diff --git a/makefile b/makefile
index 32cfeaf..6494b59 100644
--- a/makefile
+++ b/makefile
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
 # Recursive Directory Digesting Makefile V1.0
 # === Project Settings ===
-PROJECT := soundThing           # Change this to your project name
-CFLAGS  := -Wall -Wextra -std=c11 -O2
+# Change PROJECT and VERSION here — VERSION flows into the about screen and archive names.
+PROJECT := soundThing
+VERSION := 0.9.5
+CFLAGS  := -Wall -Wextra -std=c11 -O2 -DAPP_VERSION=\"$(VERSION)\"
 # Preprocessor flags (deps only here)
 CPPFLAGS := -MMD -MP
 
@@ -34,6 +36,16 @@ else
     WIN_RES  :=
 endif
 
+# === Distribution ===
+DIST_NAME := SoundThing-$(PLATFORM)-v$(VERSION)
+ifeq ($(PLATFORM),windows)
+    ARCHIVE_CMD = zip -r "$(DIST_NAME).zip" "$(DIST_NAME)"
+    ARCHIVE_EXT = zip
+else
+    ARCHIVE_CMD = tar czf "$(DIST_NAME).tar.gz" "$(DIST_NAME)"
+    ARCHIVE_EXT = tar.gz
+endif
+
 # === Directory Structure ===
 SRC_DIR := source
 OBJ_DIR := build
@@ -58,7 +70,7 @@ FONT_DATA    := $(SRC_DIR)/font_data.c
 ICON_DATA    := $(SRC_DIR)/icon_data.c
 
 # === Rules ===
-.PHONY: all clean run dirs
+.PHONY: all clean run dirs dist
 
 all: dirs $(SPRITES_DATA) $(FONT_DATA) $(ICON_DATA) $(BIN)
 
@@ -86,6 +98,17 @@ clean:
 	@rm -rf $(OBJ_DIR) $(BIN)
 	@echo "Clean complete."
 
+# Package a release archive: make dist  /  make dist PLATFORM=windows
+dist: all
+	rm -rf "$(DIST_NAME)"
+	mkdir -p "$(DIST_NAME)"
+	cp "$(BIN)" "$(DIST_NAME)/"
+	cp -r patches "$(DIST_NAME)/"
+	rm -f "$(DIST_NAME)/patches/favorites.txt"
+	$(ARCHIVE_CMD)
+	rm -rf "$(DIST_NAME)"
+	@echo "Packaged -> $(DIST_NAME).$(ARCHIVE_EXT)"
+
 # Include auto-generated dependency files (if present)
 -include $(DEP)
 
diff --git a/source/ui.c b/source/ui.c
index d10ed6a..d9d6a04 100644
--- a/source/ui.c
+++ b/source/ui.c
@@ -1691,7 +1691,7 @@ void uiAboutMenu(UIState *ui, float x, float y, float width)
 
     /* Edit these strings to update the about screen. */
     static const char *lines[] = {
-        "SoundThing  v0.9.5",
+        "SoundThing  v" APP_VERSION,
         "",
         "Polyphonic subtractive synthesizer",
         "Built with Raylib",