Bulk Disable or Remove Inactive Users in Jira Cloud
Platform Notice: Cloud Only - This article only applies to Atlassian apps on the cloud platform.
Summary
Learn how to efficiently manage inactive Jira users in bulk, with methods tailored to your specific Atlassian product version.
Solution
Currently, you can't automate the removal of inactive users directly through the Jira User Interface, but there are several effective alternatives you can explore. We recommend considering one of the alternatives below.
You want to… | Method |
|---|---|
Disable (not delete) inactive users in bulk | Atlassian Cloud Organization at admin.atlassian.com |
Delete users from a product's default group | Settings > User Management > Groups > select users |
Script the deletion | REST API: Delete user (loop over account IDs) |
Deleting a user is permanent and removes them from the site. If you only need to free a license or stop access, disable the account instead. Use the REST API loop carefully — it deletes each account ID you pass.
Disable the selected inactive users in bulk from the Atlassian Cloud Organization through https://admin.atlassian.com.
Choose the default group for your Jira product, select the users you want to delete, and proceed with deletion.
Navigate to Settings and then select User Management.
Groups > Click on the group.
Select the users you wish to delete.
Consider using the REST API to automate user deletion. This involves scripting that iterates over each user's account ID. For more details, refer to the Jira Cloud REST API v3: Delete User.
3rd party apps - This list provides examples of available options. Click on the app name to go to their Marketplace listing.
Bulk user delete for Jira - This has the option to upload and delete users via a CSV file.
Scriptrunner - a third-party app that allows for scripting within Jira.
Verification steps
After a bulk disable/delete, confirm that the affected users no longer appear as active under Directory/User management, and that licenses were freed as expected.
Consider voting on JRACLOUD-30708 (bulk deactivate users) for native support.
Additional resources
Please note that Atlassian does not control the functionality of 3rd-party apps. There may be changes to those listed, or newer apps available that may suit your needs.
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