How to Write the Perfect Bug Report: A Step-by-Step Guide

When it comes to software development, bug reports are like the roadmap to the solution. Badly written bug reports can block progress, confuse the team and make fixing issues a nightmare. A well written bug report on the other hand, makes the issue crystal clear and saves developers a ton of time and headache.

Whether you’re a Quality Assurance Engineer, Project Manager or Software Developer, the quality of your bug reports plays a big role in efficiency and software reliability. This step by step guide will teach you how to write the perfect bug report so nothing gets lost in translation.

What Makes a Good Bug Report?

A good bug report is clear, concise and actionable. Think of it as a detective report for developers. It should answer questions like “What’s broken?”, “How can we reproduce it?” and “What should the software do?”

Here are the essential parts of a great bug report (we’ll break them down below):

1. A clear and descriptive title
2. Steps to reproduce the issue
3. Expected vs. actual results
4. Environment details (OS, browser, version, etc.)
5. Additional context, such as screenshots or logs

Key takeaway: Your bug report should reduce guesswork for developers. The easier it is to understand and reproduce the issue, the faster it can be fixed.

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How to Write a Bug Report (Step-by-Step)

1. Start with a Clear Title

The title is the first thing a developer will see in your bug report. Make it clear and concise—don’t make them decode vague descriptions!

Example of a poorly written title:

• “Button issue”

Example of a good title:

• “Login screen’s ‘Submit’ button does not respond when clicked (Chrome v113)”

Your title should include what’s broken, where the issue occurs and any other immediately relevant details.

Checklist for a great title:

☐ Is it concise but descriptive?

☐ Does it mention where the bug is happening?

☐ Does it describe the action that causes the bug?
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2. Provide Precise Reproduction Steps

Reproduction steps are the meat of your bug report. They explain step by step how someone else can trigger the issue. Without them your bug report is not actionable.

Poor Reproduction Steps:

1. Log in.
2. Do stuff.
3. Notice the error.

Good Reproduction Steps:

1. Log in to the application with valid credentials.
2. Go to the “Profile Settings” page.
3. Click on the "Update Email" button without filling in the email field.
4. Observe the error message “Invalid Input”, which should be “Field required”.

Pro tip: Be specific and not ambiguous. If the issue occurs in a specific browser or on certain hardware, note it here.
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3. Expected vs. Actual Results

Developers need to know where the software behaves differently than expected. Include what you expected to happen and what actually happened.

Example:

• Expected Result: Clicking “Submit” on the form should redirect to the dashboard.
• Actual Result: Clicking “Submit” does nothing and no errors are shown in the interface.

This contrast highlights the problem and provides clarity on where the issue is.
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4. Environment Details

Sometimes the bug might only occur on specific hardware, software or network conditions. Providing these details will help developers narrow down the scope of investigation.

Include the following when applicable:

• Operating system (e.g. Windows 11, macOS Ventura)
• Browser name and version (e.g. Chrome v113, Firefox v102)
• Device (e.g. laptop, smartphone, tablet)
• Software version or build number

Pro tip: If your project uses automated tools, include logs or error messages the system produces for more info.
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5. Add Supporting Evidence (Screenshots, Logs, Videos)

They say a picture is worth a thousand words and this couldn’t be truer in bug reporting. Providing screenshots, video recordings or logs will help developers understand the context of the issue.
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6. Be Concise But Thorough

Great bug reports hit the sweet spot between detailed and easy to read. Avoid technical jargon (unless necessary) and keep your tone professional and clear.

Example of a good bug report:

• Title: Submit button unresponsive after form validation fails (Chrome v113)
• Steps to Reproduce:

1. Open the sign-up form in Chrome v113.
2. Enter an invalid email address (“email@domain”).
3. Click “Submit”. Observe that the button becomes unresponsive.

• Expected Result: A validation message should appear and the form should remain interactive for correction.
• Actual Result: Clicking “Submit” disables the button entirely, requires full page refresh to proceed.
• Environment: macOS Ventura, Chrome v113

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Poor vs. Good Bug Reports

Poor Example:

Title: Form not working

Description: I can’t submit the form. Please fix.

Why it’s bad:

• Lacks detail (which form? what’s not working?)
• Provides ambiguous reproduction steps and no context

Good Example:

Title: Sign-up form does not accept valid email addresses (Desktop Safari v16)

Reproduction Steps:

1. Go to the sign-up page.
2. Enter the email address john.doe@example.com.
3. Click “Submit”.

Expected Result: Form accepts email and shows a success message.

Actual Result: Error message says “Invalid Email Address”.

Environment Details: macOS Ventura, Safari v16

Why it’s good:

• Specificity is key (clear title, steps, expected vs. actual results)
• Includes browser and OS details for more info

Make Your Team Better with Bug Reports

Writing good bug reports isn’t nice to have—it’s smart. Save time, reduce confusion and deliver better software. By following this guide your team will streamline communication, be more efficient and fix issues faster all while maintaining high quality in every release.

Your software deserves bug free greatness. Start writing better bug reports today.

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