How to Use Linear's Backlog View

Updated on:

May 12, 2026

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Use this interactive demo to learn how to manage unprioritized issues in Linear's Backlog view.

Quick summary

Linear's Backlog view gives teams a dedicated space to store, organize, and prioritize new issues before adding them to the active roadmap. Use filters, sorting options, and keyboard shortcuts to manage backlog items efficiently and move them into active sprints when ready.

Steps

Navigate to your team's sidebar in Linear to access the Backlog view.
Select 'Backlog' from the sidebar navigation.
Understand that the Backlog stores new ideas and issues that haven't been prioritized or added to the active roadmap yet.
Create new issues directly in the Backlog view by clicking the add icon.
When ready, move issues from the Backlog to the 'Active Issues' view to begin working on them.
Use filters and sorting options to organize your Backlog by labels, assignees, or due dates.
Switch between 'Active Issues' and 'Backlog' views using keyboard shortcuts or the sidebar navigation.

📌 Why this matters

Linear's Backlog view solves a common problem for engineering and product teams: keeping track of ideas and issues that aren't ready for active development without losing them or cluttering the current sprint. By providing a dedicated space to store, filter, and sort unprioritized work, Linear ensures that no valuable issue falls through the cracks. Teams can create new backlog items on the fly, organize them by labels or assignees, and promote them to active issues the moment they're ready to be worked on. This structured approach to backlog management helps teams maintain a clean roadmap while preserving full visibility into future work.

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