Release notes email template with subject lines and an example

Copy a release announcement email, choose a specific subject line, and see how to turn a product update into a short customer message.

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Use this email template to announce a useful product change and send readers to the full release notes. Lead with the benefit for this audience, then give them one clear next step.

Copy the template

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Release notes email template

Subject: [Product]: [Specific new capability]

Preview text: [Who it helps and why it matters]

Hi [First name],

You can now [new capability] in [Product], so you can [practical benefit].

[One or two sentences explaining where to find it and who has access.]

Also in this release:

  • [Improvement and its benefit].
  • [Relevant fix in plain language].

[Read the release notes: link]

[Required action or availability restriction, if any.]

[Sender name]

[Team]

[Your email platform's required sender details and unsubscribe link]

Completed release notes email example

This fictional email announces Northstar’s saved report views to customers who can already use the feature. The bracketed link is a placeholder to replace before sending.

Subject: Northstar: save your report filters for next time

Preview text: Reopen your weekly report without setting the filters again.

Hi Alex,

You can now save report filters as a named view in Northstar, so your weekly report is ready to reopen next time.

Open a report, choose your filters, and select Save view. The feature is available to all workspace members.

Also in this release:

  • CSV filenames include the date range, making downloads easier to identify.
  • CSV exports now correctly include the final day of your selected date range.

Read the release notes: [Link to the published update]

Refresh your browser to see the update. No setup is required.

Sam

The Northstar team

Your email platform should provide the appropriate sender details and subscription controls. Replace the sample name, availability statement, and link with information that matches your release and audience.

Choose a subject line that names the change

A reader should be able to tell why the email matters before opening it. Here are three alternatives for the same fictional release:

  • Northstar: save your report filters for next time — names the new action.
  • Your weekly report, with its filters already saved — emphasizes the repeated workflow.
  • New in Northstar: saved views and clearer CSV filenames — previews more than one change.

Use a version number when it helps your audience identify a release, especially for developer products. For most customer feature announcements, the capability is more informative than “Version 2.8 is here.”

Treat these as writing options, not proven performance claims. If you test subject lines, compare them within an appropriate audience and assess useful downstream actions as well as opens.

What to leave out of the email

Put the most relevant change first and link to the full release notes for detail. Long lists of minor fixes, internal ticket keys, and implementation history make the main action harder to find.

Keep essential limitations in the email. If only some customers have access, say so next to the feature description. If a migration is required, put the action and deadline before the feature roundup. Do not hide a breaking change behind the link to the full notes.

Build the email from your Jira release

Start with the reviewed customer update, rather than pasting raw issue summaries into an email. Select one feature that matters to this audience and explain how to try it. Add only the improvements or fixes relevant to the same readers.

Released can help you draft and publish the underlying update from selected Jira work. Use the Jira release notes template for that step, then adapt the reviewed content for your email platform. This download is an editable writing template, not an email integration or a configured campaign.

Check before sending

Confirm that recipients can access the announced capability and open the destination link. Replace every placeholder, including the subject, sender name, and release-note URL. Check the email preview on a narrow screen and send a test through your email platform.

Use one primary link to the full update or feature instructions. Any tracking should follow your existing email measurement setup. Review visits to the update and relevant product actions; an email open alone does not show whether someone used the feature.

For the longer update, use the general release notes template. For support preparation before an announcement, use the internal template.

Publish release notes your customers will read

Select shipped Jira work, turn it into a clear draft, and publish the approved update where customers will find it.

Try Released in Jira

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