Release Notes Template
A release notes template gives you a repeatable structure for telling customers exactly what changed in your product and why it matters to them. Use this free release notes template to group updates into New, Improved, Fixed, and Deprecated, describe each change in plain language, and publish it in your knowledge base where people can find every past version.
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I need to write a Release Notes. Act as an expert technical writer and draft one for me. Use this structure, keeping each section clear, concise, and genuinely useful to the reader: 1. Version and date 2. One-line summary 3. What changed 4. Breaking changes and migration notes 5. Known issues 6. Screenshots and links to docs 7. How to give feedback 8. Version history Before you begin, ask me for the details you need: the product, team, or audience this is for, and anything specific I should include. Then write the full Release Notes in clean, well-formatted Markdown.
Write a Release Notes using the structure below. Keep each section clear, concise, and genuinely useful to the reader. Structure: 1. Version and date 2. One-line summary 3. What changed 4. Breaking changes and migration notes 5. Known issues 6. Screenshots and links to docs 7. How to give feedback 8. Version history Use rich formatting so it reads well in a knowledge base: - Clear headings and subheadings for each section. - Callout boxes for asides: a Tip callout for advice, a Note callout for helpful context, and an Important callout for anything a reader must not miss. - Tables for structured or comparison content. - Numbered lists for sequential steps and bulleted lists for options. - Bold for key terms and any values people must not get wrong.
## The release notes template ### 1. Version and date Open with the version number and release date so people can tell exactly which build they are reading about. If you use a naming scheme (semantic versioning, calendar versioning, or named releases), be consistent about it. ### 2. One-line summary A single sentence on the theme of this release. Give the reader the headline before the detail: "This release adds bulk exports, speeds up search, and fixes the login timeout." ### 3. What changed Group every change under one of four headings so readers can scan straight to what they care about. Use the legend below to keep tagging consistent. | Change type | Use it for | Reader takeaway | | --- | --- | --- | | New | Brand-new features or capabilities | "I can now do something I couldn't before" | | Improved | Enhancements to existing behavior | "Something I already use got better" | | Fixed | Bug fixes and corrected behavior | "That annoying thing is gone" | | Deprecated | Features being retired or replaced | "I need to plan a change before a cutoff" | #### New List each new feature as its own item. Say what it does and, in plain language, what the user can now accomplish. Link to the how-to guide or docs for anything that needs setup. #### Improved Note the enhancement and the practical difference it makes: faster, clearer, fewer clicks, higher limits. Skip the internal refactor detail unless it changes what the user experiences. #### Fixed Describe the bug in terms of the symptom people saw, not the root cause. "Fixed an issue where exports over 10,000 rows would time out" beats "patched the export worker." #### Deprecated Call out anything being retired or replaced, when it goes away, and what to use instead. Give people enough lead time to adjust. ### 4. Breaking changes and migration notes Anything that requires action before or after upgrading goes here, in its own clearly labelled section. Spell out what breaks, who is affected, and the exact steps to migrate. If nothing breaks, say "No breaking changes in this release" so readers do not go hunting. ### 5. Known issues Be honest about what is not fixed yet. List the issue, who it affects, and any workaround, plus a note on when a fix is expected if you know. This builds far more trust than pretending everything is perfect. ### 6. Screenshots and links to docs Add a screenshot or short clip for anything visual, and link each item to the fuller documentation, user manual, or how-to guide. Release notes should be scannable, so let the detailed pages carry the depth. ### 7. How to give feedback Close with a clear path for questions and feedback: where to reach support, how to report a bug, and how to request a feature. Make it easy for a happy or frustrated reader to tell you what they think. ### 8. Version history Keep a running table of past releases at the bottom, or on a parent page, so customers can trace how the product has evolved. Each row links to the full notes for that version. | Version | Date | Highlights | | --- | --- | --- | | TODO | TODO | TODO | | TODO | TODO | TODO |
The release notes template
Copy this structure into a new article for each release and replace the guidance with your actual changes. Keep the section names consistent from one version to the next so readers always know where to look.
1. Version and date
Open with the version number and release date so people can tell exactly which build they are reading about. If you use a naming scheme (semantic versioning, calendar versioning, or named releases), be consistent about it.
2. One-line summary
A single sentence on the theme of this release. Give the reader the headline before the detail: “This release adds bulk exports, speeds up search, and fixes the login timeout.”
3. What changed
Group every change under one of four headings so readers can scan straight to what they care about. Use the legend below to keep tagging consistent.
| Change type | Use it for | Reader takeaway |
|---|---|---|
| New | Brand-new features or capabilities | ”I can now do something I couldn’t before” |
| Improved | Enhancements to existing behavior | ”Something I already use got better” |
| Fixed | Bug fixes and corrected behavior | ”That annoying thing is gone” |
| Deprecated | Features being retired or replaced | ”I need to plan a change before a cutoff” |
New
List each new feature as its own item. Say what it does and, in plain language, what the user can now accomplish. Link to the how-to guide or docs for anything that needs setup.
Improved
Note the enhancement and the practical difference it makes: faster, clearer, fewer clicks, higher limits. Skip the internal refactor detail unless it changes what the user experiences.
Fixed
Describe the bug in terms of the symptom people saw, not the root cause. “Fixed an issue where exports over 10,000 rows would time out” beats “patched the export worker.”
Deprecated
Call out anything being retired or replaced, when it goes away, and what to use instead. Give people enough lead time to adjust.
4. Breaking changes and migration notes
Anything that requires action before or after upgrading goes here, in its own clearly labelled section. Spell out what breaks, who is affected, and the exact steps to migrate. If nothing breaks, say “No breaking changes in this release” so readers do not go hunting.
5. Known issues
Be honest about what is not fixed yet. List the issue, who it affects, and any workaround, plus a note on when a fix is expected if you know. This builds far more trust than pretending everything is perfect.
6. Screenshots and links to docs
Add a screenshot or short clip for anything visual, and link each item to the fuller documentation, user manual, or how-to guide. Release notes should be scannable, so let the detailed pages carry the depth.
7. How to give feedback
Close with a clear path for questions and feedback: where to reach support, how to report a bug, and how to request a feature. Make it easy for a happy or frustrated reader to tell you what they think.
8. Version history
Keep a running table of past releases at the bottom, or on a parent page, so customers can trace how the product has evolved. Each row links to the full notes for that version.
| Version | Date | Highlights |
|---|---|---|
| TODO | TODO | TODO |
| TODO | TODO | TODO |
How to fill in this release notes template
The template only works if the finished notes are written for the customer, not the sprint board. A few habits keep them useful:
- Lead with impact, not implementation. Start each item with what the user can now do or no longer has to deal with. The internal detail rarely belongs here.
- One change per line. If an item contains an “and,” it is probably two updates that each deserve their own line.
- Write fixes as symptoms. Describe the problem people actually noticed, so they recognize the thing that just got better.
- Be upfront about breaking changes. A clear migration note published early prevents a wave of confused support tickets later.
- Keep the history intact. Never overwrite old notes. A complete version history is one of the most reassuring things a customer can find.
For anything that needs more depth than a note, link out to your fuller documentation or user manual rather than stretching the release notes.
