Jira throws an error when trying to insert an URL string longer than 255 characters in an URL Custom Field
Platform Notice: Cloud and Data Center - This article applies equally to both cloud and data center platforms.
Support for Server* products ended on February 15th 2024. If you are running a Server product, you can visit the Atlassian Server end of support announcement to review your migration options.
*Except Fisheye and Crucible
Summary
It's not possible to insert an URL string longer than 255 characters in an URL Custom Field Type when creating an issue, eg:
When making the following actions...
Having an URL Custom Field in your issue screen
Trying to insert an URL string longer than 255 characters into the URL Custom Field
The following error message appears:
"The entered text is too long. It exceeds the allowed limit of 255 characters."
Cause
Due to database constraints, the limit for URL field is 255 Characters. The table 'customfield' contains the information of all custom fields created in the instance, and the column 'defaultvalue' has the 255 character limitation as default in the database, and manually changing this limitation wont have any effect on the product. Also, the table 'customfieldvalue'contains the information of each input made on a customfield, and the 'stringvalue' column contains exactly the information you type in a URL custom field. It also has a default 255 characters limitation and changing it limitation won't have any effect on the product.
Workaround
There are two possible workarounds at the moment:
1) Create a new Custom Field in the project, selecting the Text Field (multi-line) field type, then associating it to the screen of the project. You'll have a brand new custom field that will accept more than 255 characters.
Text Field (multi-line): A multiline text area custom field to allow input of longer text strings.
The only restriction is that this field type will accept any string, including non-URLs texts, and it doesn't return any error if this happens. However, if you input a string starting with 'http://' or 'https://', this field type will recognise as an URL and generate the hyperlink normally.
2) Use any URL shortener programs to make shorter URLs to input in an URL custom field type.
Suggestion
There is the suggestion below to allow the ability to increase this setting in JIRA as administrator: JRASERVER-47759 - As an admin, allow ability to increase 255 Char limit on URL field
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