How to Write a Great Bug Report (2026) — Template & Examples
The 8-part bug report template used by senior QA engineers. Real before/after examples, severity vs priority, and a free AI Bug Report Writer.
2026-07-17 · By Avinash Kamble, reviewed by Priyanka G.
Developers reject vague bug reports and QA loses hours re-triaging. The fix is a rigid 8-part template — every field required, no exceptions.
The 8-part template
- Title — action + result + context. "Checkout: 3DS challenge closes silently on Firefox 128 mobile".
- Environment — build, OS, browser, device, user role.
- Preconditions — logged-in user, feature flag X on, cart with 2 items.
- Steps to reproduce — numbered, minimal, no ambiguity.
- Expected result — the exact behaviour per spec.
- Actual result — what happened; include screenshots/HAR.
- Severity — impact on the user (Critical / High / Med / Low).
- Priority — urgency for the business (P0–P3).
Before / after
BEFORE
"Checkout broken, please fix"
AFTER
Title: Checkout — 3DS iframe closes after 5s on Firefox 128 mobile
Env: v2026.7.2, Firefox 128, iPhone 15 iOS 18.2
Steps: 1) Add SKU-42, 2) checkout, 3) Visa 4000-0000-0000-3220
Expected: 3DS challenge stays until submission
Actual: iframe closes after 5s, order fails with "PSP_TIMEOUT"
Severity: High (blocks checkout for 12% users)
Priority: P1One-click drafting
Describe the bug in plain English in the AI Bug Report Writer and it fills the template, suggests severity, and emits Jira-ready markdown.
Frequently asked questions
1.Should I attach a HAR file for API bugs?
2.How do I choose severity?
3.What about video?
4.Do I need to reproduce every bug?
Practice these questions
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