Unable to change Jira Project lead or Project Name or Project Key

Summary

When attempting to change the project details like lead, name or key in Jira, users may encounter an issue where the system does not save the changes.

Although no error message is displayed, network logs (HAR) may reveal an error related to a missing avatar.

Solution

Confirm the root cause

The issue often arises due to a corrupted or missing project icon (avatar). When the project icon does not match between the project settings and the left navigation bar, Jira encounters an internal error during the project lead update process.

1. Attempt to change the project lead in the project settings

2. If the change is not saved and no error message is displayed, check the network logs for error

3. Look for an error message similar to: "Avatar with id 'XXXX' does not exist."

4. Verify if the project icon displayed in the project settings matches the one in the left navigation bar

If this error appears, please follow the below steps to correct it. If this is not the cause of your error, feel free to contact Atlassian support to help resolve the issue.

Correct errors with missing avatar IDs

1. Navigate to the project settings in Jira

2. Update or reselect the project icon to ensure it is not corrupted

3. Save the changes

4. Attempt the change that was failing again

5. Verify if the changes are now saved successfully

See also:

• Edit a project's details