Troubleshoot Enhanced Search for Jira Cloud
Enhanced Search troubleshooting overview
| Symptom / Error | Likely Cause | Error Category | What to Check First | Recommended Fix |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Search times out or never completes. | Query processes too many issues or is too complex. | Timeouts and Performance | Query size, negative operators. | Narrow scope, split queries, add date or project filters. |
| Search fails intermittently during heavy instance activity. | Too many searches in a short period. | Rate Limits | Frequency of searches, automation, or scripts. | Turn off automatic syncing for filters that don't need it, audit and delete old or unused filters. |
| Search returns no results, but no error. | Filters are too narrow or exclude valid issues. | Empty or Missing Results | AND/OR logic, empty fields, deprecated fields. | Broaden filters, include EMPTY checks, and validate fields. Check custom issue types as some functions work with these, and some don't. For example, issuesInEpics, epicsOf and parentsOf use the standard Atlassian issue types only. parentsOf with the all parameter and childrenOf allow for custom issue types.
|
| Query fails to run or save. | Invalid syntax or unsupported function. | Errors | JQL syntax, function usage. | Fix syntax, use supported fields/functions. |
| Unable to save filter. | Filter name conflict or timeout during save. | Errors | Existing filter names, query complexity. | Rename filter, simplify query. |
Best practice tips
- Ensure JQL keywords are synced: It can appear that JQL queries don't work when, in fact, they just haven't been synced.
- Use the insert function: Build queries using the Insert Function '+' option where possible, as this helps ensure the correct syntax.
- Avoid timeout limits: As there are timeout limitations in the Cloud (two minutes maximum), you should endeavour to reduce the complexity of queries and make them as small as possible to avoid these. The two-minute timeout currently applies to searches made in the Enhanced Search app only, whereas any saved filters are subject to the 30-second search timeout limit when syncing.
- Enable the filter sync: Ensure filters are synced automatically when powering dashboards or Agile boards so that issues returned by a JQL query are up to date. You can toggle the filter sync filter by editing a filter.
- Permissions: Avoid tweaking permissions for the Add-On User, as this can cause many functions to not work as expected. This is particularly the case when restricting permissions.
- Use IDs in ES functions: Use IDs rather than names in ES functions, where possible. For example, filter IDs, Atlassian user account IDs, board IDs, sprint IDs, and so on.
The image below summarises how you can write efficient queries and how you can avoid writing inefficient ones:
Detect Broken Filters Using an Analyzer
If a filter requires attention, an error symbol indicator appears alongside it.
This indicator:
- Highlights filters that are at high risk of failing during migration.
- Includes a link to additional information about the issue.
For example, you can see all error symbol indicators contained within the image below:
There are two limits:
- Result limit of 1,000 issues
- Timeout limit of 55 seconds
Both of these limits are per precomputation. A precomputation is an individual use of an Enhanced Search function. Filters can contain multiple precomputations, and each one can return up to 1,000 issues and run for 55 seconds.
Example: issueFunction in linkedIssuesOf("project = test") and issueFunction in addedAfterSprintStart(1). Each use of a function, or precomputation, can return 1000 issues, so the entire filter could return 2,000 issues since there are two. For timeout limits, each function, or precomputation, can take 55-seconds to process. They will run at the same time.
Each symbol relates to a different error type:
| Results exceeding 1,000 issues | |
| Taking 55 seconds or longer to load | |
| Returning errors |
Once the issue is resolved, the indicator will disappear.
How to fix broken filters
You must review and update your saved filters that have been flagged with an error symbol. Refer to the Troubleshoot section for guidance on resolving filter errors or other issues.
Fixing Filters Affected by the 1 October 2026 Bug
Learn how to identify and correct Jira Enhanced Search filters affected by the 1 October 2026 bug, or remove filters that are no longer needed.
If you have been affected by this bug, you will receive an email and in-app messaging later this month with specific filter IDs that were affected. This bug affected very few (less than 0.5%) customers.
On 1 October 2026, we identified a bug that had inadvertently been introduced into Enhanced Search for Jira and ScriptRunner for Jira Cloud. This bug caused a small set of Enhanced Search filters to stop working as intended.
Most of the affected filters have now been fixed; however, there are some filters that require a manual update. These filters may be showing outdated information as they are not syncing automatically.
Please either remove the filter if it is no longer needed, or manually correct the query using this guide for instructions.
Locate each Jira filter using the filter ID/Atlassian account ID we have sent you. You can do this by searching for the filter https://<insert_instance_name>.atlassian.net/issues/?filter=<insert_filter_id>
Check the Jira filter description.
Confirm if the Jira filter description contains the correct Enhanced Search filter query, and respond back to us with this query and the associated Jira filter ID, so we can manually fix the filter.
If it is not the correct filter query, respond back to us with the desired filter query and the associated Jira filter ID, so we can manually fix the filter in our database.
If the filter is an Enhanced Search filter, but is no longer required, please navigate to the Enhanced Search page, find the Enhanced Search filter and delete it.
If the filter was never an Enhanced Search filter, then you can ignore and skip this filter.
If you are affected and have more questions or need help, please contact support.