Videos of the band performing the song were widely circulated on social media several months prior to its official release, quickly becoming a fan-favourite, and resulting in a high degree of anticipation among their fanbase.

Feeling frustrated with writer's block, Healy re-listened to the ambient piece and decided to combine it with "If You're Too Shy (Let Me Know)", giving the track an additional verse.

Prior to its official release, the 1975 debuted "If You're Too Shy (Let Me Know)" in Nottingham, England, on 15 February 2020, the opening night of their Music for Cars Tour in the United Kingdom.

[6] Videos of the 1975 performing "If You're Too Shy (Let Me Know)" began circulating on social media platforms, quickly becoming a fan-favourite and earning it a cult following among fans of the band.

For nearly two months, fans of the 1975 used social media in an effort to have the band officially release the song, replying to their content with messages such as ""Drop 'Too Shy"".

[19] Lyrically, "If You're Too Shy (Let Me Know)" details Healy's online romance with a woman and documents a series of sexual encounters conducted over video chat.

[24] "If You're Too Shy (Let Me Know)" opens with a minute-long "ghostly" new-age ambient instrumental,[19] backed by ominous drones, celestial arpeggios, heavy reverb,[17] and elements of glitch music.

[7] As the song progresses, the singer becomes increasingly obsessed with the woman, attempting to reach his locked hotel room at 7 am to video call her ("I need to get back, I've gotta see the girl on the screen").

The bridge utilizes a tenor and alto saxophone solo performed by Bob Reynolds,[30] which Ali Shutler of NME described as "uproarious" and "perhaps the greatest endorphin release you'll find this side of lockdown.

"[25] Patricia Kolbe of Barricade Magazine compared "If You're Too Shy (Let Me Know)" to the soundtracks of coming-of-age movies directed by John Hughes, and noted similarities to "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" (1985) by Tears for Fears.

[21] Jessie Atkinson of Gigwise called the song vulnerable and euphoric, comparing the guitar riffs to Bryan Adams, the saxophone solo to Bruce Springsteen and the overall melody to "Give It Up" (1982) by KC and the Sunshine Band.

[34] Lizzie Mano of Paste deemed "If You're Too Shy (Let Me Know)" the best song on Notes on a Conditional Form, calling the track "effortlessly catchy" and saying listeners "could play it endlessly without it tiring".

[35] In his review of "If You're Too Shy (Let Me Know)" for Dork, Ackroyd called it a "swaggering, hip shaking monster" and metaphorically compared the song to a musical lightning rod, "pulling down raw, crackling energy from the heavens".

[36] She opined that the song is emblematic of the band's signature sound, exemplified by a "hooky melody", an "effortless"-sounding multi-layered production, "a convincing pastiche of a micro-genre" and "deftly contemporary lyrics" that discuss the complexities of online and offline relationships.

[37] Sam Sodomsky of Pitchfork praised it as an album highlight, calling the song "the record's closest thing to a typical 1975 song—a glittery '80s arrangement, a ridiculous saxophone solo, a charmingly sleazy hook".

[39] In another favourable review, Matt Collar of AllMusic wrote that "If You're Too Shy (Let Me Know)" is the only track on Notes on a Conditional Form reminiscent of the 1975's eponymous debut studio album (2013), commending the 1980s nostalgia and saxophone solo.

[10] Lauren Mullineaux of Beats Per Minute called it a "thrilling" example of the band's signature sound, commenting that the song places the listener in the leading role of a Hughes film.

[40] In her weekly Rolling Stone special "Song You Need To Know" column, Spanos commented that "If You're Too Shy (Let Me Know)" and its message of communicating through video calls was especially relevant during the COVID-19 pandemic.

[43] The staff of Spin highlighted the song's successful implementation of 1980s music and ability to "document the sadness, hilarity, awkwardness and – just maybe – euphoria of the erotic Zoom call".

[18] Roisin O'Connor of The Independent observed similarities to the work of Tears for Fears and commended the song's "propulsive shuffle rhythm" and "twinkling synths".

He wrote that it represents the band at their "glorious, gargantuan best", drawing similarities to the dark, melodic emo of Tears for Fears, the Cure and the music of John Hughes films.

Cinematically, Carlos Catalan served as director of photography, while Marco Alonso and Apostolos Katsamagkas acted as focus puller and second assistant camera, respectively.