Jira for Mac is here

It’s been more than 30 years since I switched on my first ever Macintosh computer in the mid-1980’s, so the launch of Jira for Mac is especially exciting.

Four years ago, we set out to build the best Jira experience on the go with our first iPhone app. It’s been a huge success, with many customers sharing how much they like its speed and ease of use. So when Apple presented their cross-platform vision last year, we couldn’t wait to get started. We saw great potential for a Jira Mac app that’d be incredibly fast and fully integrated with Mac desktops and laptops that many of us work with every day.

Earlier this year, at Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), we revealed that Jira would be coming to Mac. And in just three months, we built the app to take the Jira user experience to a new level for our large number of Mac users.

Snappier than ever before

Jira for Mac is a snappy and simple way for software developers to work with tasks and update their team on progress. The most common actions users take in Jira – managing the backlog, viewing the roadmap, flipping between projects – load faster than ever with the new Mac app. We’re continuing to work hard to make Jira faster (more on that here), and the Mac app will deliver an incredibly fast user experience.

Fully integrated with MacOS, featuring Dark Mode

Jira can be used right next to Xcode or any other development tools on Mac. We also know there are many Dark Mode fans out there, so we added that too, making those late nights easier on the eyes. The app also tightly integrates with all the power of macOS, including push notifications, keyboard shortcuts, search, drag and drop, and much more.

The best place to track your team’s progress is on your board, which will look beautiful on large Mac screens that give you a full overview of what your team is working on. With the app, you’ll be able to use drag and drop to move cards on kanban and scrum boards in Jira. And you’ll be able to seamlessly hand over a board or issue between your iOS device and Mac.

Navigate to work with ease

The faster teams can find work, the faster it gets done. The always-visible sidebar surfaces quick links to projects, commonly used filters, and a notifications center so you can find what you’re looking for, quickly.

And when it comes to seeing all work in flight at a glance, Roadmaps brings the big picture to your Mac desktop or laptop. Roadmaps, one of our favorite features in the reimagined Jira and with Jira for Mac, sketch out your plan and ensure that the roadmap connects to your team’s work – all in a few clicks. Then, you can use full-screen mode in macOS to present the project status to stakeholders in a meeting.

How our iOS developers became Mac developers overnight with Mac Catalyst

For a powerful product like Jira, building a Mac application from scratch would have taken significantly longer. But thanks to Mac Catalyst, our iOS developers became Mac developers overnight. It was that easy. With the power of UIKit, we were able to seamlessly bring our iPad app to the Mac. This is a revolution that will make your lives a lot easier. It’s a really big deal. Almost all of our code will now be shared across iOS and macOS. And that means we can create a really great Jira experience, making it easier for developers, like you, to keep tasks up-to-date across iPhone, iPad and Mac. We think – we know – you’re going to love how fast it is and how well it works with all the native Mac features you already use today.