The transcriptional repressor/activator interferon regulatory factor 8 (IRF8) modulates the differentiation of a multitude of hematopoietic lineages. However, the role of IRF8 in CD4⁺ T‐cell development is less well defined, with a recent study implicating IRF8 as an intrinsic repressor of interleukin‐17 (IL‐17) expressing T helper type 17 (Th17) cell differentiation. Using an IRF8‐EGFP reporter strain we have confirmed that IRF8 is expressed in all T helper lineages, including Th17 cells. The loss of IRF8 did not affect Th17 differentiation in vitro, beyond a small increase in IL‐22 expression. Moreover, IRF8 deficiency did not enhance the Th17 immune response in experimental T‐cell transfer colitis. Together, these results suggest that IRF8 does not play an essential intrinsic role in Th17 cell differentiation.