Edit or delete a custom field

Edit a custom field

To edit a custom field:

1. Select Settings () > Issues.

2. Under FIELDS, select Custom fields.

3. Find the custom field you want to edit and select More () > Edit details to update the following:

   • The custom field name, which appears on issues.

   • The custom field description, which when you hover over next to a field’s name.

   • Search templates, which are responsible for indexing a custom field and making the field searchable in basic and advanced issue search. Custom fields come with a default search template, so you shouldn't need to change this setting.

4. Modify the fields as needed and select Update.

You can also edit a custom field by selecting its screens or contexts link and then selecting Details > Edit Details.

You can't change the field's type (for example, making a single-select field into a multi-select field). To change a field's type, recreate the field using the desired type.

Jira allows you to define a description of a custom field. If the field configuration descriptions are left empty, then the original description text will appear when you create or edit an issue and as help text in the Issue Navigator. You can define different descriptions in each field configuration to override the description you added.

For example, if a custom field "My Field" is defined with a description of "This is my field" and no field configuration changes are made, then the displayed text will be "This is my field" as expected. If field configurations are used and a description "This is my excellent field" is set for the custom field in the field description, then the displayed text will be "This is my excellent field".

Move custom fields to the trash before permanently deleting them from your Jira site

As your Jira site grows, so do the custom fields that your site uses. You can speed up your site’s performance by removing any unused or outdated fields that your teams no longer need in their projects.

Moving unused custom fields to the trash helps you confidently audit and clean up your Jira site. You can easily restore any fields that make their way to the trash by accident. And, you don’t have to worry that you’ve permanently deleted important data while you clean.

To move a custom field to the trash:

1. Select > Issues.

2. Under FIELDS, select Custom fields.

3. Find the field you want to delete and select Actions (…) > Move to trash.

When you move a field to the trash:

• It appears to your users as if it's been deleted. You may still see the field in some of your site’s schemes, but the field itself is hidden from your user’s view.

• You can find the field in the Trashed tab when viewing your custom fields.

View trashed custom fields before they are permanently deleted from your Jira site

After you move a field to the trash, you have 60 days to view or restore the field before we permanently delete it from your Jira site.

To view the custom fields in your trash:

1. Select > Issues.

2. Under FIELDS, select Custom fields.

3. Select the Trashed tab at the top of the table.

This list lets you know:

• Who moved the field to the trash

• When they moved the field to the trash

• How long you have to act on the field before we permanently delete it (and all the data stored against it!) from your Jira site

Restore trashed custom fields

After you move a field to the trash, you have 60 days to view or restore the field before we permanently delete it from your Jira site.

To restore a custom field in your trash:

1. Select > Issues.

2. Under FIELDS, select Custom fields.

3. Select the Trashed tab at the top of the table.

4. Find the field you want to restore and select Actions (…) > Restore field.

When you restore a field:

• The field reappears on any issue screens it’s configured to. Your users can immediately begin interacting with the field and storing data against it.

• You can find the field in the Active tab when viewing your custom fields.

Permanently delete trashed custom fields

If you’re confident that you no longer need a custom field, you can permanently delete it (and all the data stored against it!) from your Jira site.

You can only permanently delete fields you’ve moved from your Active fields list to your Trashed fields list.

To permanently delete a custom field from your trash:

1. Select > Issues.

2. Under FIELDS, select Custom fields.

3. Select the Trashed tab at the top of the table.

4. Find the field you want to restore and select Actions (…) > Permanently delete.