Trello guide
Marta Kowalczyk writes about design and creative apps for Appcyclopedia, working on a MacBook Air, an iPhone 16 Pro and a Galaxy A55.
- Web
- macOS
- Windows
- iOS
- Android
Short answer
Open the board and select Share at the top. Type the person’s name, username or email address, choose whether they join as a member or an observer, and select Share. Someone without Trello gets an email invitation to create an account.
Free Workspaces have a limit: anyone you invite to a board counts as a collaborator, and a free Workspace allows 10.
Below: the steps, inviting people without an account, member roles, and what to do when Share is missing.
How to add people to a Trello board
To invite someone to a Trello board, open the board’s Share menu. The first group sends the invitation, the second sets what they can do.
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Send the invitation
Open the board and select Share
Open the board you want to share. Select Share at the top right of the board. A window opens for adding people.
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Type a name, username or email address
Search for the person by name, Trello username or email, or pick someone from your recent collaborators. To invite someone who does not use Trello, type their full email address.
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Choose member or observer, then select Share
Choose whether they join as a member, who can edit cards and lists, or an observer, who can only view and comment. Select Share. Members of your Workspace join straight away; others get an email.
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Set what they can do
Make someone an admin if they need to manage the board
Admins can change board settings and invite others. Add the person as a member first, then change their role to admin from the board’s member list.
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Check the invitation reached people without Trello
Someone invited by email gets a message asking them to create a Trello account and join. Until they do, they appear on the board with a pending, virtual permission. Ask them to check spam if nothing arrives.
Planning a wedding with a partner and a planner: open the board, select Share, add your partner as a member and the planner by email as an observer. Your partner moves cards; the planner follows along without changing anything.
Invite to the board, not the whole Workspace, when someone only needs one project: they see that board and nothing else.
More about Trello
Boards, lists and cards for organising tasks, free for up to 10 collaborators.
If you cannot invite someone to the Trello board
- There is no Share button
The board may let only admins add people. Open the board menu (…) and check the Add and remove members setting, or ask a board admin to invite them.
- Trello says you have reached the collaborator limit
A free Workspace allows 10 collaborators across its boards. Remove someone who no longer needs access, or move to a paid plan.
- The person never got the email
Check the address for typos and ask them to look in spam. Invite them again from Share if needed.
Member, observer or admin
The role you choose decides what the person can change on the board.
| Role | Can view | Can edit cards and lists | Can change settings and invite |
|---|---|---|---|
| Observer | Yes | No, comments only | No |
| Member | Yes | Yes | Depends on board settings |
| Admin | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Make people members by default and observers when they only need to follow along: an observer can never move a card by accident.
Board invite or Workspace invite
Inviting someone to a board gives them that board. Inviting them to the Workspace makes them a Workspace member, who can see every board set to Workspace visibility. For clients, family or anyone helping on a single project, the board invite keeps the rest of your boards out of sight.
What to do after inviting someone
Once they accept, assign them to the cards they are working on, so their face shows on those cards and they get the reminders.
Open Share, add the person by name or email, and choose member or observer. If you have not set up the board yet, the guide to creating a Trello board covers lists and visibility.
Inviting people to Trello: what to know
- Does the person need a Trello account?
- Yes, eventually. Invite them by email and they get a link to create a free account and join the board.
- What is the difference between a member and an observer?
- A member can edit cards and lists. An observer can view the board and comment but cannot change it.
- Can I invite someone to just one board?
- Yes. Inviting from the board’s Share menu gives access to that board only, not to the rest of your Workspace.
- How many people can I invite on the free plan?
- A free Workspace allows up to 10 collaborators. Anyone you invite to a board counts toward that.
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Test log
Followed the steps? Tell us how it went on your device. Entries appear here after we check them.
- Worked Every step, start to finish · Elias Brandt and Daniel Okonkwo Team
I tested this
Steps performed and confirmed 5 days ago
When you need this
If you want someone to work on a Trello board with you, invite them from the board’s Share menu by name or email. People without a Trello account can be invited too.
- Describes
- Trello in a browser and the desktop app for Mac and Windows · Trello app for iPhone and Android
- Takes
- Under a minute
- Platforms
- Web · macOS · Windows · iOS · Android
- Published
- 19 October 2026
- Facts checked
- 10 October 2026
Steps repeated and verified by 
Elias Brandt and 
Daniel Okonkwo
on
- Elias Brandt: the Windows and web steps on a ThinkPad X1 Carbon (Windows 11 Pro) and the Android steps on a Galaxy S25 (Android 17).
- Daniel Okonkwo: the Mac steps on a MacBook Pro (macOS 27.0.1) and the iPhone steps on an iPhone 15 (iOS 27.0.1).
Limits quoted here come from Trello’s documentation and were not tested.
Sources: Trello Support, Add a person to a boardTrello, Pricing
Part of How to share files and invite people .
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