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Intro to tasks

Tasks are where you organize the actionable parts of your projects. Check out our course on how to Bring What Matters Into Focus With Task View in ClickUp University.

What you'll need

  • Tasks are available on every ClickUp plan.
  • Each List can have up to 50,000 tasks.
    • Subtasks count toward this limit.
    • Archived tasks and subtasks count toward this limit.
    • For tasks and Subtasks in Multiple Lists, tasks count toward the limit of every List they're in.

  • Task descriptions cannot exceed 256 KB.

    To improve platform performance, this new usage limit was implemented in August 2024.

  • Tasks can have up to 1,000 subtasks, including nested subtasks.

    To improve platform performance, this usage limit was implemented in January 2025.

Task organization

A task's default layout has a left and a right side.

The left side contains the following options to organize project details:

  • Task description: Outline what the task is about.

    Use ClickUp AI to write the description!

  • Custom Fields: See the task's Custom Fields or create new ones.
  • Subtasks: See subtasks or create new ones.
  • Checklists: See the task's checklists or create new ones.
  • Assigned comments: See all assigned comments in the task.
  • Attachments: See all files uploaded to the task or upload new ones.

    Click the subtasks, assigned comments, or attachments icons under the task description to quickly navigate to each section. Click the For me button under the task description to only display items assigned to you.

Screenshot of the left side of atask.png

The right side contains the following collaboration and communication options:

  • Activity: This section includes task comments and a summary of task activity. 
    • The Activity section displays when you open a task. If you don't see it, click Activity in the upper-right corner of a task. 
  • Relationships: Relationships are links to items that are related to a task. 
  • Integrations: If your Workspace uses certain integrations, like Zoom, the app icon will display. You'll know it's an integration because you'll have the option to use the app. 
  • App icons: If certain apps or website URLs have been linked to the task, the icon will display. Click the icon to open all URLs from that site.  
  • Links: Click the link icon to see items that have been added to a task. If the app icon displays, click the app icon to see those items. 
  • Add Link: Click the plus icon to add related items to a task.

Screenshot of a task's right sidebar (1).png

Task layout options

There are three task layouts:

  • Default: The task fills the majority of your tab. You can drag the divider to expand either the task description or the Activity section.
    Screenshot of a task in default layout.png
  • Full screen: The task fills your browser. You can drag the divider to expand either the task description or the Activity section.
  • Sidebar: The task displays on the right side of the screen. The sidebar will display while you navigate to other locations in your Workspace, like Docs or Home.
    • In Sidebar layout, you can add or edit all of the task details. 
    • When you open another existing task while in the sidebar layout, the current task closes and the other task opens in the sidebar layout.

Navigate between layouts

Use the Switch layout button to navigate between the three layouts. 

From the upper-right corner of an open default-layout task, click the Switch layout button and select either Full screen, Default, or Sidebar.
Screenshot of someone changing task layout.png

See task sections in full screen

You can see the task description, Custom Fields, attachments, subtasks, assigned comments, and checklists in full screen. 

Task description

To open the task description in full screen layout:

  • From an open task, hover at the upper-right corner of the task description field and click the Full screen icon.
  • To return to the entire task, to the right of the task title click Exit full screen. Or in the upper-left corner, click Back to task.  

Custom Fields, attachments, subtasks, assigned comments, and checklists

To open these items in full screen layout:

  • In the upper-right corner of the section, click the Full screen icon.
    Screenshot of the full screen button in the subtasks section of a task.png  
  • To return to the entire task, to the right of the task title click Exit full screen. Or in the upper-left corner, click Back to task.

Subtask sidebar 

Easily navigate between the task and its subtasks!

From an open task or subtask, in the upper-left corner click the Open Subtask sidebar button.

The Open Subtask sidebar button only displays when the task has subtasks.

Screenshot of the Open Subtask sidebar button.png

  • The Subtask sidebar opens to display the parent task and all of its subtasks.
  • You can click an individual subtask to open it. 
  • You can click the parent task to return it. 

Custom Fields in subtasks

You can add and manage Custom Fields in subtasks. Subtask Custom Fields are independent of the parent task. 

Task sections

By default, task information is separated into two columns. The left side is for breaking down and organizing project details. The right side is all about communication.

Upper-left side

The following features are found at the top of the task, starting in the upper-left corner:

Screenshot of the upper-left of a task view.png

  • Subtask sidebar menu: Click Open Subtask sidebar to easily navigate between the task and its subtasks.
    • Up and down arrows: Click to open subtasks quickly. 
    • The Open Subtask sidebar only displays when the task has subtasks.
  • Breadcrumbs: Displays the task's Space, Folder, and List. 
  • Move Task: To move the task to another location, hover to the right of the breadcrumbs, click Move Task, and choose another Space, Folder, or List.
  • Add to another List: Click the plus icon to move the task to an additional List.
    • The Tasks in Mulitple Lists ClickApp must be enabled to use this feature. 
    • When the task is in more than one List a number displays. Click the number to open the Other Lists modal to see the other Lists or add to an additional List. 
  • Task Types dropdown: Click to the left of the task ID to change the default task type to a Custom task or Milestone. 
  • Task ID: Click to copy.
  • Add cover: Click the image icon to add or upload a cover image.
    • Search Unsplash images using keywords to add a cover image to the task.
    • Reposition cover images.
  • Ask AI: Click the Ask AI button to ask questions about your task. Or use the Summarize, Progress update, and Find similar tasks features. Take a look at our article Manage tasks with ClickUp AI to learn more about AI features in tasks. 
  • Change task status: You can change the task status in three ways:
    • Click the arrow to the right of the status name to move the task to its next status.
    • Click the status name, and from the Search Statues modal, choose a status name.
    • Quickly move the task to Done Status by clicking the Mark Complete checkbox. 
  • Add or edit task status: Underneath the task name, click the status name, then click the gear icon. From the statuses modal, add or edit a status. 
    Screenshot after the status name has been clicked. The gear icon is selected.
  • Show time in status: Underneath the task name, click the status name, then click the gear icon. Time in status displays the amount of time a task has been in the present status. You can select Days, Hours, Date updated, or None. 
  • Add or remove assignees: Click into the Assigned to field to open the People modal. Choose an assignee. Remove an assignee by clicking the x icon on their avatar.
  • Dates: If you use start and due dates, they'll display here.
  • Description: Enter details about the task or click / for a list of /Slash Commands.

Optional ClickApps

The following ClickApps will display if they are enabled in the task's Space:

  • Multiple Assignees: You can add more than one assignee.
  • Priority and Tag: A flag and tag icon will display here. Click the icon to edit.
  • Time Tracking: View time tracked by assignees and start or stop a timer.

    In the task Activity section, tracked time is always rounded up to the next minute and does not display seconds.

  • Time Estimate: Click the hourglass icon to add a time estimate to your task. 

Lower-left side

The following items associated with the task are found under the task description. To display the following items in full screen, hover over the section and click the Full screen icon to the right.

Right side

This section is all about task collaboration and communication. Activity and comments display here together. Comments are always visible when this section is open. You can hide task activity. 

To show or hide activity:
At the bottom of the section, click Show more to show all of the task's activity. Click Hide to hide the task's activity. 

  • Activity: Click the speech-bubble icon to see all task activity like due date changes, assigning tasks, or changing priorities. Actions are time-stamped.

    Screenshot of the Activity section.

    • Click again to close the Activity section.
  • The following options are at the top of the Activity section:
    • Date created: The date the task was created. Hover over the date to see who created the task and what time it was created.  
    • Share: Click the Share button in the upper-right corner to open the Share this task modal. Share the task by invitation, public or private link, or share with people in your Workspace.
    • Ellipsis ... menu: This menu in the upper-right contains task settings, like duplicating the task, merging the task with another task, and opening the Template Center.
    • Favorite: Click the star icon in the upper-right to favorite this task.
    • Minimize task: Click the minimize icon in the upper-right to send the task to your Tray.
    • Switch layout: Click the Switch layout button in the upper-right to choose between the Default, Full screen, and Sidebar layouts. 
    • Close task: Click the X in the upper-right corner of the task to close the task.
    • Search: Search for a particular comment or status change in the task.
    • Watchers: Click the bell icon to see and edit people who are task stakeholders but not assignees. Watchers are notified of all activity updates for the task.
    • Filter: Filter activity by selecting fields like assignee, comments, or due date.
    • ClickUp AI: If you've added AI to your Workspace, it will also display here. Take a look at our Intro to ClickUp Brain article to learn more about trying out, purchasing, and using ClickUp AI. 
  • Relationships: Add and see Dependencies, linked tasks, Docs, related Custom Relationships, integrations, and URLs.

Screenshot of the Relationships section.

    • Integrations: If your Workspace uses certain integrations, like Zoom, the app icon will display. You'll know it's an integration because you'll have the option to use the app. 
    • App icons: If certain apps or website URLs have been linked to the task, the icon will display. Click the icon to open all URLs from that site.  
    • Links: Click the link icon to see items that have been added to a task. If the app icon displays, click the app icon to see those items. 
    • Add Link: Click the plus icon to add related items to a task.
  • Comments: In the Add comment field at the bottom of the Activity section, enter details about the task or click / for a list of /Slash Commands. Comments are time-stamped.
    You can open a comment thread so only that thread displays in the Activity section.
    • Assign a comment by @mentioning a person from this Space.
    • Click the bell icon to see who receives notifications about this task.
    • Click into the Add comment section to display icons to record a Clip, Voice Clip, or attach a file.

Optional ClickApps

The following ClickApps will display if they are enabled in the task's Space:

Organize task info 

Customize which task info displays in your task. 

Use ClickUp AI with tasks

Use ClickUp AI in tasks to:

Take a look at our Intro to ClickUp Brain article to learn more about trying out, purchasing, and using ClickUp AI.   

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