Easy Tech TutsHow to Change the Reporter in Jira
By Impran M NLast checked against official docs
The Reporter field on a Jira work item records who originally raised it, and it's easy to end up with the wrong name there when someone files a bug on a teammate's behalf, or an integration creates a ticket under a generic account. Fixing one item takes under a minute once you know the field sits inside the Details panel, not on the item's main card. Atlassian renamed Jira's "projects" to "spaces" in February 2026, so this guide uses that term; older screenshots and guides may still say "project" for the same thing.
01Open the space and find the work item
From the left sidebar, pick the space holding the item you need to fix, then open its Backlog view. The backlog lists every work item with its key, status, and assignee avatar in a single row, which is the fastest place to find something if you already know roughly what it's called.
02Open the item's details panel
Click a row, such as "Fix Bugs" (SDT-1), and a work item panel opens on the right without leaving the backlog. The top of it shows the title, status dropdown, description, subtasks, and linked items. None of that is where the reporter lives; scroll down within this same panel instead of hunting for a separate edit screen.
03Expand the Details section
Below the description and linked items, a collapsible Details section holds the metadata fields: start date, sprint, story point estimate, and Reporter among them. Click to expand it if it's collapsed. The panel structure is the same across work item types, so this applies whether you're looking at a bug, task, or story.
04Click the Reporter field and search for a user
Click into the Reporter field and a search box opens with a dropdown of matching users below it. Type enough of the correct person's name or username to narrow the list; larger spaces can have dozens of similarly named accounts, and picking the wrong one is an easy mistake at speed.
05Select the correct reporter
Click the right name in the dropdown to set it. Jira saves the change immediately; there's no separate Save button, since edits made inside the Details panel commit as soon as you make the selection. Glance at the field afterward to confirm the new name stuck.
When it doesn't work
Clicking the Reporter field does nothing, or it shows as read-only
Why: You're missing the Modify Reporter permission for that space, which is a separate grant from general edit access.
Fix: Ask a Jira admin to add Modify Reporter to the relevant permission scheme, or to run Jira's Permission Helper to check exactly what you're missing.
An admin has granted Modify Reporter but the field still won't open
Why: The Reporter field isn't on the space's Edit screen. Jira's inline editing on the item view reads its available fields from that Edit screen, so a field missing there can't be edited inline even with the right permission.
Fix: An admin needs to add Reporter to the space's Edit screen under Project Settings, Issues, Screens — the permission alone isn't enough.
Need to fix the reporter on many items, not just one
Why: Editing items one at a time doesn't scale for a bulk cleanup.
Fix: Select the items from a list view, the backlog, the board, or a search, then use Bulk change (or Edit from the toolbar) to update Reporter on all of them at once. Jira caps this at 1,000 work items per operation, and still requires Edit work item and Modify reporter permission on every item selected.
Frequently asked questions
Why would I need to change the reporter on an issue?
Most often to correct a misattributed ticket: someone files an issue on behalf of a teammate, or an integration creates it under a generic or incorrect account.
What permission do I need to change the reporter?
Modify Reporter, granted through the space's permission scheme. If the field is still uneditable after that's granted, check that Reporter is on the space's Edit screen too; inline editing depends on that.
Where exactly is the Reporter field located?
Inside the work item panel, under the collapsible Details section alongside fields like start date, sprint, and story point estimate, not on the item's main header.
Does the change save automatically?
Yes. Selecting a new reporter from the search dropdown saves immediately with no separate confirmation step.
Can I change the reporter on multiple issues at once?
Yes. Select the items in a list view, backlog, board, or search, then use Bulk change to update Reporter on all of them together, up to 1,000 items per run.
Why does this guide say "space" instead of "project"?
Atlassian renamed Jira's projects to spaces across Jira Software, Jira Service Management, and Jira Product Discovery in February 2026. It's a naming and icon change only; permissions, workflows, and data all work the same as before.
Sources and last check
Click path and screenshots come from a walkthrough recorded before Atlassian's February 2026 rename of Jira projects to spaces; wording throughout has been updated to the current term. Permission and screen-configuration details were re-checked against Atlassian's support article on the Reporter field in September 2026, and the bulk-change guidance replaces a vague hedge with the actual documented path, limit, and permissions.
About the author
Impran M N
I've been hooked on technology for as long as I can remember — especially the new tools and AI apps that seem to land every other week. Easy Tech Tuts is where I write up whatever I've just worked out: I do the task in the real product, record the screen, and turn it into the guide I wish I'd found first.
