What a Jira filter does and why you'd make one

A filter in Jira is a saved search that shows you only the issues that match rules you set. Instead of running the same search every time you open Jira, you create a filter once, name it, and click it whenever you need that view. Filters let you see all bugs assigned to you, all tasks due this week, all issues your team is waiting on from another department — whatever combination matters to your work.

The filter itself is just a set of conditions. You tell Jira "show me issues where the status is 'In Progress' and the assignee is me" and Jira remembers that. The next time you click that filter, it runs those same conditions against your current issues and shows you the results. If someone closes one of those issues, it disappears from the filter automatically.

Filters save time because you do not have to remember which fields to search or type the same criteria twice. They also make it easier to share a view with your team — you can send someone a link to your filter and they see exactly what you see.

Key Takeaways

  • Open the Filters menu from the top navigation, click Create Filter, and Jira takes you to the search page where you set your conditions.
  • Use the left sidebar to add conditions like assignee, status, project, and due date by clicking each field and choosing your values.
  • Click Save to name your filter and choose whether to save it for yourself only or share it with your team or project.
  • Once saved, your filter appears in the Filters menu and you can click it anytime to see the current issues that match your conditions.
  • You can edit a saved filter by opening it and clicking the pencil icon, then saving the changes under the same name or as a new filter.

Finding the Filters menu and starting a new filter

In Jira, the Filters menu is in the top navigation bar. Look for the word "Filters" next to Projects and Dashboards. Click it and you see a dropdown with options including "Create Filter" near the top. Click "Create Filter" and Jira opens the search page where you build your conditions.

The search page has two main areas: the left sidebar shows all the fields you can filter by, and the center shows your results as you add conditions. You start with no conditions, so the center shows every issue in your Jira instance. As you add conditions, the results narrow down.

Adding conditions to narrow down your results

On the left sidebar, you see field names like Assignee, Status, Project, Priority, and Due Date. Click any field to add it as a condition. A menu appears with the values you can choose from. For example, if you click Assignee, you see a list of people in your Jira instance. Click your name and Jira adds "Assignee = [Your Name]" to your filter. The center now shows only issues assigned to you.

Add as many conditions as you need. If you want to see only your issues that are not yet done, click Status and choose "To Do" or "In Progress" — you can pick multiple statuses by clicking each one. If you want only issues due this month, click Due Date and set a date range. Each condition you add makes the results smaller.

If you add a condition by mistake, hover over it in the filter area and click the X to remove it. You can also change a condition by clicking it again and choosing a different value.

Saving your filter with a name

Once your results show exactly what you want, click the Save button. A dialog appears asking for a name and asking whether to save it for yourself only or share it. Give your filter a clear name like "My Open Bugs" or "Team Tasks Due This Week" so you recognize it later. If you want only you to see it, leave it as a personal filter. If you want your team to use it too, choose to share it with your project or team.

After you click Save, Jira confirms the filter is created and takes you back to the search page. Your filter now appears in the Filters menu. The next time you click Filters, you see your new filter listed there.

Using your filter and finding it again

Once your filter is saved, click Filters in the top navigation and you see your filter name in the dropdown. Click it and Jira runs your conditions against all current issues and shows you the results. If issues have changed since you last looked — someone closed one, or reassigned another to you — the filter updates automatically to show the current state.

You can also bookmark your filter in your browser or add it to your Jira dashboard so you see the results without clicking through menus. Many teams put their most-used filters on the dashboard so the team can see the status at a glance.

Editing or deleting a filter you already made

To change a filter, open it by clicking Filters and choosing the filter name. Once the filter is open and showing results, look for a pencil icon or Edit button near the filter name. Click it and you return to the search page where you can add, remove, or change conditions. Make your changes and click Save. Jira asks whether to save over the existing filter or create a new one with a different name.

To delete a filter, open it and look for a menu icon (usually three dots) near the filter name. Click it and choose Delete. Jira asks you to confirm. Once deleted, the filter no longer appears in your Filters menu, but this does not affect any issues — it just removes the saved search.

Common reasons filters do not show what you expect

If your filter shows no results when you expected some, the conditions are probably too strict. For example, if you filter by Assignee = You and Status = Done, but you have not closed any issues yet, the filter shows nothing. Open the filter, click Edit, and remove one condition to see if results appear. Then add conditions back one at a time until you find which one is too narrow.

If a filter shows results that seem wrong, check whether someone else edited it. Shared filters can be changed by anyone with permission to edit them. Click Edit and review each condition. If the filter is not doing what you need anymore, you can delete it and create a new one with different conditions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use the same filter on multiple projects?

Yes. When you create a filter, you can add a Project condition that includes multiple projects, or leave the Project field empty to search across all projects. If you share the filter with your team, everyone sees results from whichever projects the filter includes.

What happens to my filter if someone deletes an issue?

The filter still exists and runs the same conditions. The deleted issue straightforward no longer appears in the results because it no longer exists in Jira. The filter itself does not break or disappear.

Can I combine multiple conditions with "or" instead of "and"?

Most Jira filters use "and" — an issue must match all conditions to appear. Some Jira versions support advanced search syntax that lets you use "or", but the basic filter interface does not. If you need "or" logic, ask your Jira administrator whether your instance supports JQL (Jira Query Language), which is more powerful than the basic filter builder.

How do I share a filter with just one person instead of the whole team?

The basic filter sharing options are personal (only you), project (everyone in the project), or team. If you need to share with one person, the simplest way is to send them the filter link from your browser address bar. They can click it and see your filter results, though they cannot edit it unless you change the sharing settings to project-wide.

Can I set a filter to run automatically and send me results?

The basic filter does not send notifications, but Jira has a separate feature called subscriptions or notifications that can email you when issues matching certain conditions change. This is usually found in your Jira settings or in the filter menu itself. Check with your Jira administrator about whether this feature is turned on for your instance.