What Are Confluence Macros?

Atlassian Confluence is a collaborative workspace designed to help teams create, share, and organize content seamlessly. It enables users to create pages for documentation, project planning, meeting notes, and more — all within a centralized, searchable platform. The intuitive page editor offers rich formatting options and seamless integrations.

A Confluence macro is a powerful feature that enhances content creation by allowing users to add dynamic and interactive elements to their pages in Atlassian Confluence. Macros can display data, embed external content, or format information beyond standard text and layout tools.

Examples include generating tables of contents, embedding Jira issues, creating charts, or integrating third-party tools like GitHub and Google Drive. Macros enhance collaboration, improve information organization, and help visualize data effectively within Confluence spaces.

How to Insert and Use Confluence Macros

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One can insert macros using the following methods in edit mode:

1. Using the Slash (/) Command

• Start typing / in the editor. By the way, in Confluence Server or Data Center, the shortcut is {.

• Enter the macro name or browse through suggestions.

• Select the desired macro from the list.

2. Using the Insert Elements Button

• Click the Insert Elements button (+ icon in the toolbar).

• Choose from the suggested macros or click View More to open the Macro Browser.

• In the Macro Browser, you can filter macros by categories for easier selection.

How to Edit Macros in Confluence

Once a macro is added to a Confluence page, it can be managed using several options:

• Edit – Available if the macro has user parameters, allowing customization with user-entered data.

• Copy – Duplicates the macro within the page.

• Remove – Deletes the macro from the page.

• Several positioning options – Adjusts the macro’s placement within the content.

User Parameters in Macros

User parameters are a feature that enables customization of macros by allowing users to input specific data. If a macro supports user parameters, the Edit button will be available for modifying its configuration.

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Most popular Atlassian Confluence macros

1. Table of Contents Macro
   Automatically generates a table of contents for a page based on the headings, helping users navigate long pages easily.

2. Expand Macro
   Collapsible sections that allow users to hide or show content as needed, keeping pages tidy and focused.

3. Page Properties Macro
   Enables adding metadata to a page, which can be displayed dynamically in other locations.

4. Jira Issues Macro
   Embeds dynamic lists or tables of Jira issues directly into Confluence pages, keeping work connected and visible.

5. Status Macro
   Adds colored status labels (e.g., “To Do,” “In Progress,” “Done”) to highlight information visually.

6. Panel Macro
   Creates a highlighted block of content, perfect for emphasizing important notes or warnings.

7. Attachments Macro
   Lists all attachments on the page, making it easy for users to find and download uploaded files.

8. Excerpt Macro
   Marks a section of the page to be reused elsewhere via other macros.

9. Code Block Macro
   Formats and highlights code snippets in various programming languages for clear readability.

10. Tasks Report Macro
    Aggregates tasks from across pages or spaces, showing assigned work in one convenient view.

Take a look at the entire list of built-in macros.

How to get the most popular macros on your Confluence instance

To identify the most popular macros being used in your Confluence Cloud instance, follow these steps:

1. Navigate to Macro Usage

   • Go to the Administration page of your Confluence instance.

   • Select Data Management from the menu.

   • Click Macro Usage or use the URL directly: https://{instance}.atlassian.net/wiki/admin/macro-usage

     

2. Review the All Macros Section

   • The All Macros section contains a table that displays macro usage across your instance.

   • This table displays the usage count of each macro, categorized by its associated app.

     

3. Check for Unused Macros

   • In addition to the usage data, the page also features the Unused Macros section.

   • This section lists apps with macros that have never been used in your Confluence instance.

   • Reviewing this section can help you identify underutilized apps and determine whether they are necessary or can be optimized.

     

Example Scenario

If you notice a high usage count for macros from a specific app, it may indicate that users rely heavily on its functionality. Conversely, if an app appears in the Unused Macros section, it could signal an opportunity to reassess its relevance or adjust user training to improve adoption.

Understanding macro usage can help optimize how Confluence is used across your organization, ensuring you get the most value from your tools.

Advanced macros

Marketplace

If the built-in Confluence Cloud macros don’t fully meet your needs, you can extend functionality by installing apps from the Atlassian Marketplace. These apps provide advanced macros that cater to specific use cases, such as dynamic charts, diagramming tools, content aggregation, and custom workflows.

With thousands of apps available, you can find solutions to visualize data, integrate external services, and create even more interactive and customized Confluence pages. Popular examples include macros for Gantt charts, advanced reporting, and additional formatting options.

Custom Development

In addition to using built-in and Marketplace macros, developers can create custom macros tailored to their organization’s needs. These macros can be built as part of apps using one of the following Atlassian-supported technologies:

• Atlassian Forge: A modern development platform designed for building secure, scalable, and integrated apps for Confluence and other Atlassian products.

• Atlassian Connect: A framework for building apps that integrate seamlessly with Confluence. Popular tools and libraries for Connect development include:

  • Atlassian Connect Express (ACE): A Node.js framework for quickly creating Atlassian apps.

  • Atlassian Connect Spring Boot: A Java-based framework for building Connect apps using Spring Boot.

User Macros for Confluence Cloud 🚀

User Macro for Confluence Cloud provides an all-in-one solution for effortlessly creating and managing custom user macros. It features a library of ready-made macros, a rich code editor for macro development, and a user-friendly interface for efficient workflow.

Confluence Macros FAQ