Product Update Emails: 6 Templates for Every Kind of Release

The short answer

Send a product update email when a release changes what a customer can do or must do. Lead with the outcome, put any required action at the top, include one call to action, and link to the full release notes instead of pasting everything in.

Below are six copyable templates, for launches, digests, fixes, deprecations, betas, and requested features, plus the rules that decide whether a release deserves an email at all.

When a release deserves an email

Every email you send spends a little of your readers' attention. Save dedicated emails for changes they'll care about, and roll the rest into a digest.

Not sure email is the right channel at all? Read which channel should carry a product update

Anatomy of a product update email

Every template below follows the same order, top to bottom:

1. Subject line: the outcome in under about 50 characters, or the deadline if there is one.
2. Preview text: finish the subject's thought instead of repeating it.
3. First sentence: what changed and why the reader should care.
4. What's new: two to four bullets, each written as a reader outcome.
5. Required action: its own line near the top, with the date. Skip it if there's nothing to do.
6. One call to action: a single button that takes the reader straight to the feature.
7. Full release notes link: for readers who want every detail.
8. Footer: a way to change update preferences, next to unsubscribe.

Product update email templates

Copy the one that matches your release, fill in the brackets, and delete any line that doesn't apply.

New feature launch

For a major release that changes what customers can do.

Subject: [What you can now do], now in [Product]
Preview text: [One line on why it matters to you]

Hi [First name],

[Outcome sentence: what you can now do, and the problem it removes.]

What's new
- [Capability, written as a reader outcome]
- [Capability]
- [Capability]

Who gets it: [Plans or roles]. [Available now / rolling out through date.]
What you need to do: [Action and deadline. Delete if none.]

[Button: Try it now]

Want the details? Read the full release notes: [link]

Monthly or weekly digest

For rolling up smaller changes on a regular schedule.

Subject: What's new in [Product]: [headline change] and more
Preview text: Plus [N] improvements and fixes from [month]

Hi [First name],

Here's what changed in [Product] this month.

The big one: [Headline change]
[1–2 sentences on what it does for you.] [Link]

Improvements
- [Improvement, as a reader outcome]
- [Improvement]

Fixes
- [Symptom you might have seen, now resolved]
- [Fix]

Coming up: [One roadmap item, if you share them]

Full release notes: [link]

Bug fix or incident resolved

For customers who hit a problem. Send it only to the people it affected.

Subject: Fixed: [the symptom you saw]
Preview text: What happened, who was affected, and what we changed

Hi [First name],

Between [start] and [end], [what you saw, in plain words]. That's fixed as of [date and time, with time zone].

Who was affected: [Plans, regions or features]
What we changed: [One or two plain sentences]
What you need to do: [Nothing / the specific step]

Sorry for the disruption. If you still see the problem, reply to this email and we'll look into it.

[Link to status page or incident write-up]

Deprecation or breaking change

One email isn't enough when customers have to act. Send a warning, a reminder, and a cutover notice.

1. Warning (as soon as the date is set)
Subject: Action needed by [date]: [feature] is being retired
Preview text: What's changing, who's affected, and how to switch

Hi [First name],

On [date], we're retiring [feature]. [One sentence on why.]

Are you affected? [How to check]
What happens if you do nothing: [Exact outcome on the date]
What to use instead: [Replacement, with a link]
How to switch: [Migration guide link]

[Button: Start migrating]

2. Reminder (partway to the deadline)
Subject: [N] days left: [feature] retires on [date]
Preview text: You're still using [feature]. Here's how to switch.

3. Cutover (on the day)
Subject: [Feature] has been retired
Preview text: What changed today and where to get help

How much notice to give, and when to send each one: how to communicate breaking changes and deprecations

Beta or early-access invite

For getting a new feature in front of your most engaged customers first.

Subject: You're invited: try [feature] before everyone else
Preview text: Early access to [what it does], and a direct line to our team

Hi [First name],

We're opening early access to [feature], which [what it does for you].

Why you: [You asked for this / You use X heavily]
What to expect: [It's a beta, so things may change. It runs until date.]
How to share feedback: [Link, or just reply]

[Button: Turn on early access]

You asked, we built

For closing the loop with the customers who requested a feature.

Subject: You asked for [feature]. It's here.
Preview text: Thanks for the request. Here's how to use it.

Hi [First name],

Back in [month], you asked us for [feature]. It's live today.

[One sentence on what it does, in your words.]

[Button: Try it now]

Thanks for telling us what you needed. Keep the requests coming: [feedback link]

Subject lines that get opened

The subject line decides whether anything else gets read. Swap feature names and vague labels for what the reader gets, or what they have to do.

How to tell if a product update email worked

Open rates are a weak signal for release emails. Apple Mail Privacy Protection, introduced with iOS 15, loads email content automatically, which inflates opens for anyone reading in Apple Mail.

Track clicks on your call to action instead. Better still, check whether readers actually used the feature in the days after the email went out. That's the number that tells you the email did its job.

For the full framework: how to measure if your release notes are working

Frequently asked questions

How often should you send product update emails?

Send a dedicated email for major launches and anything customers must act on, and roll everything else into a regular digest. Monthly works for most teams; weekly suits teams that ship a lot. Whatever you pick, stick to it.

Email or in-app: which should carry a release?

Both, for different jobs. Email reaches people who aren't logged in and suits big launches and deadlines. In-app reaches people at the moment they can try the change, so it's better for smaller improvements.

Who should get a product update email?

Only the people the change affects. Segment by plan, role, and feature usage so admins get admin changes and free users don't hear about paid features they can't use.

Should product update emails be plain text or designed?

Keep the design light. A simple layout with one image or GIF and one button usually reads better than a heavily designed newsletter, and it feels like a note from your team rather than a marketing blast.

What if an update email goes to the wrong segment?

Send a short correction to the same list only if the first email could cause harm or confusion, like a deadline that doesn't apply to them. Otherwise, fix the segment and move on.

Send release emails from the same place you publish

LaunchNotes lets you write a release once, email it to the right segment, publish it to a public page, and show it in-app, with reads and clicks tracked for each.

See how it works: LaunchNotes release notes