Link work items in Jira

Company and team-managed spaces

The native link action is the same in both space types. You can link work across spaces when you have the Link work items permission and can view both work items.

1. Open the work item that describes the relationship

   Start on the work item whose perspective you want to record. For example, open the work that cannot start yet if you want to add an is blocked by relationship.

2. Choose Link work item

   Select Add quick-add below the summary, then Linked work item. On the board, right-click the card or use More actions (•••) → Link work item.

3. Choose the link type and target

   Select blocks, is blocked by, duplicates, or relates to, then search for the target work item by key or summary.

4. Link and verify both sides

   Select Link, then open the linked-work area. Jira presents the inverse wording on the other work item automatically: a block is not two separate links.

Good to know

Links are useful context, but they do not create workflow behaviour by themselves:

• Cross-space links are supported. You need access to both work items and the Link work items permission in both spaces.
• Link direction matters. If A blocks B, B is blocked by A. Read the phrase from the source work item before selecting it.
• Links do not auto-transition or auto-assign work. Use Jira automation deliberately if a particular dependency should trigger a change.
• Link types are configured by Jira admins. If the relationship you expect is missing, the site may have had that type removed or renamed.
• Board-card link visibility is personal. Enabling it in View settings changes your board view, not everyone else's.