Deleted Work Items in Jira: The Complete Guide
By mistake, a work item was deleted in Jira, and now you are questioning whether to recover it. You are not alone, as many Jira users are experiencing this problem and asking the same questions: Does Jira have a recycle bin? Where do deleted items go? Can admins restore them?
In this guide, we’ll provide the answers to the most frequent questions related to deleted work items in Jira, clarify the actual process that takes place when something has been deleted, and discuss the best practices that can assist in avoiding the loss of data. Additionally, show how Issue History for Jira app can help you in tracking, exporting, and restoring the necessary information.
FAQs About Deleted Work Items in Jira
1. Can I recover a deleted work item in Jira?
The answer is no, there is no native method of restoring deleted work items in Jira. Jira lacks a recycle bin or trash-like folders, making it challenging to restore work items with a single mouse click.
The way to bring a deleted work item back natively is to re-create it manually from memory or documentation. However, that often means losing context, such as comments, attachments, and field updates.
The only exceptions are:
- Backups: If you have a backup of your Jira, you may be able to restore some data. However, it generally restores everything, not a single work item.
- Third-party apps: Apps such as the Issue History for Jira have tracking and export capabilities that facilitate recovery of information on the deleted work items. Using such an app, you can get the info on what work items were deleted, when it happened, and who is responsible for that. Moreover, you will be able to restore the deleted work items in a minute.
👉 In brief: In Jira, a deleted work item is lost forever. The most effective solution is to make regular backups or use an app that can track and restore the deleted work items.
2. Where do deleted work items go in Jira?
In Jira, deleting a work item doesn’t send it to a recycle bin or an archive; instead, it removes it entirely from the project. It will not be on the board, on filters, or in reports. To the ordinary user, it appears that the item has never existed.
👉 In brief: When the work items are deleted, they simply disappear in Jira. They can only be spotted using audit logs, backups, or change tracking apps.
3. Can Jira admins restore deleted work items?
You can’t restore a deleted work item, even when you are a Jira admin. When it is removed, Jira lacks an undo or restore feature for both admins and users.
👉 In brief: A deleted work item can’t be restored directly, even by Jira admins. To minimize the risk, admins may restrict delete permissions in project settings such that only particular roles are allowed to delete work items.
4. How can I see who deleted a Jira work item?
You can start by looking at the Jira Audit Log in case you suspect that a work item was removed. Based on your plan and permissions, in the log, you will be able to see the date when a work item was deleted, as well as who deleted it. For example:
Audit Log has significant limitations:
- It typically displays the event (deletion) and the user who made the deletion.
- It does not record the information about the deleted work item, including field values, attachments, or comments.
- This feature is limited to your Jira plan (available in the Premium and Enterprise versions).
In the case of teams that require more information, such apps as Issue History for Jira may assist. Such an app not only shows when a work item was deleted, but also keeps the critical information it had before, such as fields, comments, etc.
👉 In brief: Jira Audit Log gives you the information about who deleted a work item and when, but to have a complete picture, it is better to use a tool such as Issue History for Jira.
5. Which app can help track and restore deleted Jira work items?
The most optimal solution is the Issue History for Jira app. Jira itself doesn’t provide the capability to restore deleted work items, but this app bridges the gap, offering maximum insight into what was deleted and by whom.
Let’s explore in detail how to track and restore deleted work items with Issue History for Jira:
- After the app is installed, activate Keep deleted work items feature.
- Filter the work items list by selecting a project and the “Deleted by” option (you can specify a person or select any user).
- Choose the required date range.
- Hover the mouse over the task, and you will see the Restore button. Click it to see how the work item will look after recovery.
- Click it to see how the work item will look after recovery.
- Click the Restore to confirm your final decision, and your work item will be restored immediately.
👉 In brief: Issue History for Jira app is the most reliable way to track deleted work items, recover their details, and keep your team audit-ready.
6. Can I export a report of deleted work items in Jira?
With Jira alone, the answer is no; there’s no built-in way to generate a report of deleted work items.
If you need this kind of visibility, you’ll have to rely on third-party apps. For example, the Issue History for Jira app lets you:
- Track deleted work items.
- See who deleted them and when.
- Export the full details to CSV or Excel.
👉 In brief: Jira doesn’t offer reports on deleted items; however, with the help of an app like Issue History for Jira, you will be able to generate clear and exportable reports whenever necessary.
7. How do I prevent users from deleting important work items?
There is no recycle bin in Jira, so the most effective method to save your data is to avoid any accidental deletions at all. The following are some practical steps:
- Limit deleting permissions: Within project settings, ensure the deletion of work items is only allowed to admins or trusted roles. To the majority of users, the only thing they are supposed to be able to do is to close or resolve a work item.
- Close instead of delete: Teach your team to move work items to done or resolved instead of deleting them.
- Arrange frequent exports and audits: Maintain backups of major projects by exporting them to CSV or Excel.
Summing Up
The work items deleted in Jira are gone forever, as they can’t be restored using native functionality. To stay safe, limit delete permissions, encourage closing instead of deleting, and use backups.
To enable complete visibility, Issue History for Jira app allows you to monitor deletions, export reports, and restore deleted work items easily on both Jira Cloud and Data Center.
| ☁️ Use Jira Cloud? Track deleted work items and stay fully audit-ready with Issue History for Jira app. |
| 🏢 Use Jira Data Center? Keep every change transparent and export reports with Issue History for Jira app. |
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