Steps to reproduce template and examples

Copy this template into any issue tracker. Replace everything in angle brackets and delete lines that do not apply.

Preconditions:
- Logged in as: <role / test account>
- Starting URL: <https://...>
- Data or settings needed: <e.g. cart contains 1 item, feature flag X on>
- Browser / device: <Chrome 140, Windows 11, 1920x1080>

Steps to reproduce:
1. Go to <URL or screen>.
2. Click <exact button or link label>.
3. Enter <exact value> in <field name>.
4. Click <exact label>.

Expected result:
<what should happen>

Actual result:
<what happens instead, including any error text>

Reproducibility:
<Always | Intermittent (3 of 10) | Once>

This format drops straight into the "Steps to reproduce" section of our full bug report template.

Here is the template filled in for a real-world permissions bug. Notice that a developer who has never used this screen could follow it exactly.

Preconditions:
- Logged in as: admin@example.test (Admin role)
- Starting URL: https://app.example.com/settings/team
- Team has at least 2 members

Steps to reproduce:
1. Go to Settings > Team.
2. Click the "..." menu next to any member.
3. Click "Change role" and select "Viewer".
4. Click "Save".

Expected result:
A "Role updated" toast appears and the member's role shows "Viewer".

Actual result:
The dialog closes, no toast appears, and the role still shows "Editor"
after a page refresh. PATCH /api/members/42 returns 403.

Reproducibility:
Always (4 of 4) in Chrome and Edge; not tested in Safari.

1. Reproduce it twice from scratch. Use a fresh tab or an incognito window so you know your cache, extensions or earlier actions are not the real cause.
2. Write the preconditions. Note the account or role, starting URL, required data, feature flags, browser, OS and window size.
3. Write one action per step. Each numbered line should be a single click, entry or navigation.
4. Use exact labels and values. Quote buttons and menu items as they appear, and write the literal text, number or file you used.
5. Remove unnecessary steps. Try again while skipping steps. If the bug still happens, delete them so the path is as short as possible.
6. End with expected and actual results. Put them after the steps, on separate lines, with exact error text.
7. Add reproducibility. Record how many attempts triggered it and whether it happens in other browsers.

Different kinds of bugs need different details in the preconditions and steps. Use this table to check that your reproduction steps include what matters most for the problem you found.

For visual bugs, a numbered screenshot is often the clearest companion to written steps: add a numbered pin for each step directly on the image. For bugs across long pages, a full page screenshot shows where each element sits.

Whatever the bug type, write steps in the imperative ("Click", "Enter", "Go to") and in the order the user performs them. Avoid "then I tried" narration; it reads like a story and hides the actual sequence of actions.

Some bugs only appear under specific timing, data or network conditions. For those, record what you can: how many attempts out of how many failed, the exact time of each failure, the network speed, and any console errors or failed requests. A short screen recording and a console log are often more useful than perfect steps.

• Starting mid-flow. "Click Save" means nothing if the reader does not know which page or data you started with.
• Combining actions. "Fill in the form and submit" hides which field value triggered the bug.
• Missing test data. Specific records, coupon codes or file types are often the real trigger. Include them, using test data rather than customer data.
• Leaving out the environment. A bug that only happens at mobile width or in one role is impossible to reproduce without that detail.
• Mixing results into steps. Keep observations in the expected and actual sections so the steps read as pure instructions.
• Typing real passwords. Write "log in as a test admin" rather than including credentials in the ticket.

Most people forget what they clicked by the time they write the ticket. Bugmark is a free Chrome extension that records reproduction steps for you in the background.

• Keeps the last 30 actions in the tab: clicks with element labels, which field you typed in (never the typed text), selects, checkboxes, form submits and single-page app navigation.
• Steps are editable before saving, so you can remove noise or add a precondition.
• Each capture also includes the URL, browser, OS and viewport, plus console errors and network requests.
• Copy the report as Markdown for GitHub, Jira, Linear or Slack, export CSV, or create a GitHub issue with the steps included.

No account needed, and captures stay in your browser. Add Bugmark to Chrome — free