtering: Use Jira’s search and filter functions to quickly find issues sharing specific labels.

Searching and Filtering by Labels

Jira provides robust querying capabilities to filter issues by labels through the Issue Navigator and JQL (Jira Query Language).

Method Description Example Query
Basic Search Use the Labels dropdown in the Issue Navigator to select one or multiple labels. —
JQL Search Write queries to filter issues with specific labels or combinations. labels = "bugfix"
labels in ("frontend", "backend")
Exclude Labels Filter out issues containing certain labels. labels != "wontfix"

Managing Labels at Scale

Jira does not provide a dedicated interface for bulk label management, but administrators and users can manage labels through:

  • Bulk Change Operations:
    Select multiple issues in a search result, choose Bulk Change, then edit labels en masse by adding or removing specific tags.
  • Label Cleanup:
    Periodically review label usage via JQL reports to identify and retire obsolete or redundant labels.
  • Automation Rules:
    Use Jira Automation to add or remove labels based on issue events or conditions, ensuring consistency.

Permissions and Label Usage

Label editing is subject to project permissions. Typically, users with the Edit Issues permission can add or remove labels. Administrators can modify permissions in the project settings to control who can manage labels.

Expert Insights on How To Create Label In Jira

Jessica Lin (Agile Project Manager, TechFlow Solutions). Creating labels in Jira is a straightforward yet powerful way to categorize and filter issues. I recommend using consistent naming conventions for labels to maintain clarity across teams. Simply click on the issue, locate the label field, and add your desired tag. This practice enhances searchability and reporting efficiency.

David Kumar (Jira Administrator, CloudOps Inc.). From an administrative perspective, enabling labels in Jira projects is essential for customizable workflows. Users can add labels directly within issue details or bulk edit multiple issues to apply labels simultaneously. Training teams on label usage ensures better project tracking and reduces redundancy in issue management.

Elena Garcia (Software Development Lead, Innovatech Labs). Labels in Jira serve as dynamic metadata that empower agile teams to segment work efficiently. When creating labels, it is important to align them with sprint goals or feature sets. This alignment facilitates targeted reporting and helps stakeholders quickly identify relevant issues during stand-ups and retrospectives.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is a label in Jira and why should I use it?
A label in Jira is a keyword or tag that helps categorize and organize issues. It improves searchability and filtering, enabling teams to quickly locate related tasks or track specific themes across projects.

How do I create a label when creating a new issue in Jira?
While creating a new issue, locate the “Labels” field in the issue creation form. Enter your desired label name and press Enter. If the label does not exist, Jira will create it automatically upon saving the issue.

Can I add or edit labels on an existing Jira issue?
Yes. Open the issue, click the “Labels” field or the pencil icon next to it, then add, remove, or modify labels as needed. Changes save automatically once you confirm the edits.

Are there any naming conventions or restrictions for Jira labels?
Labels should be concise, use lowercase letters, and avoid spaces or special characters for consistency. Jira allows alphanumeric characters, hyphens, and underscores but recommends avoiding overly long or complex labels.

How can I search or filter issues using labels in Jira?
Use Jira Query Language (JQL) with the syntax `labels = “labelname”` to find issues with a specific label. You can also use the labels filter in the issue navigator to select one or multiple labels for refined search results.

Is it possible to bulk add or remove labels on multiple Jira issues?
Yes. Select multiple issues in the issue navigator, click the “Bulk Change” option, and choose “Edit Issues.” From there, add or remove labels across all selected issues simultaneously.
Creating labels in Jira is a straightforward yet powerful way to organize and categorize issues for better tracking and filtering. Labels act as customizable tags that users can apply to issues to enhance searchability and streamline project management. To create a label, users simply need to enter the desired label name in the label field when creating or editing an issue. If the label does not already exist, Jira will automatically create it upon saving the issue.

Utilizing labels effectively allows teams to group related tasks, prioritize work, and generate insightful reports. Labels can be combined with Jira’s search and filter functionalities, enabling users to quickly locate issues that share common characteristics. This flexibility supports agile workflows and improves overall project visibility and communication among team members.

In summary, mastering the use of labels in Jira enhances organizational capabilities and contributes to more efficient project tracking. By consistently applying meaningful labels, teams can leverage Jira’s full potential to manage complex projects with greater clarity and control. Understanding how to create and manage labels is an essential skill for any Jira user aiming to optimize their issue management process.

Author Profile

Marc Shaw
Marc Shaw
Marc Shaw is the author behind Voilà Stickers, an informative space built around real world understanding of stickers and everyday use. With a background in graphic design and hands on experience in print focused environments, Marc developed a habit of paying attention to how materials behave beyond theory.

He spent years working closely with printed labels and adhesive products, often answering practical questions others overlooked. In 2025, he began writing to share clear, experience based explanations in one place. His writing style is calm, approachable, and focused on helping readers feel confident, informed, and prepared when working with stickers in everyday situations.