How to Write Release Notes: Download 20+ free templates & best practices

Release notes serve as a crucial step in product marketing.

In product management, we often think our job is done once a feature or a new product is released.

But, if the release is not communicated properly with the users, the job is essentially half done, leading to low adoption rates and a high volume of customer enquiries

Therefore, Release notes are a vital communication tool that helps your stakeholders and customers understand what’s new, improved, or fixed in your product.

Well-crafted release notes keep users engaged, improve adoption, and reinforce trust in your product.

Additionally, it helps leadership and team members align on product changes and the business impact they create

So let's understand below how to write good release notes for your software. You can also take inspiration from companies with great release notes and additionally download 20+ free templates that you can use to write release notes in your organisation.

What are Release Notes

Release notes are concise updates documenting changes, improvements, and fixes in a product. They act as a "source of truth" for teams, aid customer communication, and serve as a historical record showcasing the product’s evolution and growth.

But, before we dive in, it's crucial to grasp what release notes entail, who is responsible for them, their purpose, and the various forms they can take.

Release notes are more than just a document; they're a communication tool essential for any software release.

We interviewed 20+ PM's across industries to understand what was their process of communicating updates with users & stakeholders.

We came up with the best templates that you can copy and make an impact on your users & stakeholders while communicating product updates

Also read : 10 best release notes templates & examples to inspire you

Who Writes Release Notes

Depending on the size and structure of your team, different people or teams may take on release note responsibilities. Here’s a quick breakdown of typical roles:

• Product Managers: Product Managers often write release notes, as they’re closely involved with the roadmap and understand the user impact of new features.
• Developers or Engineers: The development team play a major role in contributing to the technical details and descriptions of bug fixes.
• Marketing or Content Teams: Help polish the language, ensuring it’s clear and user-friendly.
• Customer Success Managers: May adapt release notes for customer support, ensuring the information is accessible to non-technical users.

Using a tool like Productlogz makes it easy to collaborate across these teams and maintain a single, consistent format for your release notes.

Why Are Release Notes Important?

Release notes serve a dual purpose: they inform your users of the latest product updates, enhancements, and bug fixes, and they document the ongoing evolution of your product.

Your product release notes can act as a transparent record for both the users who will experience the changes and the internal teams tracking the progress of the software release.

Also read: What are release notes & why are they important?

Purpose of Release Notes:

• User Engagement: Helps users stay informed about new features and enhancements that could improve their experience.
• Feedback Loop: Encourages users to provide feedback on new features, which can guide future product development.
• Internal Alignment: Keeps internal teams & stakeholders informed about changes and impact and collect feedback
• Build Trust: Helps build trust with users by demonstrating your commitment  to improving the product and providing best possible experience

Types of Release Notes:

• Internal Release Notes: Focused on technical updates, including detailed descriptions of changes that affect development and support teams.
• External Release Notes: Written in user-friendly language for end users, summarizing changes in a way that highlights benefits and improvements.

How to Write Effective Release Notes

Writing effective release notes is essential for communicating product updates clearly to your users. You need to provide them with an organized structure, a clear tone, and highlight new features and fixes that add value to their experience. In this section, you will get an idea of how to write & publish release notes

Content Structure

Your release notes should start with a summary of the update followed by a more detailed explanation.

It's best to group the changes into categories such as New Features, Improvements, and Bug Fixes.

This allows readers to quickly scan for the information that is most relevant to them.

Each update can be accompanied by a brief description, so readers understand its impact without needing deep technical knowledge.

• Summary: Brief overview of the release
• New Features: Bullet points of new additions
• Improvements: Enhanced features or performance upgrades
• Bug Fixes: Listing resolved issues

Another effective way to structure release notes is by using headings and subheadings to break up the content into easily digestible chunks. This makes your release notes easier for users to navigate the notes and find the information they need.

Language and Tone

The language and tone used in release notes are also critical to their effectiveness.

To ensure that your product release notes are engaging, it is important to use a friendly and conversational tone.

This helps to build a connection with users and makes them feel more involved in the development process. At the same time, it is important to maintain a professional tone and avoid using overly casual language or slang. This helps to establish credibility and ensures that the notes are taken seriously.

Finally, it is essential to ensure that release notes are concise and to the point. Users do not want to read lengthy explanations or irrelevant information. Instead, they want clear and concise information that is relevant to them.

For technical details that are necessary to include, provide a simple explanation or link to more comprehensive documentation.

• Be clear and concise: "Fixed login issue for smoother access"
• Avoid jargon: Say "Improved loading times" instead of "Reduced latency"

Highlighting New Features and Fixes

For each new feature or fix, explain the benefit directly to the user. Instead of simply stating what has been added or changed, describe how it enhances the user experience. Use bold to emphasize significant updates or fixes to draw the reader's attention.

Research shows that Information related to Issues fixed (i.e., 79.3% of the release notes) and New features categories (i.e., 55.1% of the release notes) is the most documented in the release notes.

• New Feature: Personalized Dashboard – Your workspace is now customizable, enabling you to access what you need faster.
• Bug Fix: We resolved the export function error, ensuring your reports download correctly every time.

By focusing on the structure, language, and presentation of your release notes, you make it easier for your users to understand and appreciate the updates you're delivering, reinforcing their trust in your product.

Make Your Product Release Notes More Engaging with Visuals

Adding visuals like images, GIFs, or videos to your release notes makes them more impactful and easier to understand. Here’s why:

• Simplify complex updates: Screenshots or GIFs help users grasp new features instantly.
• Guide users effectively: Short videos can walk users through changes better than text.
• Boost engagement: Visuals add an interactive touch, making updates more exciting.

By integrating media into your release notes, you can turn routine updates into memorable and user-friendly experiences.

How to Distribute Release Notes?

When rolling out a new release, it's key to ensure users are both aware of the changes and can provide feedback.

Your strategy should leverage a mix of channels and tools to share release notes effectively and foster engagement.

Channels and Tools to Publish Software Release Notes

Email Campaigns: Regularly use your email list to send out release notes update directly to your customers' inboxes. Utilize email marketing services that can segment your audience to tailor the notes to different user groups.

In-App Notifications: Prompt users with in-app messages or banners that link directly to the latest release notes. This keeps them informed while they are actively using your product.

Company Blog or Website: Write and publish complete release notes on your company blog or a dedicated updates section on your website. This ensures there is a single dedicated release notes page, which is an authentic source of information.

• Social Media: Share release notes through your social media channels using brief announcements with a link to the details. This increases visibility and brings updates to where your users are.
  
  
• User Dashboard: If available, posting updates within the user’s dashboard can be extremely effective. Include a highlights section with the option to read more.
  
  

RSS Feeds: Offer RSS feed subscriptions for the tech-savvy segment of your audience who prefer updates delivered to their preferred RSS reader.

Release Notes Tool: Consider using a specialized release notes tool like ProductLogz that offers distribution features, making it easier to manage and track the dissemination of your release notes.

Engagement and Feedback

Feedback Channels: Provide clear avenues for users to leave feedback, such as a dedicated email address, feedback form, or comments section within the release notes page itself.

• Rating System: Incorporate a simple rating system so users can quickly indicate how they feel about the update. Also read Top 20 customer feedback questions to ask

Follow-Up: After you distribute release notes, follow up with users to gather more in-depth insights. This can be done through surveys, user interviews, or engagement metrics analysis.

• Discussion Forums: Use forums or community platforms to encourage more detailed discussions about recent updates. These can be invaluable for gauging user sentiment and collecting actionable feedback.

Analytics Tracking: Make sure to track analytics on your release notes' views and engagement rates. Understanding these metrics can help you refine your approach to distribution.

Examples of Great Release Notes and Templates

In this section, we will share some of the best industry-rated release notes examples & product release note templates where you can take inspiration from.

We have also listed what we like or dislike about each of these and you can use & follow any template from the below.

Download 20+ free release note templates

Lasso: Structured Simplicity

• What They Do:
  • Lasso organizes release notes by version, using a clean, tabular format that lists release types, descriptions, and dates.
  • A dedicated page archives past versions, enabling easy reference.
• What Works:
  • The structured approach is great for users seeking clarity and quick access to updates.
  • Minimal clutter makes information straightforward and scannable.
• What Could Be Better:
  • No visuals (images, GIFs, or videos) are included, which makes the updates harder to visualize or understand at a glance.
  • Lack of interactive elements reduces user engagement.
• Adoption Tips:
  • Use Lasso’s version-wise categorization if your product has frequent updates, ensuring users can navigate seamlessly.
  • Add annotated screenshots or short video tutorials to illustrate key changes for better engagement.

ProductLogz: Flexible & Interactive

• What They Do:
  • ProductLogz uses a blogging format that allows branding and layout customization.
  • Includes feedback surveys with rating systems at the end of each update.
• What Works:
  • The flexible format adapts to brand needs, making the release notes cohesive with overall branding.
  • Feedback options let users voice opinions, fostering a user-centric approach.
• What Could Be Better:
  • Incorporating multimedia like videos or GIFs could make updates more digestible and appealing.
• Adoption Tips:
  • Implement feedback mechanisms (e.g., ratings or comments) to gather insights directly from users.
  • Use ProductLogz's blogging format to create visually distinct sections for each update, maintaining clarity.

Amplitude

• What They Do:
  • Amplitude uses a card-based layout, with each card linking to a detailed update page.
  • Includes images, author details, and social sharing buttons.
• What Works:
  • The card layout is visually appealing and intuitive.
  • Social sharing and author attribution add a human touch and credibility.
• What Could Be Better:
  • Nesting release notes within broader blog content can be distracting.
• Adoption Tips:
  • Use card-style layouts for a quick overview of updates, with links for more details.
  • Add social sharing buttons to amplify the reach of your release notes.

HelpScout: Clean & User Friendly

• What They Do:
  • Follows a blogging style with release notes categorized under “Inside HelpScout.”
  • Includes illustrative visuals to break down updates.
• What Works:
  • A clean interface and relatable illustrations make updates easy to navigate.
• What Could Be Better:
  • No options for user feedback or ratings, limiting interactivity.
• Adoption Tips:
  • Pair your updates with relevant illustrations or icons to improve readability.
  • Introduce feedback features to understand user sentiment.

Intercom: Relatable tags & images

• What They Do:
  • Features infinite scrolling cards categorized under "What’s New."
  • Uses relatable tags and images for updates.
• What Works:
  • Tags make it easy for users to find relevant updates.
  • Images create a visually engaging experience.
• What Could Be Better:
  • Infinite scrolling makes it challenging to access older updates.
• Adoption Tips:
  • Use tags to organize updates by type or audience (e.g., “New Features” or “Bug Fixes”).
  • Avoid infinite scrolling; implement paginated archives instead.

Slack: Device-Specific Transparency

• What They Do:
  • Structures release notes by versions and device type (e.g., Android, iOS, Windows).
  • Includes updates for beta programs.
• What Works:
  • Segmentation ensures updates are relevant to specific users.
  • Beta updates increase transparency and build trust.
• What Could Be Better:
  • Limited visuals make it less engaging.
• Adoption Tips:
  • Use Slack’s segmentation approach if your product spans multiple platforms or versions.
  • Include visuals to enhance user understanding.

Figma: RSS Feed for subscribers

• What They Do:
  • Offers a blogging template with an option to subscribe to updates via RSS feed.
  • Uses clear headings and tags for easy navigation.
• What Works:
  • RSS feeds ensure users never miss an update.
  • Clear headings make information scannable.
• What Could Be Better:
  • More visuals could make updates easier to understand.
• Adoption Tips:
  • Enable RSS feeds or email subscriptions for proactive user communication.
  • Highlight major updates with bold visuals.

Salesforce: Filtered Precision

• What They Do:
  • Uses a micro-blogging format with advanced filters and search options.
• What Works:
  • Filters help users find updates specific to their needs.
• What Could Be Better:
  • Some updates feel dense and text-heavy.
• Adoption Tips:
  • Implement a robust filtering system for products with a wide range of updates.
  • Break dense text into bullet points or add visuals for better readability.

Notion: Multimedia Excellence

• What They Do:
  • Publishes release notes on its platform, featuring videos and GIFs for demonstrations.
• What Works:
  • Multimedia simplifies complex updates.
  • The cohesive design aligns with the platform’s branding.
• What Could Be Better:
  • Adding more textual context in some updates could help users who prefer reading.
• Adoption Tips:
  • Use GIFs or video walkthroughs to demonstrate new features visually.
  • Maintain consistency by aligning release notes with your platform’s branding.

Airtable: Unique categorization

• What They Do:
  • Displays updates in a tabular format, categorizing by "Plan Availability."
• What Works:
  • Clear segmentation allows users to see which updates apply to their subscription tier.
• What Could Be Better:
  • The dense layout can feel overwhelming.
• Adoption Tips:
  • If you cater to multiple user tiers, use Airtable’s "Plan Availability" approach.
  • Simplify the design with less clutter and more focus on key updates.

How to Adopt These Styles

To create release notes that are both functional and engaging, consider these actionable strategies:

1. Tailor the Structure:
   • Choose a style (tabular, blogging, card-based) that best suits your audience and product complexity.
2. Use a Balanced Tone:
   • Mix professionalism with a conversational tone for better user relatability.
3. Leverage Visuals:
   • Add images, GIFs, or videos to demonstrate key updates and simplify understanding.
4. Encourage Interaction:
   • Include feedback mechanisms like surveys or reaction buttons.
5. Focus on Usability:
   • Use tags, filters, or categories to help users find relevant updates quickly.

By incorporating these elements, you can create release notes that inform, engage, and empower your users effectively.

Best practices to maintain and update Release Notes

Effectively maintaining and updating your release notes ensures that users stay informed about your product updates and software's evolution. This process bridges the gap between the intricacies of your product change and user experience.

Versioning and Archiving

To maintain clarity, each new release should be clearly versioned with a distinct release date. This helps you track changes over time and provides a clear reference point for users. You should:

• Number each version in a sequence that makes sense (e.g., 2.0, 2.1, etc.)
• Include the release date for each version to offer context.

Archiving past release notes is equally important. Archives allow users and stakeholders to review historical changes, which can be valuable for troubleshooting or understanding the product's evolution.

• Create a dedicated archive section on your platform.
• Sort entries chronologically or by version number for easy navigation.

Continuous Improvement

Your release notes and changelogs should not be static documents, but rather living records that improve over time based on feedback and your product roadmap.

For continuous improvement:

• Solicit feedback from your users on the format and information of the release notes to ensure usefulness and readability.
• Update documentation to correct any inaccuracies or to add missed details.
• Regularly review and iterate the presentation of your release notes to ensure they align with the best practices in communication and documentation.

By employing these strategies in versioning and continuous improvement, your release notes will be a reliable resource for anyone interested in your product's development journey.

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