Jira Image of the Day: Cloud Main and Sidebar Navigation

[#1]

Concept Relates To

Application Type	Jira (Jira Work Management and Jira Software), Jira Service Management
Deployment Type	Jira Cloud

What is shown?

In 2025, Atlassian announced a new navigation experience in Cloud. The main top navigation bar is simple and distraction free. No matter where you are in Jira, you’ll always see this same menu at the top of the page. Here are the parts of the main navigation to know about so you can quickly get where you need to go.

Have Data Center? See my Jira Data Center navigation article instead.

Left side

1. Click the first icon to expand or collapse the left sidebar.

2. The second icon is the application navigator. This icon looks like a grid. Click this icon to visit other Atlassian applications. I recommend admins add links to other applications in this area too, like a link to your intranet, for example. Look for a button at the bottom of the menu to add additional URLs.

3. The next item is a logo image. If you ever get lost, click the logo to return your Jira home page.

4. The next item is the search bar. Type any work item key to go straight to that issue’s details page. Type any word or phrase to search through all the work items. You can also type a project’s long name.

5. Next is the create button. Click this button to create a new work item or issue. The project and issue type created last are automatically selected.

Right side

6. The first icon on the right side of the top navigation bar is for notifications. Use this feature to see notices and work item activity.

7. Next is the help icon. Click it and look for the “Keyboard Shortcuts” option. Shortcuts help you quickly navigate and perform common actions. For example: type “c” to create a new issue, type “i” to assign an issue to yourself, or type “a” to assign an issue to someone else.

8. Next is the settings icon. It looks like a cog or a gear. Manage your Atlassian account and personal Jira settings in this area.

   1. In Cloud, the user’s permission level will determine what they see in this menu.

   2. In Server and Data Center, only project-level and application-level admins will see the menu.

9. The last item on the right is the user avatar icon. Click it to manage your profile, additional settings, or logout.

Left sidebar

2025 Jira Cloud sidebar navigation

In Cloud, all the Jira features like plans, projects, filters, and dashboards are now in the left sidebar. Hover over a link to show additional options or expand or collapse the section.

Customize Jira Cloud sidebar content

In Cloud, the sidebar is customizable to each users individual preferences. Click the “Customize sidebar” option at the bottom to show, hide, or reorder sections.

Access settings for a Jira Cloud project

Tip: Application admins and project admins will find the “Project settings” link under the ellipses next to a project’s name in the sidebar.

Read more about Atlassian’s Cloud navigation strategy at: https://www.atlassian.com/blog/announcements/introducing-new-navigation

---

Back to intro and image list