GitLab quick actions
- Tier: Free, Premium, Ultimate
- Offering: GitLab.com, GitLab Self-Managed, GitLab Dedicated
Quick actions provide text-based shortcuts for common actions in GitLab. Quick actions:
- Execute common actions without using the user interface.
- Support working with issues, merge requests, epics, and commits.
- Run automatically when you save descriptions or comments.
- Respond to specific contexts and conditions.
- Process multiple commands when entered on separate lines.
For example, you can use quick actions to:
- Assign users.
- Add labels.
- Set due dates.
- Change status.
- Set other attributes.
Each command starts with a forward slash (/) and must be entered on a separate line.
Many quick actions accept parameters, which you can enter with quotation marks (") or specific formatting.
Parameters
Many quick actions require a parameter. For example, the /assign quick action
requires a username. GitLab uses autocomplete characters
with quick actions to help users enter parameters, by providing a list of
available values.
If you manually enter a parameter, it must be enclosed in double quotation marks
("), unless it contains only these characters:
- ASCII letters
- Numbers (0-9)
- Underscore (
_), hyphen (-), question mark (?), dot (.), ampersand (&) or at (@)
Parameters are case-sensitive. Autocomplete handles this, and the insertion of quotation marks, automatically.
Issues, merge requests, and epics
The following quick actions are applicable to descriptions, discussions, and threads. Some quick actions might not be available to all subscription tiers.
| Command | Issue | Merge request | Epic | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|
/add_child <item> | Yes | No | Yes | Add <item> as a child item. The <item> value should be in the format of #item, group/project#item, or a URL to the item. For issues, you can add tasks and OKRs. The new look for issues must be enabled. For epics, you can add issues, tasks, and OKRs. Multiple work items can be added as child items at the same time. The new look for epics must be enabled. |
/add_contacts [contact:email1@example.com] [contact:email2@example.com] | Yes | No | No | Add one or more active CRM contacts. |
/add_email email1 email2 | Yes | No | No | Add up to six email participants. This action is behind the feature flag issue_email_participants. Not supported in issue templates. |
/approve | No | Yes | No | Approve the merge request. |
/assign @user1 @user2 | Yes | Yes | No | Assign one or more users. |
/assign me | Yes | Yes | No | Assign yourself. |
/assign_reviewer @user1 @user2 or /reviewer @user1 @user2 | No | Yes | No | Assign one or more users as reviewers. |
/assign_reviewer me or /reviewer me | No | Yes | No | Assign yourself as a reviewer. |
/blocked_by <item1> <item2> | Yes | No | Yes | Mark the item as blocked by other items. The <item> value should be in the format of #item, group/project#item, or the full URL. (Introduced in GitLab 16.0). For epics, the new look for epics must be enabled. |
/blocks <item1> <item2> | Yes | No | Yes | Mark the item as blocking other items. The <item> value should be in the format of #item, group/project#item, or the full URL. (Introduced in GitLab 16.0). For epics, the new look for epics must be enabled. |
/board_move ~column | Yes | No | No | Move issue to column on the board. The project must have only one issue board. |
/cc @user | Yes | Yes | Yes | Mention a user. This command performs no action. You can instead type CC @user or only @user. |
/clear_health_status | Yes | No | Yes | Clear health status. For epics, the new look for epics must be enabled. |
/clear_weight | Yes | No | No | Clear weight. |
/clone <path/to/group_or_project> [--with_notes] | Yes | No | Yes | Clone the work item to a given group or project, or the current one if no arguments are given. Copies as much data as possible as long as the target contains equivalent objects like labels, milestones, or epics. Does not copy comments or system notes unless --with_notes is provided as an argument. |
/close | Yes | Yes | Yes | Close. |
/confidential | Yes | No | Yes | Mark issue or epic as confidential. Support for epics introduced in GitLab 15.6. |
/convert_to_ticket <email address> | Yes | No | No | Convert an issue into a Service Desk ticket. Introduced in GitLab 16.9 |
/copy_metadata <!merge_request> | Yes | Yes | No | Copy labels and milestone from another merge request in the project. |
/copy_metadata <#item> | Yes | Yes | Yes | Copy labels and milestone from another issue in the project. For epics, the new look for epics must be enabled. |
/create_merge_request <branch name> | Yes | No | No | Create a new merge request starting from the current issue. |
/done | Yes | Yes | Yes | Mark to-do item as done. |
/draft | No | Yes | No | Set the draft status. |
/due <date> | Yes | No | Yes | Set due date. Examples of valid <date> include in 2 days, this Friday and December 31st. See Chronic for more examples. For epics, the new look for epics must be enabled. |
/duplicate <item> | Yes | No | Yes | Close this |
/epic <epic> or /set_parent <epic> | Yes | No | Yes | Add to epic <epic> as a child item. The <epic> value should be in the format of &epic, group&epic, or a URL to an epic. For epics, the new look for epics must be enabled. Alias /set_parent introduced in GitLab 17.10. |
/estimate <time> or /estimate_time <time> | Yes | Yes | Yes | Set time estimate. For example, /estimate 1mo 2w 3d 4h 5m. For more information, see Time tracking. Alias /estimate_time introduced in GitLab 15.6. For epics, the new look for epics must be enabled. |
/health_status <value> | Yes | No | Yes | Set health status. For epics, the new look for epics must be enabled. Valid options for <value> are on_track, needs_attention, and at_risk. |
/iteration *iteration:<iteration ID> or <iteration name> | Yes | No | No | Set iteration. For example, to set the Late in July iteration: /iteration *iteration:"Late in July". |
/iteration [cadence:<iteration cadence ID> or <iteration cadence name>] <--current or --next> | Yes | No | No | Set iteration to the current or next upcoming iteration of the referenced iteration cadence. For example, /iteration [cadence:"Team cadence"] --current sets the iteration to the current iteration of the iteration cadence named “Team cadence”. Introduced in GitLab 16.9. |
/iteration <--current or --next> | Yes | No | No | Set iteration to the current or next upcoming iteration when a group has one iteration cadence. For example, /iteration --current sets the iteration to the current iteration of the iteration cadence. Introduced in GitLab 16.9. |
/label ~label1 ~label2 or /labels ~label1 ~label2 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Add one or more labels. Label names can also start without a tilde (~), but mixed syntax is not supported. |
/link | Yes | No | No | Add a link and description to linked resources in an incident (introduced in GitLab 15.5). |
/lock | Yes | Yes | Yes | Lock the discussions. For epics, the new look for epics must be enabled. |
/merge | No | Yes | No | Merge changes. Depending on the project setting, this may be when the pipeline succeeds, or adding to a Merge Train. |
/milestone %milestone | Yes | Yes | No | Set milestone. |
/move <path/to/group_or_project> | Yes | No | Yes | Move the work item to another group or project. Be careful when moving a work item to a location with different access rules. Before moving the work item, make sure it does not contain sensitive data. |
/page <policy name> | Yes | No | No | Start escalations for the incident. |
/parent_epic <epic> | No | No | Yes | Set parent epic to <epic>. The <epic> value should be in the format of &epic, group&epic, or a URL to an epic. If the new look for epics is enabled, use /set_parent instead. |
/promote_to_incident | Yes | No | No | Promote issue to incident. In GitLab 15.8 and later, you can also use the quick action when creating a new issue. |
/promote | Yes | No | No | Promote issue to epic. If the new look for issues is enabled, use /promote_to epic instead. |
/publish | Yes | No | No | Publish issue to an associated Status Page. |
/react :emoji: | Yes | Yes | Yes | Toggle an emoji reaction. Renamed from /award in GitLab 16.7. /award is still available as an aliased command. |
/ready | No | Yes | No | Set the ready status (Introduced in GitLab 15.1). |
/reassign @user1 @user2 | Yes | Yes | No | Replace current assignees with those specified. |
/reassign_reviewer @user1 @user2 | No | Yes | No | Replace current reviewers with those specified. |
/rebase | No | Yes | No | Rebase source branch on the latest commit of the target branch. For help, see troubleshooting information. |
/relabel ~label1 ~label2 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Replace current labels with those specified. |
/relate <item1> <item2> | Yes | No | Yes | Mark items as related. The <item> value should be in the format of #item, group/project#item, or the full URL. For epics, the new look for epics must be enabled. |
/remove_child <item> | Yes | No | Yes | Remove <item> as child. The <item> value should be in the format of #item, group/project#item, or a URL to the item. For issues, the new look for issues must be enabled. For epics, the new look for epics must be enabled. |
/remove_child_epic <epic> | No | No | Yes | Remove child epic from <epic>. The <epic> value should be in the format of &epic, group&epic, or a URL to an epic. If the new look for epics is enabled, use /remove_child instead. |
/remove_contacts [contact:email1@example.com] [contact:email2@example.com] | Yes | No | No | Remove one or more CRM contacts |
/remove_due_date | Yes | No | No | Remove due date. |
/remove_email email1 email2 | Yes | No | No | Remove up to six email participants. This action is behind the feature flag issue_email_participants. Not supported in issue templates, merge requests, or epics. |
/remove_epic | Yes | No | No | Remove epic as parent item. If the new look for epics is enabled, use /remove_parent instead. |
/remove_estimate or /remove_time_estimate | Yes | Yes | Yes | Remove time estimate. Alias /remove_time_estimate introduced in GitLab 15.6. For epics, the new look for epics must be enabled. |
/remove_iteration | Yes | No | No | Remove iteration. |
/remove_milestone | Yes | Yes | No | Remove milestone. |
/remove_parent | Yes | No | Yes | Remove the parent from item. For issues, the new look for issues must be enabled. For epics, the new look for epics must be enabled. |
/remove_parent_epic | No | No | Yes | Remove parent epic from epic. If the new look for epics is enabled, use /remove_parent instead. |
/remove_time_spent | Yes | Yes | Yes | Remove time spent. For epics, the new look for epics must be enabled. |
/remove_zoom | Yes | No | No | Remove Zoom meeting from this issue. |
/reopen | Yes | Yes | Yes | Reopen. |
/request_review @user1 @user2 | No | Yes | No | Assigns or requests a new review from one or more users. |
/request_review me | No | Yes | No | Assigns or requests a new review from one or more users. |
/set_parent <item> | Yes | No | Yes | Set parent item. The <item> value should be in the format of #IID, reference, or a URL to an item. For issues, the new look for issues must be enabled. For epics, the new look for epics must be enabled. |
/severity <severity> | Yes | No | No | Set the severity. Issue type must be Incident. Options for <severity> are S1 … S4, critical, high, medium, low, unknown. |
/shrug | Yes | Yes | Yes | Add ¯\＿(ツ)＿/¯. |
/spend <time> [<date>] or /spend_time <time> [<date>] | Yes | Yes | Yes | Add or subtract spent time. Optionally, specify the date that time was spent on. For example, /spend 1mo 2w 3d 4h 5m 2018-08-26 or /spend -1h 30m. For more information, see Time tracking. Alias /spend_time introduced in GitLab 15.6. For epics, the new look for epics must be enabled. |
/submit_review | No | Yes | No | Submit a pending review. |
/subscribe | Yes | Yes | Yes | Subscribe to notifications. |
/tableflip | Yes | Yes | Yes | Add (╯°□°)╯︵ ┻━┻. |
/target_branch <local branch name> | No | Yes | No | Set target branch. |
/timeline <timeline comment> | <date(YYYY-MM-DD)> <time(HH:MM)> | Yes | No | No | Add a timeline event to this incident. For example, /timeline DB load spiked | 2022-09-07 09:30. (introduced in GitLab 15.4). |
/title <new title> | Yes | Yes | Yes | Change title. |
/todo | Yes | Yes | Yes | Add a to-do item. |
/unapprove | No | Yes | No | Unapprove the merge request. |
/unassign @user1 @user2 | Yes | Yes | No | Remove specific assignees. |
/unassign_reviewer @user1 @user2 or /remove_reviewer @user1 @user2 | No | Yes | No | Remove specific reviewers. |
/unassign_reviewer me | No | Yes | No | Remove yourself as a reviewer. |
/unassign_reviewer or /remove_reviewer | No | Yes | No | Remove all reviewers. |
/unassign | No | Yes | No | Remove all assignees. |
/unlabel ~label1 ~label2 or /remove_label ~label1 ~label2 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Remove specified labels. |
/unlabel or /remove_label | Yes | Yes | Yes | Remove all labels. |
/unlink <item> | Yes | No | Yes | Remove link with to the provided issue. The <item> value should be in the format of #item, group/project#item, or the full URL. (Introduced in GitLab 16.1). For epics, the new look for epics must be enabled. |
/unlock | Yes | Yes | Yes | Unlock the discussions. For epics, the new look for epics must be enabled. |
/unsubscribe | Yes | Yes | Yes | Unsubscribe from notifications. |
/weight <value> | Yes | No | No | Set weight. Valid values are integers like 0, 1, or 2. |
/zoom <Zoom URL> | Yes | No | No | Add a Zoom meeting to this issue or incident. In GitLab 15.3 and later users on GitLab Premium can add a short description when adding a Zoom link to an incident. |
Work items
History
Work items in GitLab include tasks and OKRs. The following quick actions can be applied through the description field when editing or commenting on work items.
| Command | Task | Objective | Key Result | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|
/assign @user1 @user2 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Assign one or more users. |
/assign me | Yes | Yes | Yes | Assign yourself. |
/add_child <work_item> | No | Yes | No | Add child to <work_item>. The <work_item> value should be in the format of #item, group/project#item, or a URL to a work item. Multiple work items can be added as child items at the same time. Introduced in GitLab 16.5. |
/award :emoji: | Yes | Yes | Yes | Toggle an emoji reaction. Introduced in GitLab 16.5 |
/cc @user | Yes | Yes | Yes | Mention a user. In GitLab 15.0 and later, this command performs no action. You can instead type CC @user or only @user. |
/checkin_reminder <cadence> | No | Yes | No | Schedule check-in reminders. Options are weekly, twice-monthly, monthly, or never (default). Introduced in GitLab 16.4 with flags named okrs_mvc and okr_checkin_reminders. |
/clear_health_status | Yes | Yes | Yes | Clear health status. |
/clear_weight | Yes | No | No | Clear weight. |
/close | Yes | Yes | Yes | Close. |
/confidential | Yes | Yes | Yes | Mark work item as confidential. introduced in GitLab 16.4. |
/copy_metadata <work_item> | Yes | Yes | Yes | Copy labels and milestone from another work item in the same namespace. The <work_item> value should be in the format of #item or a URL to a work item. Introduced in GitLab 17.9. |
/done | Yes | Yes | Yes | Mark to-do item as done. Introduced in GitLab 16.2. |
/due <date> | Yes | No | Yes | Set due date. Examples of valid <date> include in 2 days, this Friday and December 31st. |
/health_status <value> | Yes | Yes | Yes | Set health status. Valid options for <value> are on_track, needs_attention, or at_risk. |
/label ~label1 ~label2 or /labels ~label1 ~label2 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Add one or more labels. Label names can also start without a tilde (~), but mixed syntax is not supported. |
/promote_to <type> | Yes | No | Yes | Promotes work item to specified type. Available options for <type>: issue (promote a task) or objective (promote a key result). Introduced in GitLab 16.1. |
/reassign @user1 @user2 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Replace current assignees with those specified. |
/relabel ~label1 ~label2 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Replace current labels with those specified. |
/remove_due_date | Yes | No | Yes | Remove due date. |
/remove_child <work_item> | No | Yes | No | Remove the child <work_item>. The <work_item> value should be in the format of #item, group/project#item, or a URL to a work item. Introduced in GitLab 16.10. |
/remove_parent | Yes | No | Yes | Removes the parent work item. Introduced in GitLab 16.9. |
/reopen | Yes | Yes | Yes | Reopen. |
/set_parent <work_item> | Yes | No | Yes | Set parent work item to <work_item>. The <work_item> value should be in the format of #item, group/project#item, or a URL to a work item. Introduced in GitLab 16.5. Alias /epic for issues with the new look introduced in GitLab 17.10. |
/shrug | Yes | Yes | Yes | Add ¯\＿(ツ)＿/¯. |
/subscribe | Yes | Yes | Yes | Subscribe to notifications. Introduced in GitLab 16.4 |
/tableflip | Yes | Yes | Yes | Add (╯°□°)╯︵ ┻━┻. |
/title <new title> | Yes | Yes | Yes | Change title. |
/todo | Yes | Yes | Yes | Add a to-do item. Introduced in GitLab 16.2. |
/type | Yes | Yes | Yes | Converts work item to specified type. Available options for <type> include issue, task, objective and key result. Introduced in GitLab 16.0. |
/unassign @user1 @user2 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Remove specific assignees. |
/unassign | No | Yes | Yes | Remove all assignees. |
/unlabel ~label1 ~label2 or /remove_label ~label1 ~label2 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Remove specified labels. |
/unlabel or /remove_label | Yes | Yes | Yes | Remove all labels. |
/unlink | Yes | Yes | Yes | Remove link to the provided work item. The <work item> value should be in the format of #work_item, group/project#work_item, or the full work item URL. Introduced in GitLab 17.8. |
/unsubscribe | Yes | Yes | Yes | Unsubscribe to notifications. Introduced in GitLab 16.4 |
/weight <value> | Yes | No | No | Set weight. Valid options for <value> include 0, 1, and 2. |
Commit messages
The following quick actions are applicable for commit messages:
| Command | Action |
|---|---|
/tag v1.2.3 <message> | Tags the commit with an optional message. |
Troubleshooting
Quick action isn’t executed
If you run a quick action, but nothing happens, check if the quick action appears in the autocomplete box as you type it. If it doesn’t, it’s possible that:
- The feature related to the quick action isn’t available to you based on your subscription tier or user role for the group or project.
- A required condition for the quick action isn’t met.
For example, you’re running
/unlabelon an issue without any labels.