How to Write a Good Bug Report: Steps, Tips, & Tools

Writing a bug report might seem straightforward until you actually sit down to document an issue. You know something’s broken, but turning that observation into a clear, comprehensive report takes more thought than expected.

A well-written bug report saves time for everyone involved. It ensures that fixes land in production on time, developers can reproduce the issue faster, and testers avoid endless follow-up questions. However, unclear descriptions or missing details in your report can turn a simple task into a drawn-out investigation.

In this guide, we discuss how to write a good bug report in software testing, covering step-by-step instructions, practical tips, and common mistakes to avoid. 

What is a Bug Report?

A bug report is a document that explains a problem found during software testing. Creating a bug report means capturing what went wrong, when it happened, and how to recreate the issue so developers can investigate and fix it.

Your bug testing report should answer three fundamental questions:

• What exactly is the problem you encountered? 
• How can someone else reproduce this behavior on their system? 
• What impact does this bug have on the application’s functionality?

Why Writing a Good Bug Report in Software Testing Matters?

The way you report bugs directly affects how quickly issues get resolved. When you document problems clearly, you ensure efficient collaboration between testing and development teams.

Here’s how good bug reporting in software testing makes a difference:

• Reduced back-and-forth communication: Complete information upfront eliminates the need for multiple follow-ups and status checks.
• Better resource allocation: Clear severity ratings of issues in bug reports help teams prioritize critical bugs over minor issues that can wait.
• Improved team productivity: Everyone stays focused on their work instead of figuring out vague problem descriptions.
• Accurate tracking and metrics: Well-documented bugs offer reliable data for release decisions and quality assessments.
• Knowledge sharing: Your future team members can reference past reports to understand recurring patterns or similar issues.

6 Key Components of Bug Reporting in Software Testing

Every effective bug report encompasses specific elements that enable developers to understand and address the issue at hand. These include:

1. Bug ID and title: A unique identifier and a concise, descriptive title that summarizes the issue at a glance. This helps teams track and reference specific bugs throughout the development cycle without confusion.
2. Environment details: This section includes information about the operating system, browser, device type, and version where the bug occurred. These details matter because bugs often behave differently across various configurations and setups.
3. Steps to reproduce: A clear, numbered list of actions that shows what triggers the problem. Developers need this roadmap to recreate the issue on their machines before they can start investigating solutions.
4. Expected vs actual results: It’s crucial to show what should have happened compared to what actually happened during testing. This helps to clarify whether the behavior is truly a bug or just a misunderstanding of requirements.
5. Screenshots, logs, and video evidence: Add visual proof and technical data that support your findings and provide additional context. With this evidence, you can eliminate ambiguity and show developers exactly what you experienced during testing.
6. Severity and priority:  Every bug must be classified by how critical it is and how quickly it needs fixing. These ratings help project managers allocate resources and schedule fixes according to business impact.

Bug Report Example: Write a Clear and Practical Report

Bug ID: BUG-1247 Title: Payment confirmation email not sent after successful checkout on mobile Safari Description: Users completing purchases on mobile Safari aren’t receiving payment confirmation emails. The checkout process finishes successfully and orders appear in the system, but the automated email notification fails to trigger. Environment: – Device: iPhone 14 – ProOS: iOS 17.2 – Browser: Safari 17.2 – App Version: 2.8.3 Steps to reproduce: – Open the app and log in with the test account – Add any product to the cart and proceed to checkout – Enter shipping details and click Continue – Complete payment using the saved credit card – Observe confirmation screen appears – Check your email inbox for a confirmation message. Expected result: User receives payment confirmation email within 2 minutes of completing checkout. Actual result: No confirmation email arrives even after 10 minutes. The order appears in the account history, but the email is missing. Severity: High Priority: High Attachments: Screenshot of confirmation screen (confirmation_screen.png), Network logs (network_logs.txt) Additional notes: The issue occurs consistently on Safari mobile but works fine on Chrome and Firefox desktop browsers.

Steps on How to Write a Good Bug Report

Follow these steps to create a strong bug report in software testing to offer a complete picture of what’s not working and what needs fixing: 

Step 1: Identify and Reproduce the Bug

Before writing anything, confirm the bug actually exists and isn’t a one-time glitch. Try to check the issue at least twice, using the same steps each time, to establish a pattern.

If you can’t reliably recreate it, you should still note that in your documentation and report what you observed. Intermittent bugs are valid issues that deserve attention.

Step 2: Collect Technical INFORMATION

Gather details about your testing environment before you start writing. Here’s what you need to focus on:

• Operating system and version: Note whether you’re on Windows 11, macOS Sonoma 14.5, Ubuntu 22.04, or another system with its specific version number.
• Browser type and version: Record the exact browser version, such as Chrome 128.0.6613.84, Firefox 129.0, or Safari 17.5, when testing web applications.
• Device information: Specify the hardware, such as iPhone 15 Pro, Samsung Galaxy S24, or Dell XPS 15 laptop with relevant model details.
• Application version or build number: Include the release version, like v2.4.1 or build #3847, found in the app’s about section or footer.
• Network conditions: Mention your connection type, such as WiFi, 4G/5G mobile data, or VPN, especially for performance-related bugs.

Also, cover any special settings, such as enabled browser extensions, accessibility features, or language preferences, that might affect behavior.

Step 3: Write a Clear Title and Description

Your title should summarize the bug in one short sentence. Make it specific enough that someone can understand the issue without reading the full report.

For example, instead of “Login broken,” write “Login button unresponsive after entering valid credentials on Chrome.” The description expands on this with 2-3 sentences explaining what the bug does and why it matters.

Step 4: Add Steps to Reproduce

Make sure to outline every action needed to trigger the bug in a numbered list. Start from a clean state and include even obvious steps, such as opening the tool or navigating to a specific page.

Here’s an example of how to do so:

1. Open the application and go to the checkout page
2. Add three items to your cart with different quantities
3. Click the “Apply Coupon” button
4. Enter coupon code “SAVE20” in the text field
5. Click “Apply” and observe the total price

Be precise with details like button names, field labels, and input values. Someone unfamiliar with the feature should be able to follow your steps exactly.

Step 5: Attach Screenshots, Logs, OR Videos

Visual evidence helps you to strengthen your report. So, take screenshots that clearly show the bug, highlighting the problematic area with annotations if needed.

In addition, browser console logs help developers spot JavaScript errors or network issues. Meanwhile, screen recordings work best for bugs involving animations, transitions, or multi-step interactions. However, make sure file sizes stay reasonable for your bug tracking system.

Step 6: Define Severity and Priority

Classify how badly the bug affects functionality:

• Critical: Application crashes, data loss, or security vulnerabilities
• High: Major features don’t work, but workarounds exist
• Medium: Minor features affected with limited user impact
• Low: Cosmetic issues or edge cases

Priority will depend on your goals and requirements. A cosmetic bug on the homepage might get high priority before a product launch, while a backend calculation error could be critical but lower priority if few users are affected.

Step 7: Assign to the Right Team OR Developer

Share your bug report with the team responsible for that feature or component. Most bug tracking tools let you assign reports to specific individuals or groups.

If you’re unsure who should handle it, assign it to a team lead or project manager. They can redistribute as needed, but getting it to the right person speeds up initial triage.

Step 8: Review before Submitting

Read through your entire report as if you’re seeing it for the first time. Check that reproduction steps are complete, screenshots are attached, and your description makes sense.

Look for typos or unclear phrasing that might confuse readers. Verify that all required fields in your bug tracking system are filled out. A quick review now prevents follow-up questions later.

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Writing a Bug Report in Software Testing

Here are the common pitfalls to avoid to make your bug report more effective and actionable:

• Assuming developers know the context: Jumping into technical details without explaining the user journey or business scenario leaves gaps in understanding. 
• Combining multiple bugs in one report: Reporting three unrelated issues together makes fixing them harder. Each bug deserves its own report for proper workflow management and closure.
• Using subjective descriptions: Phrases like “the page loads slowly” or “the button looks weird” mean different things to different people. So, share measurable observations like “page takes 15 seconds to load” or “button text is cut off on mobile.”
• Missing reproduction steps: Reporting a bug without explaining how to trigger it forces developers to guess. They waste time trying random actions instead of fixing the issue.
• Using aggressive or blameful language: Writing “the developer clearly didn’t test this” or “this is obviously broken” damages relationships. Focus on describing the issue objectively without pointing fingers at anyone.

4 Best Practices for Effective Bug Reporting

Once you understand the basics, these practices will help you write bug reports that truly make a difference.

• Keep it short, clear, and structured: Write concisely without sacrificing important details. Use formatting like bullets and numbered lists to break up information and make reports easier to scan.
• Use bug tracking tools: Platforms like Jira, Trello, Bugzilla, or Testsigma centralize documentation and streamline communication. These tools also provide templates and workflows that ensure consistency across your team’s reports.
• Always include reproducibility information: Make reproduction steps your priority in every report. When developers can recreate the issue on their first attempt, resolution time drops significantly compared to bugs requiring clarification.
• Collaborate with developers to refine reports: Stay open to questions and feedback about your bug reports. This collaboration helps you understand what information developers find most useful and improves your future documentation skills.

Bug Reporting in Software Testing: Get a Downloadable Template

Use this bug report template to create a well-organized, clear document that does not miss out on any key details and speeds up resolution time. You can customize it to match your team’s workflow and reporting requirements.

Top 4 Bug Reporting Tools Every Tester Should Know

With the right tool, you can easily document and track types of bugs in software testing across your testing workflow. Here are some of the best solutions out there that you can invest in:

1. Testsigma 

Testsigma combines test automation with built-in bug reporting, automatically capturing failures during test runs. When something breaks, the platform grabs screenshots, logs, and execution details without you lifting a finger. Its codeless testing approach means you spend more time analyzing issues and less time documenting them.

2. Jira

Jira has become the go-to choice for software teams because it adapts to how you actually work. You can customize fields, workflows, and priority levels to fit your team’s needs perfectly. The dashboards give you a clear view of bug trends and help you track resolution progress across sprints.

3. Bugzilla

Bugzilla keeps things simple with open-source bug tracking that covers the essentials without extra fluff. You get bug assignment, status updates, and email notifications in a straightforward package. Many teams with a tight budget find Bugzilla good as it’s free and reliable.

4. Trello

Trello turns bug tracking into a visual experience using cards and boards that anyone can understand immediately. Each bug lives on a card that you drag across columns as it moves from reported to fixed. It works particularly well for smaller teams that want bug tracking without the learning curve.

Check out our blog on the best bug tracking tools in 2025 to explore more solutions that help with bug reporting. 

Final Words on How to Write a Good Bug Report

When you document issues with proper structure and detail, everyone saves time and your team ships better software.

Testsigma goes beyond basic bug tracking by automatically turning failed tests into complete bug reports, eliminating manual work and errors. Its bug reporter agent captures all necessary context during test runs and pushes it directly into Jira, Bugzilla, or your preferred tracking system. 

You get accurate, consistent bug reports without the repetitive typing, which means more time for actual testing and quality improvements.

FAQ