diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
index 1ad1729e..406d5ba7 100644
--- a/pom.xml
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 
 	<groupId>sc.fiji</groupId>
 	<artifactId>bigdataviewer-core</artifactId>
-	<version>10.6.3-SNAPSHOT</version>
+	<version>10.6.3</version>
 
 	<name>BigDataViewer Core</name>
 	<description>BigDataViewer core classes with minimal dependencies.</description>
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@
 	<scm>
 		<connection>scm:git:https://github.com/bigdataviewer/bigdataviewer-core</connection>
 		<developerConnection>scm:git:git@github.com:bigdataviewer/bigdataviewer-core</developerConnection>
-		<tag>HEAD</tag>
+		<tag>bigdataviewer-core-10.6.3</tag>
 		<url>https://github.com/bigdataviewer/bigdataviewer-core</url>
 	</scm>
 	<issueManagement>
diff --git a/release.properties b/release.properties
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..9aa60fb6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/release.properties
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+#release configuration
+#Wed Nov 06 10:53:10 CET 2024
+projectVersionPolicyId=default
+scm.branchCommitComment=@{prefix} prepare branch @{releaseLabel}
+pinExternals=false
+projectVersionPolicyConfig=<projectVersionPolicyConfig>${projectVersionPolicyConfig}</projectVersionPolicyConfig>\n
+exec.activateProfiles=deploy-to-scijava
+pushChanges=false
+project.scm.sc.fiji\:bigdataviewer-core.url=https\://github.com/bigdataviewer/bigdataviewer-core
+scm.rollbackCommitComment=@{prefix} rollback the release of @{releaseLabel}
+remoteTagging=true
+scm.commentPrefix=[maven-release-plugin] 
+releaseStrategyId=default
+project.scm.sc.fiji\:bigdataviewer-core.connection=scm\:git\:https\://github.com/bigdataviewer/bigdataviewer-core
+completedPhase=end-release
+project.dev.sc.fiji\:bigdataviewer-core=10.6.4-SNAPSHOT
+project.scm.sc.fiji\:bigdataviewer-core.developerConnection=scm\:git\:git@github.com\:bigdataviewer/bigdataviewer-core
+scm.url=scm\:git\:https\://github.com/bigdataviewer/bigdataviewer-core
+scm.developmentCommitComment=@{prefix} prepare for next development iteration
+project.rel.sc.fiji\:bigdataviewer-core=10.6.3
+exec.additionalArguments=-Dgpg.skip\=true 
+scm.tagNameFormat=@{project.artifactId}-@{project.version}
+project.scm.sc.fiji\:bigdataviewer-core.tag=HEAD
+scm.tag=bigdataviewer-core-10.6.3
+exec.snapshotReleasePluginAllowed=false
+preparationGoals=clean verify
+scm.releaseCommitComment=@{prefix} prepare release @{releaseLabel}
+exec.pomFileName=pom.xml