Default search JQL query changed from text

Question

My org uses Jira Cloud (Premium). Over the last couple of weeks, the default search JQL query changed.

This is the one that loads when the top right search bar is used:

Past setup

text ~ "searchterm*" ORDER BY Created DESC

Current setup

summary ~ "searchterm*" OR description ~ "searchterm*" ORDER BY Created DESC

These yield two very different results. Most importantly, the past setup query, searches in custom fields. The new query does not.

Can this behaviour which worked well and changed without any notice be customised / reverted / opted out of?

Dwight Holman · Answer

I know this is an old post - but it continues to confuse some people.

There are some suggestions in the backlog about this:

* JRACLOUD-84332 The issue navigator search box doesn't search comments
* JRACLOUD-85450 Include issue comments in "textfields" search
* JRACLOUD-93748 Make "textfields~" JQL field to search for Comments and Worklogs

Bill Sheboy · Answer

Hi @Andras Gombos

I believe that change started rolling out at the end of June 2024:

https://confluence.atlassian.com/cloud/blog/2024/07/atlassian-cloud-changes-jun-24-to-jul-1-2024#AtlassianCloudchangesJun24toJul1,2024-ImprovedsearchusingsummaryanddescriptionfieldsFD-63933

Based on this week's blog entry, the change is still rolling out.

Kind regards,
Bill

Andras Gombos_j4snmz · Answer

HI @Marc -Devoteam-, thanks for the feedback.

I'm saying that the option you describe unequivocally brings this result to me and everyone else in our Jira instance:

summary ~ "searchterm*" OR description ~ "searchterm*" ORDER BY Created DESC

And not what it did earlier, which is the desired setting:

text ~ "searchterm*" ORDER BY Created DESC

Hope this makes sense.

I have now tried to set Basic search instead of JQL. The prompt came up:

And then:

So, this is proof. It is a “feature”, unprompted and unilateral, with no way to revert.

Maybe it's a phased rollout, which is why you may not see it in action yet.