Summary: Here is our updated consolidation of the Atlassian announcements for all the latest Jira features and updates.
Table of contents
- January 2026
- Faster Work Item Unlinking
- Webhook-Based Automation Delays
- Star Your Critical Alert Searches
- Unread Comment Indicators on Whiteboards
- Enhanced Search with Result Counts
- Workflow API Configuration Changes (Developers)
- Formula Custom Fields in Team-Managed Spaces
- AI-Powered JQL Error Fixing Now Generally Available
- Loop Automation for Premium & Enterprise
- Group by Any Field in List View
- December 2025 – Summaries for End-Users
January 2026
Faster Work Item Unlinking
Managing relationships between work items just got easier! You can now unlink work items directly from both the Related Work section and the Linked Work section with a simple hover and click. No more navigating through dropdown menus to remove outdated connections.
Why It Matters:
Save time on routine task management. Keep your work item relationships clean and current with fewer clicks, allowing your team to focus on actual work instead of administrative overhead.
Jira Service Management
Webhook-Based Automation Delays
Automation just leveled up! The new “Delay until” component now supports webhook events, allowing you to pause automation rules until an external system triggers a webhook. Perfect for coordinating work across multiple tools and platforms.
Why It Matters:
Create sophisticated, cross-platform workflows that wait for the right moment to act. Whether you’re integrating with deployment tools, monitoring systems, or third-party services, your automation can now respond intelligently to external events.
Jira Service Management
Star Your Critical Alert Searches
Never lose track of your most important operation alerts again. You can now star saved searches for operation alerts, making them instantly accessible from your side menu for quick access to critical filters.
Why It Matters:
Respond to incidents faster by keeping your most critical alert views just one click away. For operations teams managing high-priority issues, this streamlined access can mean the difference between a quick resolution and extended downtime.
Confluence
Unread Comment Indicators on Whiteboards
Stay on top of collaboration with visual cues! Whiteboard comments you haven’t read yet now display a blue dot indicator, helping you quickly identify new feedback without re-reading everything.
Why It Matters:
Spend less time hunting for what’s new in busy whiteboard discussions. Whether you’re collaborating on design work, brainstorming sessions, or project planning, you’ll never miss important feedback from teammates.
Confluence
Enhanced Search with Result Counts
Search just got smarter across Jira and Confluence! You can now see the exact number of results for projects, goals, and web pages when searching, bringing consistency and clarity to finding what you need.
Why It Matters:
Make informed decisions about refining your search queries. When you know exactly how many results exist in each category, you can quickly determine whether to narrow your search or explore different terms, saving valuable time.
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Workflow API Configuration Changes (Developers)
NEW THIS WEEK
Atlassian is moving Jira Service Management approval configurations from workflow status properties to a dedicated approval configuration property. This affects multiple workflow API endpoints and provides a cleaner, more maintainable structure for approval workflows in company-managed projects.
Why It Matters:
For development teams using workflow APIs, this change improves data structure clarity and future-proofs your integrations. Review the developer changelog to ensure your apps and scripts are updated to handle the new approval configuration property.
Formula Custom Fields in Team-Managed Spaces
ROLLING OUT
Space admins can now create formula custom fields that automatically calculate values in real-time on work items. If you have Rovo enabled, you can even write formulas using natural language or get help fixing syntax errors—making complex calculations accessible to everyone, not just formula experts.
Why It Matters:
Automate calculations like budget tracking, time estimates, or scoring without manual updates. No more spreadsheet juggling—your data stays accurate and up-to-date automatically in Jira.
AI-Powered JQL Error Fixing Now Generally Available
ROLLING OUT
AI-powered JQL error detection and fixing is now available to all users. When you write a JQL query with syntax errors or typos, Jira will automatically suggest corrected versions that you can apply instantly, eliminating the frustration of debugging complex queries.
Why It Matters:
Stop wasting time troubleshooting query syntax. Get instant, accurate fixes so you can find the work items you need faster. Perfect for both JQL beginners and experts who make typos.
Loop Automation for Premium & Enterprise
ROLLING OUT
Premium and Enterprise customers can now use the new loop component in automation rules to repeat actions up to three iterations. Add conditions to control when loops continue, and optionally run components once before checking conditions—perfect for complex, iterative workflows.
Why It Matters:
Build sophisticated automation workflows that handle repetitive tasks intelligently. Reduce manual work by automating multi-step processes that previously required multiple separate rules or manual intervention.
Group by Any Field in List View
ROLLING OUT
You can now organize your work items by grouping them by virtually any field in list view. The new searchable dropdown remembers your five most recent grouping choices, making it quick to switch between your preferred views. You can even create new work items directly within groups.
Why It Matters:
Customize your view to match how your team actually works. Group by priority, assignee, sprint, or any custom field to see patterns and organize work exactly how you need it—without rigid view constraints.
December 2025 – Summaries for End-Users
1. Smarter Access Requests for Jira Spaces
Take Control of Who Can Ask for Access
Never get bombarded with unnecessary access requests again! Site and space admins can now control who sees the “Request access” button for Jira spaces. This means fewer interruptions, cleaner permission management, and your team can focus on what matters—getting work done. Whether you need to keep a space tightly controlled or open for collaboration, you’re now in the driver’s seat.
2. Cleaner, Faster Comment Management
Edit and Delete Comments in Just Two Clicks
Say goodbye to cluttered comment sections! We’ve streamlined how you manage comments in Jira with a simple, intuitive menu. Just hover over any comment and access Edit or Delete from the More actions (•••) ellipses menu. Your workspace stays tidy, and finding the options you need is easier than ever. Less clutter, more clarity.
3. Supercharged Timeline Views for Business Projects
Manage Hundreds of Work Items with Ease
Planning just got more powerful! The timeline in business projects now lets you handle over 100 child items under any parent—no more artificial limits holding your team back. Plus, moving work items is smoother and more intuitive, giving you the flexibility to reorganize on the fly. Whether you’re managing a massive project or tweaking your plan, the timeline now moves at your speed.
4. Precision Planning with Explicit Field Associations (Premium & Enterprise)
No More Field Confusion in Jira Plans
Premium and Enterprise teams, this one’s for you! Fields in Jira Plans now only appear when they’re properly configured for your space and work item type. No more accidental edits or confusing field mixups—just the right fields, at the right time. This update ensures your planning is accurate, error-free, and aligned with your team’s structure. Plan with confidence.
5. Instant Incident Communication with Automated Stakeholder Alerts
Keep the Right People Informed Automatically
When an incident strikes, every second counts. With the new “Add stakeholders to incident” automation action, you can automatically notify key team members the moment an incident is created or updated. No more manual follow-ups or missed communications—your stakeholders stay in the loop, and your team can focus on resolving the issue faster. Streamlined incident response starts here.
Ready to experience these improvements? These features are rolling out now to Jira Cloud users!
Stayed tuned for more Jira updates!