Trello cards are the smallest and most detailed part of a Trello board, used for to-dos, tasks, ideas, reminders or anything else you want to track. You add one by selecting Add a card at the bottom of a list, typing a title and pressing Enter, then open it to add a description, checklist, dates, labels or attachments.
Here's the number worth knowing: you can add up to 5,000 cards per board, but Trello says performance may suffer past 1,000, especially with large attachments. If a busy board feels sluggish, archive finished cards long before you hit the cap.
Every way to add a Trello card
| Where | How |
|---|---|
| Bottom of a list | Select Add a card, type the title and press Enter |
| Top of a list | Open the list actions menu and add it from there |
| Middle of a list | Double-click between two cards |
| From a template | Select Create from template at the bottom of a list and pick one |
| Mobile app | Long-press the Trello icon and choose Add card, use a home screen widget, or tap the plus icon in the app |
| Desktop app | Press Option or Alt + Control + Space to add a card with Quick card, even when Trello's minimised |
| Write or forward an email to Trello to create a card |
You need to be a member of a board to add cards to it. Depending on the board's settings you can join it yourself, or ask a member to invite you. To open a card, select it, or hover over it and press Enter.
The six Trello card types
| Card type | What it's for |
|---|---|
| Default | Any task, idea or note, with the full card back |
| Template | Repeated work, like a weekly task, so you don't rebuild the same checklist each time |
| Board card | A link to another board. Paste the board's link into a new card's title |
| Separator | A plain divider between cards. Type three dashes (---) as the title |
| Mirror | One card you can view and edit on several boards, with changes updating everywhere |
| Link card | Created when you add a URL to a card's name, showing a small preview of the page |
Two quirks to know. Mirror cards are only available on paid workspaces, and if you try to make one in a free workspace, you get a Link card instead. Separator cards have no card back and show nothing but a grey dash. To turn one back into a normal card, rename it to anything other than the three dashes, or right-click it and choose Convert to regular card.
Adding checklists to a card
- Open the card and select the Checklist button.
- Enter a title and click Add. To reuse items, pick an existing checklist from the Copy items from dropdown first.
- Select Add an item, type the item's name and press Enter.
You can paste a column of items from a text file or spreadsheet into the Add item field, and each line becomes its own item. Trello's AI can also generate checklist items from the card's title and description, which you then edit like any others. In a Premium Workspace, advanced checklists let you give each item an assignee and a due date.
The card front shows how many checklist items there are, and the number turns green when they're all done. On the card back, a progress bar turns green at the same point. If an item grows into its own piece of work, convert it to a card from the Item actions menu: its name becomes the new card's title and its due date and assignee carry over. Be careful with deleting, though. A deleted checklist or checklist item is gone for good, with no way to recover it.
Due dates, start dates and badge colours
A card can have a due date, a due time and a start date. Open the card and click Dates, or hover over it on the board and press D. You can also type a date into a new card's title and Trello will pick it up. Start dates and due dates both show on the Calendar view and the Timeline view.
| Badge colour | What it means |
|---|---|
| Light grey | Due in more than 24 hours |
| Yellow | Due soon, within 24 hours |
| Red | Just became due and is now overdue. It stays red for 24 hours |
| Light pink | Overdue for more than 24 hours |
| Green | Marked complete |
To get a notification, you have to set a due date reminder, from the dropdown next to the due date, or choose None to skip it. Watch out for archived cards: they send no notifications at all, so a card due in three days that you archive today won't remind anyone. And if you mark a card complete before its due date, it won't trigger automation set to run when a card becomes due.
For repeating work, a recurring due date resets the card automatically when you mark it done, with no automation rules or Power-Ups needed. Set it to Weekly on Wednesday, move one week's date to Thursday, and the next due date still lands on the following Wednesday. You can see and use recurring cards in the mobile apps, but you can't set up new ones there.
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My verdict on Trello cards
I'd keep each card to one piece of work, put the steps in a checklist and always add a due date with a reminder, because a date without a reminder won't nudge anyone. Use separator cards to break up long lists, templates for anything you repeat weekly, and archive the clutter before a board gets near 1,000 cards. If you're still setting up your first board, start with how to use Trello, and once you're adding cards every day, learn the Trello keyboard shortcuts, starting with D for dates.
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Frequently asked questions
How many cards can a Trello board have?
Up to 5,000 cards per board, but performance may suffer with more than 1,000 cards, especially with large attachments.
How do I make a separator card in Trello?
Add three dashes (---) as the title of a new card. To convert an existing card, rename it to three dashes, then right-click it and select Convert to separator card.
Why did my Trello mirror card become a link card?
Mirror cards are only available on paid workspaces. In a free workspace, Trello creates a Link card instead.
Can I recover a deleted Trello checklist?
No. Deleting a checklist or checklist item is permanent, and there's no way to recover it.
What does a red due date mean in Trello?
The card just became due and is now overdue. It stays red for 24 hours, then turns light pink.
