Bulk Watchers for Jira
Add or remove watchers on hundreds of Jira work items at once, with a preview first and one-step undo.
| Work item | Summary | What will happen |
|---|---|---|
| WEB-45 | Spike: evaluate headless CMS options | Maya Chen and Leo Martins will be added |
| WEB-44 | Add estimated delivery date to product page | Maya Chen and Leo Martins will be added |
| WEB-43 | Discount code field accepts expired codes | Maya Chen and Leo Martins will be added |
| WEB-42 | Archive legacy marketing landing pages | Maya Chen and Leo Martins will be added |
| WEB-41 | Add live chat widget to support pages | Maya Chen and Leo Martins will be added |
Change watchers on hundreds of items
Choose work items with JQL or a saved filter, pick up to 10 people or a group, and add or remove them in one go. About 1,500 changes take 3 to 4 minutes.
See every change before it happens
The preview names who will be added or removed, skips anyone already watching, and warns you about projects you can't change. Stop at any time, and undo in one step.
Clean up after people leave
Remove a person from everything they watch, including deactivated accounts. The report shows work nobody watches, so nothing slips through.
Add or remove watchers
Open Jira, then Apps, then Bulk Watchers. Nothing to configure first.
- Choose work items with a JQL search or a saved filter.
- Choose up to 10 people, or a Jira group.
- Choose Add as watchers or Remove as watchers, then select Preview.
- Check who will change, what is skipped and why, then confirm. Keep the page open until it finishes.
Tabs, permissions and limits
The four tabs
| Tab | What it does |
|---|---|
| Add or remove | Adds or removes people as watchers on the work items you choose |
| Remove everywhere | Removes one person from everything they watch, for example when they leave or change teams |
| Report | For up to five projects or a saved filter, shows work items nobody watches and deactivated people still watching |
| Recent changes | Lists every change with an Undo button, until you close or reload the page |
Permissions
- Every change is made as you, so you can only change watchers in projects where you have the Manage watcher list permission.
- People are only added to work items they can view. The preview names anyone who will be skipped, and why.
- Each person approves the app once, the first time they open it.
Speed and limits
About 1,500 changes take 3 to 4 minutes. You can stop at any time; changes already made stay made. Each change covers up to 1,000 work items and 5,000 changes; for larger jobs, narrow the search and run it in parts.
Your data
Bulk Watchers stores nothing. Recent changes exist only in your open browser page. The app runs on Atlassian's platform and sends no data anywhere else.
Common questions
Why does it ask me to allow access the first time?
Bulk Watchers acts as you, so Jira asks each person once to approve it. It can only do what you can already do in Jira.
Why does it say I can't change watchers here?
Changing other people's watchers needs the Manage watcher list permission in that project. In team-managed spaces this usually means a space administrator. Ask a Jira admin to grant it.
Why was someone skipped?
People are skipped if they already watch the work item (or don't, when removing), or if they can't view it. Jira doesn't allow watchers who can't see the work.
Can I undo a change?
Yes. Every change is listed under Recent changes with an Undo button, until you close or reload the page. Undo puts watchers back exactly as they were before that change.
What happens if I close the page during a change?
Changes stop where they are. Everything already made stays made, and nothing else changes. Open the app again and run the same change to finish it: anyone already added is skipped.
Can I remove someone who has left the company?
Yes. Remove everywhere lets you choose deactivated accounts, and the Report tab lists deactivated people still watching work.
Does Bulk Watchers store or send my data?
No. It stores nothing and runs on Atlassian's platform, sending no data anywhere else. See the privacy policy.
Does it work with Jira Data Center?
No. Bulk Watchers is built for Jira Cloud only.
What happens if a larger site's subscription ends?
The app shows a message saying the free trial has ended until a Jira admin subscribes. Sites with up to 10 users are always free.
The app shows an error. What should I do?
Reload the page. If the error stays, email support@poincianaworks.com with your Jira site address and a screenshot.
Need help with Bulk Watchers?
Email us with your Jira site address and a screenshot. We reply within 12 hours. See our support policy.