To create a project in Jira Cloud, hover over Spaces in the side navigation, select Create space, pick a template, choose Company-managed or Team-managed, give it a name and select Create. Atlassian's current docs call a project a space, so the steps are the same whichever name you're searching for.
Where the Create project button went
If you've followed an older guide and can't find a Create project button, you haven't missed anything. Atlassian's current Jira Cloud help page for this task is titled 'Create a new space', even though its web address still says create-a-new-project. A space (formerly project) is the same container for your team's work, under a new label.
So throughout this guide, read space wherever you'd expect project. The steps are short, and the only decision that needs real thought is the management type.
Creating a space (formerly project) in six steps
- Hover over Spaces in the side navigation, then select Create space.
- Select a category or app from the template library.
- Find your template and select Use template.
- Give the space a name.
- Select Company-managed or Team-managed.
- Select Create. Then use Space settings > Details to change the key or owner if you need to.
Jira generates a space key when you create the space and sets you as the space owner by default. Both can be changed later under Space settings > Details. It also remembers which template you picked and offers it as the default next time, which saves a click if your team always works the same way.
Choosing a template that suits your team
Templates are grouped by use case or by Jira Cloud app. You'll find software options such as scrum and kanban, and business team options for areas like marketing, legal and HR. If you're not sure which board style fits, my guide to visualising task progress with kanban explains the thinking behind the kanban layout.
Team-managed Kanban or Scrum templates come with recommended defaults for work types, statuses and views, and you can preview the setup before you create anything. That preview is worth a minute, because it shows you exactly what your team will see on day one.
Building one with Rovo
There's also an AI route. Under Space templates you can select Create with Rovo and type a prompt describing what you need. You then review the suggested name, key, work types, statuses and views, and choose whether to switch on sprints. Creating a space this way uses Rovo credits.
Company-managed or team-managed, and who's allowed to choose
Jira admins can create spaces from any template, company-managed and team-managed included. Any user can create their own team-managed space unless a Jira admin has changed that in global permissions. So if the option is greyed out for you, that's usually an admin setting rather than a fault.
Atlassian Support's Create a new space page makes the point that matters most: the choice between company-managed and team-managed at creation affects what can be configured later. Team-managed suits a small group that wants to set things up itself. Company-managed suits organisations that want consistent settings across several teams.
Sharing one configuration across spaces
Only Jira admins can create a space with a shared configuration, and as of Nov 2026 it isn't available on the Free plan. Shared spaces share work types, workflows, screens, fields, permissions and notifications. To set one up you select Company-managed, tick Share settings with an existing space and pick the source in the Choose space drop-down.
Lighter tools if a space feels like overkill
Trello uses a board that holds lists to organise to-dos, thoughts or other concepts, and one board can carry multiple lists.
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Linear projects group issues with a clear outcome or planned completion date and can be shared across multiple teams. Only the name and status are needed to create one.
My roundup of other project tools worth a look covers more options if you're weighing a switch.
The advice I'd give before you click Create
Settle the management type first, because it's the one choice that shapes everything after it. For a small team running its own work, team-managed with a preview of the template is usually the quickest start. If you're working within a framework, my comparison of Scrum and SAFe may help you pick the right template.
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Frequently asked questions
Where is Create project in Jira?
Hover over Spaces in the side navigation and select Create space.
Is a Jira space the same as a project?
Yes. Atlassian's current docs use space where older guides said project.
Who can create one?
Jira admins can use any template, and any user can create a team-managed space unless an admin restricts it.
What is the space key?
A key Jira generates when the space is created. You can change it under Space settings > Details.
Can two spaces share settings?
Yes. Company-managed spaces can share a configuration set up by a Jira admin, though as of Nov 2026 not on the Free plan.
