• STATE
  • OWNER
  • TAGS
  • MANUAL

How to update issue status and details with your AI

Connect Linear to your agent to manage your backlog through chat. You stop clicking through menus and just tell your agent what needs to change.

Ask AI about this page

Short answer

Can I update Linear issues with my AI?

Yes. You can change an issue's state, assignee, or labels by describing the change to your agent. This lets you triage and organize work without leaving your chat interface.

Update outcomes

Where your changes land.

Your agent maps your requests to specific Linear fields.

STATE

Status changes

The AI moves issues between workflow states like 'Todo' or 'Done'. This keeps your board current as you work.

OWNER

Assignee updates

You can reassign tasks to yourself or teammates. The agent handles the handoff instantly.

TAGS

Label management

Add or remove labels to categorize issues. This helps keep your project organization tight.

MANUAL

Human review

Complex bulk changes or creating new workflows still require you to use the Linear UI. The AI handles individual updates and specific field changes.

The workflow

What your AI does when you ask for an update.

The agent translates your intent into specific API calls to Linear.

  1. Identify the issue

    The agent finds the specific issue you are talking about in your Linear workspace.

    list_workflow_states

  2. Check available options

    It looks up valid labels and states to ensure the update is valid.

    list_labelslist_workflow_states

  3. Apply the change

    The agent pushes the new state, assignee, or label to the issue.

    update_issue

  4. Confirm success

    The agent tells you the update is complete so you can move to the next task.

    update_issue

Try it

Copy these to start.

Use these prompts to trigger updates immediately.

Starting points

Swap out the issue IDs and names for your actual Linear data.

Linear Connector

You're all set. Choose your MCP client and follow the setup instructions.

Connector linkhttps://edge.vinkius.com/vk_preview_d4MTYGmCSCUVe9qor3okBnLch6A7SkLP7GNYlWaD/mcp

Claude Desktop

Follow the steps below to connect in seconds.

  1. 1In Claude Desktop, open Settings → Connectors.
  2. 2Click “Add custom connector” and paste the connector link above as the remote MCP server URL.
  3. 3Click Add and start a new chat — Linear capabilities are ready to use.
Configuration · claude_desktop_config.jsonCopy
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "linear-issue-tracking-pm-mcp": {
      "url": "https://edge.vinkius.com/vk_preview_d4MTYGmCSCUVe9qor3okBnLch6A7SkLP7GNYlWaD/mcp"
    }
  }
}
Copy into chat04

  • Set the status of issue ENG-123 to Done.

  • Assign the bug report in the frontend project to me.

  • Add the 'high priority' label to issue PROD-456.

  • Move the task 'Fix login bug' to the In Progress state.

  • Claude
  • ChatGPT
  • Cursor
  • VS Code
  • Windsurf
  • Claude Code
  • JetBrains
  • Cline

Start here

Connect Linear once, then ask.

One connection gives your agent full access to your Linear issues. Your credentials stay encrypted and secure.

Connect Linear to your AI

FAQ

How the Linear MCP behaves

  • 01

    Can the AI delete issues?

    No. The current tools only allow for updating existing issues, not deleting them.

  • 02

    Can I create new issues with my agent?

    No. This specific set of tools is designed for updating the status and details of existing issues.

  • 03

    Does the AI know which labels exist?

    Yes. It uses the list tools to see your current labels and states before making an update.

  • 04

    Can the AI change the issue description?

    No. The tools are limited to changing the state, assignee, and labels.

  • 05

    Will the AI mess up my workflow states?

    The AI can only select from the valid states already defined in your Linear workspace.

  • More questions about Linear? The Connector page answers them. See everything the Linear Connector can do

Connect Linear to Claude, Cursor, ChatGPT & more