How to Add Sections Inside Asana Tasks (and Why It Changes Everything)
Not very many people know that you can add sections inside your Asana tasks so that your subtasks have more organization. And when people do know about this feature, they have usually seen it before but have no clue how to actually set it up.
So that is exactly what we are covering today. How to add subtask sections in Asana, when to use them, and what to do if you hit the free plan limitations.
What you will learn in this post:
How to add sections inside Asana tasks using a keyboard shortcut
How to add sections between existing subtasks
How to move, delete, and manage sections
Real-world examples of when this feature is actually useful
Free plan workarounds for subsections
How to use sections inside projects too
Either keep reading or watch the video below:
How to Add Sections Inside an Asana Task
The quickest way to add a section inside a task is with a keyboard shortcut. Open any task, click into the subtasks area, and press Tab + N. That is it. Asana will automatically add a section header with an underline so you can label it whatever you need.
Once you have sections in place, your subtasks are no longer one long overwhelming list. They are grouped, labelled, and easy to scan at a glance.
Adding a section between existing subtasks
If you already have subtasks created and you want to drop a section header in between them, you do not have to start over. Click at the end of the subtask where you want the section to appear, hit Enter, and then use Tab + N to add the section there.
Moving subtasks around
You can drag and drop subtasks at any time to move them between sections. So if you add a section and realize some of your existing subtasks belong underneath it, just drag them over. No need to delete and re-create anything.
Deleting a section
To remove a section header, click on the section text and either delete it with your keyboard or select all the text and hit delete. The underline formatting that appears on sections is automatic and will disappear with the section.
When Subtask Sections Are Actually Useful
This feature is especially helpful when you are planning something in advance that has a lot of moving parts — tasks that need to happen at different phases or at different points in a timeline.
Launch planning
One of the best use cases for this is planning a big launch — whether that is an online course, a group coaching program, a new service, or a product release.
Instead of one long list of launch tasks all jumbled together, you can organize your subtasks into phases like this:
Phase 1 — Foundation
Phase 2 — Warm Up
Phase 3 — Launch Week
Or by timeline:
3 months out
2 months out
1 month out
This makes it so much easier to see where you are in the process and what actually needs your attention right now.
SOP Banks
If you are storing your SOPs inside Asana — which I highly recommend — you can use sections to categorize everything. For example, inside your SOP Bank project you might have sections like Client Management, Marketing, Finance, and Operations. Each subtask inside a section is an individual SOP.
Asana also has a feature where you can group your tasks by section, which can be really handy when you want to view or filter your work in a specific way.
Free Plan Limitations and Workarounds for Subsections
Here is something important to know: Asana does not technically support subsections within sections. So if you want a section inside a section, you are going to need a workaround.
The good news is there are several options depending on which plan you are on.
If you are on a paid Asana plan
The best option is to use custom fields. Group your tasks by section first, and then group again by a custom field. That custom field acts as the subsection. It takes a bit of setup but gives you a really clean, flexible structure.
If you are on the free plan
There are three workarounds that work really well:
Create two consecutive sections — one in ALL CAPS to act as the main category, and one in normal capitalization to act as the subcategory underneath it
Use the first task in a section as a visual header by putting it in all caps — it sits at the top of the section and reads as a divider even though technically it is a task
Use emojis at the start of section names to visually indicate different levels or categories
None of these are perfect substitutes for true subsections, but they are practical, free, and get the job done for most business owners.
This Works Inside Projects Too
Everything covered above applies to subtasks inside tasks, but the same logic works at the project level as well.
Inside any Asana project you can add sections to organize your tasks into categories or phases. The shortcut is the same, or you can click the Add Section button inside the project view.
You can use sections inside projects to:
Organize tasks by stage (To Do, In Progress, Done)
Group by category (Content, Admin, Client Work)
Break a project into phases (Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3)
Separate active tasks from archived or reference items
Sections are one of the most underused features in Asana for free plan users — and once you start using them consistently, your workspace becomes dramatically easier to navigate.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I add a section inside a task in Asana?
Open the task, click into the subtasks area, and press Tab + N. This adds a section header automatically. You can also click at the end of an existing subtask, press Enter, and then Tab + N to insert a section between existing subtasks.
Can I add subsections inside sections in Asana?
Asana does not natively support subsections within sections. However there are free plan workarounds: use consecutive sections with one in ALL CAPS as the main header, use the first task in a section as a visual header in all caps, or use emojis to visually indicate different levels. On a paid plan you can use custom fields to create a second level of grouping.
Can I use subtask sections on the free Asana plan?
Yes. Adding sections inside tasks using Tab + N works on the free plan. The limitation is around subsections and advanced filtering, which require a paid plan and custom fields.
How do I delete a section inside an Asana task?
Click on the section header text and use your keyboard to delete it, or select all the text and hit delete. The section and its underline formatting will be removed.
What is the keyboard shortcut for adding a section in Asana?
Tab + N. This works both inside tasks (for subtask sections) and inside projects (for task sections).
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