How to Set a Default Priority in Jira Cloud (per Project and per Issue Type)

Short answer: Use a priority scheme to set the default priority for one or more projects. Team-managed projects can also set a default priority per issue type in project settings. Company-managed projects can't natively have a different default priority per issue type; use Automation (after creation) or an app that pre-fills Priority in the Create dialog.

1. Default priority per project: priority schemes

Go to Settings (gear) > Work items > Priority schemes.
Click Add priority scheme (or Edit an existing one), add the priorities, and choose Set as default on the one new issues should get.
Under Spaces/Projects, associate the projects and save.

The built-in default scheme applies to every project you haven't moved. Editing it changes the default for all of them, so create a separate scheme if only one project needs a different default.

2. Team-managed projects: default per issue type

Project admins can set a default priority per issue type in Project settings > Priorities. If you add new priorities to the default scheme, check these again, because team-managed projects without an explicit default fall back to the "middle" priority.

3. Company-managed: different default for Bugs vs Tasks

Priority schemes are per project, not per issue type, and Atlassian has said per-issue-type priority schemes aren't supported. Options:

Automation: trigger Work item created, condition Work type = Bug and Priority = (your scheme default), action Edit work item > Priority = High. Notifications go out before the change, and people never see the value in the dialog.
An app that pre-fills Priority per project and issue type in the Create dialog.

4. "No default" priority

Some teams want Priority empty so reporters must choose. Jira always sets a priority; the request for a "no default" option (JRACLOUD-13048) has about 470 votes. A common workaround is a "Needs triage" priority set as the scheme default, plus a filter on it.

Default Field Values for Jira (by Loomwise) sets defaults per project and issue type for Priority, Assignee, Labels, Components, Description templates and text, number, date and single-select custom fields. The Create dialog opens with the values already filled in, and issues created from the board or backlog get their empty fields filled right after creation. Works in company-managed and team-managed projects, runs on Atlassian Forge, sends no data outside Atlassian. Free for up to 10 users, then $0.35 per user per month, billed through Atlassian. The Marketplace listing is in Atlassian's review now.

See how Default Field Values works Read the docs · Email us for early access

Note for this app: because Jira always sets a priority, the app only replaces it after creation when the issue still has Jira's default priority, so a priority the user picked is never overwritten.

FAQ

Where do I change the default priority in Jira Cloud? Settings > Work items > Priority schemes. Edit the scheme used by your project and choose Set as default on a priority.

Can I set a default priority per issue type? In team-managed projects, yes, in Project settings > Priorities. In company-managed projects, not natively; use Automation or an app.

Can Priority be blank by default? No. Jira always applies a default priority (see JRACLOUD-13048). Use a "Needs triage" priority as the default instead.

Does changing the default scheme affect existing issues? No, the default only applies to new issues. Removing a priority from a scheme makes you map existing issues to another priority.

Related guides

Disclosure: Loomwise makes the apps mentioned in the cards above and wrote this guide. Not affiliated with Atlassian. Vote counts are from jira.atlassian.com as of October 2026. Last checked October 2026; Jira menus and features change, so verify in your site. Contact: hello@loomwise.app