---
title: Managing labels
intro: 'You can classify issues and pull requests by creating, editing, applying, and deleting labels.'
redirect_from:
  - /articles/managing-Labels
  - /articles/labeling-issues-and-pull-requests
  - /github/managing-your-work-on-github/labeling-issues-and-pull-requests
  - /articles/about-labels
  - /github/managing-your-work-on-github/about-labels
  - /articles/creating-and-editing-labels-for-issues-and-pull-requests
  - /articles/creating-a-label
  - /github/managing-your-work-on-github/creating-a-label
  - /articles/customizing-issue-labels/
  - /articles/applying-labels-to-issues-and-pull-requests
  - /github/managing-your-work-on-github/applying-labels-to-issues-and-pull-requests
  - /articles/editing-a-label
  - /github/managing-your-work-on-github/editing-a-label
  - /articles/deleting-a-label
  - /github/managing-your-work-on-github/deleting-a-label
versions:
  free-pro-team: '*'
  enterprise-server: '*'
  github-ae: '*'
topics:
  - pull requests
---

### About labels

You can manage your work on {% data variables.product.product_name %} by creating labels to categorize issues and pull requests. You can apply labels in the repository the label was created in. Once a label exists, you can use the label on any issue or pull request within that repository.

Anyone with read access to a repository can view and search the repository’s labels. Anyone with triage access to a repository can apply/dismiss existing labels. To create, edit, apply, or delete a label, you must have write access to the repository.

### About default labels

{% data variables.product.product_name %} provides default labels in every new repository. You can use these default labels to help create a standard workflow in a repository.

Label | Description
---  | ---
`bug` | Indicates an unexpected problem or unintended behavior{% if currentVersion == "free-pro-team@latest" or currentVersion ver_gt "enterprise-server@2.17" %}
`documentation` | Indicates a need for improvements or additions to documentation{% endif %}
`duplicate` | Indicates similar issues or pull requests
`enhancement` | Indicates new feature requests
`good first issue` | Indicates a good issue for first-time contributors
`help wanted` | Indicates that a maintainer wants help on an issue or pull request
`invalid` | Indicates that an issue or pull request is no longer relevant
`question` | Indicates that an issue or pull request needs more information
`wontfix` | Indicates that work won't continue on an issue or pull request

Default labels are included in every new repository when the repository is created, but you can edit or delete the labels later.

{% if currentVersion == "free-pro-team@latest" or currentVersion ver_gt "enterprise-server@2.19" %}
Organization owners can customize the default labels for repositories in their organization. For more information, see "[Managing default labels for repositories in your organization](/articles/managing-default-labels-for-repositories-in-your-organization)."
{% endif %}

### Creating a label


{% data reusables.repositories.navigate-to-repo %}
{% data reusables.repositories.sidebar-issue-pr %}
{% data reusables.project-management.labels %}
4. To the right of the search field, click **New label**.
{% data reusables.project-management.name-label %}
{% data reusables.project-management.label-description %}
{% data reusables.project-management.label-color-randomizer %}
{% data reusables.project-management.create-label %}

### Applying labels to issues and pull requests


{% data reusables.repositories.navigate-to-repo %}
{% data reusables.repositories.sidebar-issue-pr %}
{% data reusables.repositories.select-items-in-issue-or-pr-list %}
4. In the upper-right corner, click **Label**, then start typing the name of an existing label. Click the label's name to associate it with the selected items.
  ![Issues Milestone assignment drop-down](/assets/images/help/issues/issues_applying_labels_dropdown.png)

### Editing a label

{% data reusables.repositories.navigate-to-repo %}
{% data reusables.repositories.sidebar-issue-pr %}
{% data reusables.project-management.labels %}
{% data reusables.project-management.edit-label %}
{% data reusables.project-management.name-label %}
{% data reusables.project-management.label-description %}
{% data reusables.project-management.label-color-randomizer %}
{% data reusables.project-management.save-label %}

### Deleting a label
Deleting a label will remove the label from issues and pull requests.

{% data reusables.repositories.navigate-to-repo %}
{% data reusables.repositories.sidebar-issue-pr %}
{% data reusables.project-management.labels %}
{% data reusables.project-management.delete-label %}

### Further reading
- "[Filtering issues and pull requests by labels](/articles/filtering-issues-and-pull-requests-by-labels)"{% if currentVersion == "free-pro-team@latest" or enterpriseServerVersions contains currentVersion %}
- "[Managing default labels for repositories in your organization](/articles/managing-default-labels-for-repositories-in-your-organization)"{% endif %}{% if currentVersion == "free-pro-team@latest" %}
- "[Encouraging helpful contributions to your project with labels](/communities/setting-up-your-project-for-healthy-contributions/encouraging-helpful-contributions-to-your-project-with-labels)"{% endif %}