How to create an issue in Linear
Create an issue in Linear from the sidebar: name it, add a description, set a priority and confirm it lands in your team's issue list in under a minute.
Quick answer
To create an issue in Linear, click Create new issue in the sidebar, type a title in the Issue title field, add a description, optionally set a priority such as Medium, then click Create issue. The new issue appears in your team's issue list, in the Todo group, with a confirmation toast.
Steps at a glance
- Click Create new issue in the sidebar
- Type a title in the Issue title field
- Add a description to the issue
- Open Priority and choose Medium
- Click Create issue
- Find the new issue in the Todo group
Interactive demo
Summary
An issue is Linear's basic unit of work, and every task, bug or request starts as one. Creating issues quickly from the sidebar keeps your team's list current and gives each piece of work a title, a description and a priority from the start.
Step-by-step guide
Step 1
Start a new issue
Open your team's issue list. Click **Create new issue** in the sidebar. A New issue window opens with the team already shown at the top, ARC in this capture.
Step 2
Name the issue
Click the **Issue title** field and type a short, specific name. Here the title is Update onboarding checklist. A clear title makes the issue easy to spot in the list.
Step 3
Add a description
Click the **Issue description** area below the title and write what needs to happen. One or two sentences are enough. Once you type, a Save as draft button appears at the top of the window.
Step 4
Set a priority
Click **Priority** in the row of options under the description. A menu opens listing No priority, Urgent, High, Medium and Low. No priority is selected by default.
Step 5
Pick Medium
Choose **Medium** from the list. The Priority option now shows that Medium is selected. Pick the level that matches how soon the work needs doing.
Step 6
Create the issue
Click **Create issue** at the bottom right of the window. The window closes and you return to the issue list.
Step 7
See the new issue
Look in the **Todo** group of the list. The new issue appears there as **ARC-5** with its title and Medium priority. A toast reading **Issue created** also appears with a **View issue** link.
Why this matters
You have a task for your team, such as refreshing an onboarding checklist, and you want it tracked rather than remembered. Creating an issue gives it an ID, a priority and a place in the team's list, so nothing slips.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to set a priority?
No. The priority starts as No priority. In this capture it was set to Medium before creating the issue, but you can leave it as it is.
Where does a new issue appear?
A new issue appears in the Todo group of the team's issue list, with its ID, title and priority icon. A short confirmation toast shows the same ID and title.
Related guides
Continue with more step-by-step guides for getting work done.
How to assign an issue in LinearAssign a Linear issue to a teammate from the Properties panel: open the issue, click Assign, pick a name, and confirm who now owns the work.
How to change issue status in LinearChange the status of a Linear issue from Todo to In Progress with the status menu on the issue page, then confirm the move in the activity feed.
How to create a project in LinearCreate a project in Linear in six steps: open Projects, click New project, add a name and summary, then save it and find it in the list.
Create interactive demos like this one — free, no coding required.
Start for free →