The single was released in June 1983, on 7" and 12" vinyl. It was also released on 7" and 12" vinyl picture discs. The B-side to the single was "Where the Ending Starts" (also featuring Aston on lead), which had been recently released on the group's third album, "Hand Cut". The 12" single featured an extended version of the song with a long drum-laden passage after the second chorus. Also included on this was a previously unreleased bonus track "When the Love Has Gone". "When We Were Young" was later featured on the group's first "Greatest Hits" album, released in November 1983. In 2005, it was released in a slightly edited form on the Bucks Fizz compilation, "The Ultimate Anthology".