diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 610af9a9..d3638deb 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ build-backend = "hatchling.build"
 [project]
 name = "TagStudio"
 description = "A User-Focused Photo & File Management System."
-version = "9.5.7"
+version = "9.6.0"
 license = "GPL-3.0-only"
 readme = "README.md"
 requires-python = ">=3.12,<3.14"
diff --git a/src/tagstudio/core/constants.py b/src/tagstudio/core/constants.py
index a746f038..58db564d 100644
--- a/src/tagstudio/core/constants.py
+++ b/src/tagstudio/core/constants.py
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-3.0-only
 
 
-VERSION: str = "9.5.7"  # Major.Minor.Patch
+VERSION: str = "9.6.0"  # Major.Minor.Patch
 VERSION_BRANCH: str = ""  # Usually "" or "Pre-Release"
 COPYRIGHT_YEARS: str = "2021-2026"
 COPYRIGHT: str = f"© {COPYRIGHT_YEARS} Travis Abendshien & TagStudio Contributors"