How to customize project settings on Jira

intermediate 8 min read Updated 2026-03-18

Quick Answer

To customize Jira project settings, navigate to your project and click the Project Settings option in the left sidebar. From there, you can modify details, permissions, workflows, issue types, and other project configurations to match your team's needs.

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Prerequisites

Jira administrator or project administrator permissions
Access to a Jira project
Basic understanding of Jira project structure
Knowledge of your team's workflow requirements

Step-by-Step Instructions

Access Project Settings

Navigate to your Jira project by clicking on Projects in the top navigation bar and selecting your desired project. Once in the project, look for Project settings in the left sidebar menu and click on it. If you don't see this option, ensure you have project administrator permissions.

You can also access project settings by clicking the gear icon next to your project name in the project header.

Modify Project Details

In the Project Settings page, click on Details from the left menu. Here you can update the Project name, Key, Project lead, Default assignee, and Description. You can also change the project avatar by clicking on the current avatar image and uploading a new one.

The project key cannot be changed once the project has issues, so choose carefully during initial setup.

Configure Issue Types

Select Issue types from the left sidebar to customize which issue types are available in your project. Click Add issue type to include new types, or click the Actions dropdown next to existing types to edit or remove them. You can also drag and drop to reorder the issue types as they appear in the Create dialog.

Consider your team's workflow when selecting issue types - too many options can create confusion.

Set Up Workflows

Click on Workflows in the project settings menu. Here you can assign different workflows to different issue types by clicking Edit next to each issue type. Select from existing workflows or create a new one by clicking Add workflow. Configure the workflow steps, transitions, and conditions according to your project needs.

Test workflow changes in a sandbox environment before applying them to production projects.

Configure Permissions

Navigate to Permissions in the project settings. Click Actions > Use a different scheme to select an existing permission scheme, or click Actions > Edit permissions to modify the current scheme. Grant or restrict permissions for different user groups, including Browse projects, Create issues, Edit issues, and Administer projects.

Always follow the principle of least privilege when setting up permissions.

Set Up Project Components and Versions

Click on Components to organize your project into logical sections. Click Create component and fill in the name, description, and assign a component lead. Similarly, go to Versions to manage release versions. Click Create version to add new versions with release dates and descriptions.

Use components to categorize work by feature area and versions to track releases and sprints.

Customize Fields and Screens

Select Fields from the project settings to manage which fields appear on issues. Click Actions > Edit next to field configurations to modify required fields, default values, and field descriptions. Go to Screens to customize which fields appear during issue creation, editing, and viewing.

Remove unnecessary fields from screens to simplify the user experience and reduce clutter.

Apply and Test Changes

After making your customizations, click Save or Apply for each section you've modified. Create a test issue to verify your settings work as expected. Check that workflows transition correctly, required fields are enforced, and permissions are working properly. Navigate back to your project board to see the changes in action.

Document your project configuration changes for future reference and team onboarding.

Common Issues & Troubleshooting

Cannot see Project Settings option in sidebar

Ensure you have Administer Projects permission for the specific project or global Jira Administrators access. Contact your Jira administrator if you need these permissions granted.

Changes to workflow not taking effect on existing issues

Workflow changes typically only affect new issues. To migrate existing issues to the new workflow, go to Issues and filters > Search for issues, select affected issues, and use Bulk Change > Transition Issues to move them through the new workflow.

Custom fields not appearing on issue screens

Go to Project settings > Screens and ensure your custom fields are added to the appropriate screens (Create, Edit, View). You may need to modify the screen scheme and associate it with your issue types.

Permission scheme changes affecting other projects

If you edited a shared permission scheme, it affects all projects using that scheme. Create a copy of the permission scheme first by going to Administration > Issues > Permission schemes and clicking Copy before making changes.

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