5 Great Incident Email Templates To Copy & Paste

Communicating during an incident doesn't have to be a scramble.

Here are five essential email templates to help you handle any situation with confidence.

Relying on a template removes the guesswork, letting you send clear updates quickly during a stressful time.

Tips for Writing Incident Emails

• Be direct. Your subject line should state the issue clearly, like “Service Disruption” or “Update on Login Issues.” In the body, get straight to the point. Now is not the time for clever copy; it’s time for clarity.
• Explain the impact. Tell users exactly how the incident affects them. Instead of a technical explanation, say what they can or can’t do. For example, “You may have trouble sending emails right now.”
• Set expectations for the next update. Even if you don’t have a fix, you can reduce anxiety by telling people when they’ll hear from you again. A simple “We’ll share another update in 30 minutes” builds trust.
• Use a single source of truth. To avoid confusion, direct everyone to one place for the latest information, like your official status page. Link to it in every email you send.
• Make it easy to scan. People under stress don’t read—they scan. Use short paragraphs and bold text to highlight the most important information so they can grasp the situation at a glance.

Types of Incident Email Templates We Will Cover

1. Security Breach Email Template
2. Service Outage Email Template
3. Data Loss Email Template
4. Unauthorized Access Email Template
5. System Downtime Email Template

5 Incident Email Templates

1) Security Breach Email Template

<template>

Subject: Important Security Update Regarding Your Account

Hi [User Name],

We are writing to inform you about a security incident we identified on [Date of discovery]. We want to be transparent about what happened, how it affects you, and the steps we’re taking to protect your information.

On [Date of incident], we detected unauthorized access to a portion of our systems. Our investigation shows that the data involved may have included your [List of specific data types, e.g., name, email address]. We want to assure you that sensitive information like [List of data that was NOT compromised, e.g., payment details] was not affected.

We have already taken action to secure our systems and have launched a full investigation to understand the extent of the incident. As a precaution, we recommend you reset your password immediately and enable two-factor authentication if you haven't already. You can do so here: [Link to password reset page].

We take the security of your data very seriously and sincerely apologize for this situation. For ongoing updates, please visit our status page: [Link to status page or FAQ].

Sincerely,

[Your Name]

[Your Position]

[Company Name]

</template>

2) Service Outage Email Template

<template>

Subject: Service Disruption: [Name of Service] Is Currently Unavailable

Hi [User Name],

We’re writing to let you know that our [Name of Service, e.g., email editor] is currently experiencing an outage. We understand this is disruptive, and our team is working to resolve it as quickly as possible.

At the moment, you may be unable to [Describe user impact, e.g., create new emails or edit existing ones]. We’ve identified the cause and are actively implementing a fix. We expect to have another update for you within [Timeframe, e.g., 30 minutes].

For the latest updates, please follow along on our status page: [Link to status page]. This will be the most up-to-date source of information.

We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience this has caused. We appreciate your patience as we work to get things back up and running.

[Your Name]

[Your Position]

[Company Name]

</template>

3) Data Loss Email Template

<template>

Subject: Important Notice Regarding Your Data on [Platform Name]

Hi [User Name],

We are writing to inform you about a data loss incident that occurred on [Date of incident]. We believe in full transparency and want to explain what happened and which of your data was affected.

Due to [Brief, simple explanation of the cause, e.g., a server malfunction], data created between [Start Time/Date] and [End Time/Date] was unfortunately lost. This specifically affects [List of specific data lost, e.g., email drafts, audience segments, workflow configurations].

Any data created before or after this window remains safe and unaffected. We understand how frustrating this is, and our team is currently working to see if any of the lost data is recoverable.

We are also taking immediate steps to prevent this from happening again. For the most current information, please refer to our status page: [Link to status page]. We will post our next update there by [Time or Timeframe].

We sincerely apologize for the impact this has on your work. We are committed to protecting your data and are deeply sorry for this failure.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]

[Your Position]

[Company Name]

</template>

4) Unauthorized Access Email Template

<template>

Subject: Security Alert: Unauthorized Access to Your Account

Hi [User Name],

We're writing to inform you that we detected suspicious activity on your account on [Date of detection]. To protect your information, we have taken immediate steps to secure your account.

Our security systems identified an unauthorized login to your account from an unrecognized device or location ([Location/IP Address, if available]) at approximately [Time of access]. As a precaution, we have logged you out of all active sessions.

Please reset your password immediately to regain access. We strongly recommend choosing a unique, strong password you haven't used elsewhere. You can reset your password here: [Link to password reset page]. After logging in, please review your recent account activity for any changes you don’t recognize.

The security of your account is our top priority, and we sincerely apologize for any concern this may cause. If you have any questions or need assistance, please contact our support team.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]

[Your Position]

[Company Name]

</template>

5) System Downtime Email Template

<template>

Subject: [Platform Name] is Currently Unavailable

Hi [User Name],

We’re writing to inform you that our platform is currently experiencing system-wide downtime. Our engineering team has been alerted and is working to bring everything back online as quickly as possible.

This means you are likely unable to log in or access your account at this time. We understand this is disruptive and we are treating this with the highest priority. We will share another update within [Timeframe, e.g., 30 minutes] to keep you informed of our progress.

For the most current information, please follow our status page: [Link to status page]. We will post all updates there as soon as they are available.

We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate your patience.

[Your Name]

[Your Position]

[Company Name]

</template>

What About Using Flodesk?

While having these incident email templates on hand is essential, the platform you use to send them can make all the difference during a critical moment. Flodesk provides intuitive email marketing tools designed for small businesses, helping you manage and grow your email list. Our platform lets you create, send, and automate communications without needing any coding or design skills, so you can focus on engaging your audience and building your business.

With a straightforward email builder, powerful automations, and well-designed forms, Flodesk gives you everything you need for effective email marketing, without the complexity. Thousands of businesses use our platform to send emails that look professional and get results. It’s built to be simple enough for beginners yet powerful enough for experts, empowering you to handle all your email marketing in one place.

Wrapping Up

Having these templates ready ensures you can communicate clearly and confidently when things go wrong. This preparation is key to maintaining trust with your audience during a stressful event.

Flodesk provides the tools to send these important communications with ease and style. Sign up to start building and sending emails that connect with your audience.