diff --git a/changelog.rst b/changelog.rst
index eb2fe336..1a17442f 100644
--- a/changelog.rst
+++ b/changelog.rst
@@ -1,6 +1,23 @@
 ZoiteChat ChangeLog
 =================
 
+2.18.0 (2026-04-20)
+
+- Added optional close buttons on tabs.
+- Added Ctrl+W to close tabs and Ctrl+Shift+T to reopen recently closed tabs.
+- Expanded theme import support with .hct support in colors.conf import.
+- Added pevent import support from .hct theme files and improved import result messaging.
+- Expanded palette and selection CSS styling for better theme consistency.
+- Auto-sizes the topic bar to wrapped text for better multi-line topic handling.
+- Refined command-character parsing when pasting path-like text.
+- Tightened topic link detection and opening rules.
+- Added Public Suffix List validation for host links to reduce bad link matches.
+- Improved channel tree behavior by ignoring collapsed parent selections.
+- Sanitized the Linux open environment for AppImage builds and added safer fallback handling.
+- Labeled Windows installer runtimes with exact versions.
+- Fixed the notification icon and corrected the Flatpak screenshot asset.
+- Improved AppStream metainfo validation.
+
 2.18.0~pre6 (2026-03-30)
 
 - Applied app theme CSS to the menubar consistently across the app.
diff --git a/data/misc/net.zoite.Zoitechat.appdata.xml.in b/data/misc/net.zoite.Zoitechat.appdata.xml.in
index 887ce106..8591af24 100644
--- a/data/misc/net.zoite.Zoitechat.appdata.xml.in
+++ b/data/misc/net.zoite.Zoitechat.appdata.xml.in
@@ -29,6 +29,36 @@
     <id>zoitechat.desktop</id>
   </provides>
 <releases>
+<release date="2026-04-20" version="2.18.0">
+  <description>
+    <p>Tabs and navigation:</p>
+    <ul>
+      <li>Added optional close buttons on tabs.</li>
+      <li>Added Ctrl+W to close tabs and Ctrl+Shift+T to reopen recently closed tabs.</li>
+      <li>Improved channel tree behavior by ignoring collapsed parent selections.</li>
+    </ul>
+    <p>Themes and appearance:</p>
+    <ul>
+      <li>Expanded theme import support with .hct support in colors.conf import.</li>
+      <li>Added pevent import support from .hct theme files and improved import result messaging.</li>
+      <li>Expanded palette and selection CSS styling for better theme consistency.</li>
+      <li>Auto-sizes the topic bar to wrapped text for better multi-line topic handling.</li>
+    </ul>
+    <p>Links and text handling:</p>
+    <ul>
+      <li>Refined command-character parsing when pasting path-like text.</li>
+      <li>Tightened topic link detection and opening rules.</li>
+      <li>Added Public Suffix List validation for host links to reduce bad link matches.</li>
+    </ul>
+    <p>Packaging and platform integration:</p>
+    <ul>
+      <li>Sanitized the Linux open environment for AppImage builds and added safer fallback handling.</li>
+      <li>Labeled Windows installer runtimes with exact versions.</li>
+      <li>Fixed the notification icon and corrected the Flatpak screenshot asset.</li>
+      <li>Improved AppStream metainfo validation.</li>
+    </ul>
+  </description>
+</release>
 <release date="2026-03-30" version="2.18.0~pre6">
   <description>
     <p>GTK theme and UI:</p>
diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index d255f95a..f3d99bdb 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 project('zoitechat', 'c',
-  version: '2.18.0~pre6',
+  version: '2.18.0',
   meson_version: '>= 0.55.0',
   default_options: [
     'c_std=c17',
diff --git a/plugins/python/python.py b/plugins/python/python.py
index 30c59fc1..90e162d6 100644
--- a/plugins/python/python.py
+++ b/plugins/python/python.py
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ else:
 if not hasattr(sys, 'argv'):
     sys.argv = ['<zoitechat>']
 
-VERSION = b'2.18.0~pre6'
+VERSION = b'2.18.0'
 PLUGIN_NAME = ffi.new('char[]', b'Python')
 PLUGIN_DESC = ffi.new('char[]', b'Python %d.%d scripting interface' % (sys.version_info[0], sys.version_info[1]))
 PLUGIN_VERSION = ffi.new('char[]', VERSION)
diff --git a/win32/version.txt b/win32/version.txt
index 4977304b..cf869073 100644
--- a/win32/version.txt
+++ b/win32/version.txt
@@ -1 +1 @@
-2.18.0~pre6
+2.18.0