According to Sheeran, the theme of the song is about looking back at an early relationship and, despite being initially angry and bitter at the breakup, later coming to realise that his first love was happier with someone else.

Taylor Weatherby of Billboard described it as the "most heartbreaking track" and "perhaps one of the prettiest songs" on the album.

She noted the track's melodic similarity to Sam Smith's 2014 songs "Stay with Me" and "Like I Can".

[4] The official video for "Happier" was released on Ed Sheeran's YouTube account on 27 April 2018.

It was directed by Emil Nava, and features a puppet caricature of Sheeran from the music video of his single "Sing" sad about the other is about his balloon girlfriend with another puppet and ends with the balloon girl flying away.