How to Create Custom Workflows in Linear

Updated on:

May 12, 2026

By:

Use this interactive demo to learn how to set up custom issue statuses and workflow automations in Linear.

Quick summary

Linear's custom workflows feature lets teams define their own issue statuses and automations at the team level, replacing rigid defaults with structured processes that match how your team actually works. This step-by-step guide shows you exactly how to navigate Linear's Settings to create and name new workflow stages from scratch.

Steps

Click on your profile icon to open the account menu.
Hit 'Settings' to enter the workspace configuration area.
Select the team you want to configure from the teams list.
Click 'Teams' in the settings sidebar to access team-level options.
Scroll down to 'Workflow' and select 'Issue statuses and automations'.
Click the add icon to begin creating a new workflow status.
Provide a name for your status to create new workflow stages, then click 'Create'.
Your custom workflow is now set up — Linear will apply your new issue statuses and automations to your team's processes.

📌 Why this matters

Custom workflows in Linear allow engineering and product teams to model their exact development process — from triage to deployment — using tailored issue statuses and automations rather than one-size-fits-all defaults. This level of workflow customization reduces manual status updates, improves issue tracking accuracy, and ensures every team member follows a consistent, structured process. For teams scaling their operations, the ability to configure per-team workflow stages directly inside Linear's settings makes it a powerful alternative to generic project management tools.

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