diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
index ca314306..a704f17f 100644
--- a/pom.xml
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 
     <groupId>org.embl.mobie</groupId>
     <artifactId>mobie-viewer-fiji</artifactId>
-    <version>4.2.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+    <version>4.2.0</version>
 
     <!-- force javadoc generation to fetch errors:    -->
     <!-- mvn javadoc:javadoc | grep error -->
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@
     <scm>
         <connection>scm:git:https://github.com/mobie/mobie-viewer-fiji</connection>
         <developerConnection>scm:git:git@github.com:mobie/mobie-viewer-fiji</developerConnection>
-        <tag>mobie-viewer-fiji-4.0.7</tag>
+        <tag>mobie-viewer-fiji-4.2.0</tag>
         <url>https://github.com/mobie/mobie-viewer-fiji</url>
     </scm>
     <issueManagement>
diff --git a/release.properties b/release.properties
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..92294c95
--- /dev/null
+++ b/release.properties
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+#release configuration
+#Wed Feb 07 17:49:23 CET 2024
+scm.commentPrefix=[maven-release-plugin] 
+project.scm.org.embl.mobie\:mobie-viewer-fiji.url=https\://github.com/mobie/mobie-viewer-fiji
+exec.pomFileName=pom.xml
+pushChanges=false
+releaseStrategyId=default
+project.dev.org.embl.mobie\:mobie-viewer-fiji=4.2.1-SNAPSHOT
+project.scm.org.embl.mobie\:mobie-viewer-fiji.connection=scm\:git\:https\://github.com/mobie/mobie-viewer-fiji
+project.rel.org.embl.mobie\:mobie-viewer-fiji=4.2.0
+projectVersionPolicyConfig=<projectVersionPolicyConfig>${projectVersionPolicyConfig}</projectVersionPolicyConfig>\n
+scm.tag=mobie-viewer-fiji-4.2.0
+remoteTagging=true
+exec.additionalArguments=-Dgpg.skip\=true 
+scm.branchCommitComment=@{prefix} prepare branch @{releaseLabel}
+projectVersionPolicyId=default
+scm.url=scm\:git\:https\://github.com/mobie/mobie-viewer-fiji
+scm.tagNameFormat=@{project.artifactId}-@{project.version}
+pinExternals=false
+preparationGoals=clean verify
+scm.releaseCommitComment=@{prefix} prepare release @{releaseLabel}
+exec.snapshotReleasePluginAllowed=false
+project.scm.org.embl.mobie\:mobie-viewer-fiji.developerConnection=scm\:git\:git@github.com\:mobie/mobie-viewer-fiji
+exec.activateProfiles=deploy-to-scijava
+project.scm.org.embl.mobie\:mobie-viewer-fiji.tag=mobie-viewer-fiji-4.0.7
+scm.developmentCommitComment=@{prefix} prepare for next development iteration
+scm.rollbackCommitComment=@{prefix} rollback the release of @{releaseLabel}
+completedPhase=end-release