How to use Trello like a pro

Getting pretty comfortable with Trello? We’ve gathered some of our favorite tricks and tips here, along with the articles they came from. These are most useful if you’re already familiar with how to use Trello–if you’re looking for basic information, check out the Getting Started Guide.

Double click to add list

from Adding lists to a board

You can double click any free space on a board to open the add list pop-over. Trello is smart enough to know where you clicked, and will default to that location.

Keyboard shortcuts

from Using keyboard shortcuts in Trello

Go to  https://trello.com/shortcuts or press “?” on your keyboard while in Trello to view a list of keyboard shortcuts.

Drag and drop attachments

from Adding attachments to cards

You can drag and drop multiple files from your desktop to a card to upload them. You can also drag images from other websites to your cards.

Submit multiple cards and checklist items

from Importing data into Trello

You can add multiple cards or checklist items all at once. Copy and paste from a spreadsheet column or list separated by new lines from a word processor. This will create a new card or checklist for each line in the list. This won’t interfere with the quick and easy press-enter-to-create-a-card method; it will only work when pasting text.

@ mentions

from Commenting on cards

Need to get the attention of another board member? You can mention them in a card comment and it will generate a notification for them. It’s got autocomplete, too. Just start typing “@” and their name and you’ll get suggestions.

Drag board to scroll

from Adding your first board

If you click and hold on a board’s background, you can drag the board around to scroll horizontally. You can also scroll horizontally by pressing "shift" and then scrolling with your mouse.

Re-order starred boards

from Starring a Board

You can rearrange your starred boards by dragging them around. This way, you can put your most important board at the top of the list, making it even easier to access.

Reorder checklists and checklist items

from Adding checklists to cards

Click and hold a checklist’s title or a checklist item to drag it around. You can rearrange checklists, move items to the top, and even move items between checklists.

Create cards via email

from Creating cards by email

Each board has a unique email address you can mail to create cards. Get the address by going to the board menu, then clicking “Email-to-board Settings.”

Show total cards per list

from Filtering cards on a board

You can filter cards on a board by pressing 'f'– try filtering for "*" or "/", without any other text, and you'll see the number of cards per list.

Copy boards, lists, cards, and checklists

from Copying cards, lists, or boards

Got a board or card you want to use as a template? You can copy an original card, list, or board to a new location instead of creating an empty one. You can also copy checklist items from other checklists on your board when creating a new checklist. Just click the “Add Checklist…” button in the card sidebar and select an option from “Copy Items From…”.

Bulk list actions

from Moving cards or lists

You can move or archive all the cards in a list at once (like archiving everything in your “Done” list). Hover over the list title, click the menu button in the top right corner, and select “Move all Cards in this List…” or “Archive all Cards in this List…”.

Desktop notifications

from Receiving Trello Notifications

If you’re using Chrome or Safari, your browser can generate desktop notifications, an emerging web standard. Just click the Notifications button in the header, and select “Allow Desktop Notifications…” from the menu.

Rearrange and rename attachments

After adding attachments to a card, you can rename the attachment by clicking Edit on the attachment. This will allow you to edit the display name of the attachment. Note that the actual filename will not have been changed.

If you'd like to reorder the attachments, simply click and hold, then drag the attachment to the position you'd like it to be in.

Further reading

Several members of the Trello team have written articles on our blog to help take your use of Trello to the next level:

• How to use Trello like a pro: It covers cool things like keyboard shortcuts, double-clicking to add lists, magic with attachments, copying everything, and more.

• Using Trello like a Pro: Part 2: New shortcuts, copy/paste to make multiple cards, and checklist updates.

• Using Trello like a Pro: Part 3: Power-ups, create cards via email, Trello Premium, board backgrounds, shortcuts, re-order starred boards

• Using Multiple Boards for a Super-Flexible Workflow: Is a single board getting long in the tooth? Use Trello's ability to move cards between boards to improve your workflow.

• Trello Community: It is made up of Trello experts and users, a great way to get an answer quickly - perfect for how-to’s, use case questions, or advice!