diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..98c802f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,127 @@
+name: Build & Release
+
+on:
+  push:
+    tags:
+      - "v*"          # trigger on version tags like v1.0.0
+  workflow_dispatch:   # allow manual trigger
+
+permissions:
+  contents: write      # needed to create releases
+
+jobs:
+  build:
+    strategy:
+      fail-fast: false
+      matrix:
+        include:
+          - os: windows-latest
+            artifact: 8cut-windows
+          - os: macos-13          # Intel Mac
+            artifact: 8cut-macos-x86_64
+          - os: macos-latest      # Apple Silicon
+            artifact: 8cut-macos-arm64
+
+    runs-on: ${{ matrix.os }}
+
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+
+      - uses: actions/setup-python@v5
+        with:
+          python-version: "3.12"
+
+      # ── Install Python deps ──────────────────────────────────
+      - name: Install Python dependencies
+        run: |
+          pip install pyinstaller PyQt6 python-mpv
+
+      # ── Windows: fetch ffmpeg + libmpv ───────────────────────
+      - name: Fetch ffmpeg (Windows)
+        if: runner.os == 'Windows'
+        shell: pwsh
+        run: |
+          # ffmpeg static build
+          $ffUrl = "https://github.com/BtbN/FFmpeg-Builds/releases/download/latest/ffmpeg-master-latest-win64-gpl.zip"
+          Invoke-WebRequest $ffUrl -OutFile ffmpeg.zip
+          Expand-Archive ffmpeg.zip -DestinationPath ffmpeg-tmp
+          $bin = Get-ChildItem -Path ffmpeg-tmp -Recurse -Filter ffmpeg.exe | Select-Object -First 1
+          Copy-Item $bin.DirectoryName\ffmpeg.exe .
+          Copy-Item $bin.DirectoryName\ffprobe.exe .
+
+      - name: Fetch libmpv (Windows)
+        if: runner.os == 'Windows'
+        shell: pwsh
+        run: |
+          # shinchiro libmpv dev build
+          $mpvUrl = "https://github.com/shinchiro/mpv-winbuild-cmake/releases/latest"
+          # Get redirect URL to find latest tag
+          $release = Invoke-WebRequest $mpvUrl -MaximumRedirection 0 -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
+          $tag = ($release.Headers.Location -split '/')[-1]
+          $dlUrl = "https://github.com/shinchiro/mpv-winbuild-cmake/releases/download/$tag/mpv-dev-x86_64-v3-${tag}.7z"
+          Invoke-WebRequest $dlUrl -OutFile mpv-dev.7z
+          7z x mpv-dev.7z -ompv-dev
+          Copy-Item mpv-dev\libmpv-2.dll .
+
+      # ── macOS: install via Homebrew ──────────────────────────
+      - name: Install native deps (macOS)
+        if: runner.os == 'macOS'
+        run: |
+          brew install mpv ffmpeg
+          # Copy dylibs so PyInstaller bundles them
+          MPV_LIB=$(brew --prefix mpv)/lib/libmpv.2.dylib
+          cp "$MPV_LIB" .
+          cp "$(brew --prefix ffmpeg)/bin/ffmpeg" .
+          cp "$(brew --prefix ffmpeg)/bin/ffprobe" .
+
+      # ── Build ────────────────────────────────────────────────
+      - name: Build with PyInstaller
+        run: pyinstaller 8cut.spec
+
+      # ── Fix macOS dylib paths ────────────────────────────────
+      - name: Fix dylib rpaths (macOS)
+        if: runner.os == 'macOS'
+        run: |
+          # Rewrite libmpv load path to be relative
+          DYLIB="dist/8cut/libmpv.2.dylib"
+          if [ -f "$DYLIB" ]; then
+            install_name_tool -id @executable_path/libmpv.2.dylib "$DYLIB"
+          fi
+
+      # ── Package ──────────────────────────────────────────────
+      - name: Package (Windows)
+        if: runner.os == 'Windows'
+        shell: pwsh
+        run: Compress-Archive -Path dist\8cut\* -DestinationPath ${{ matrix.artifact }}.zip
+
+      - name: Package (macOS)
+        if: runner.os == 'macOS'
+        run: |
+          cd dist
+          zip -r ../${{ matrix.artifact }}.zip 8cut.app
+
+      # ── Upload artifact ──────────────────────────────────────
+      - name: Upload build artifact
+        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
+        with:
+          name: ${{ matrix.artifact }}
+          path: ${{ matrix.artifact }}.zip
+
+  # ── Create GitHub Release ──────────────────────────────────
+  release:
+    needs: build
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    if: startsWith(github.ref, 'refs/tags/v')
+
+    steps:
+      - name: Download all artifacts
+        uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
+        with:
+          path: artifacts
+
+      - name: Create Release
+        uses: softprops/action-gh-release@v2
+        with:
+          draft: true
+          generate_release_notes: true
+          files: artifacts/**/*.zip
diff --git a/8cut.spec b/8cut.spec
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8e64219
--- /dev/null
+++ b/8cut.spec
@@ -0,0 +1,143 @@
+# -*- mode: python ; coding: utf-8 -*-
+"""PyInstaller spec for 8-cut.
+
+Usage:
+    pyinstaller 8cut.spec
+
+Platform-specific notes:
+    Windows: place libmpv-2.dll, ffmpeg.exe, ffprobe.exe next to main.py
+             before building, or set FFMPEG_DIR / MPV_DIR env vars.
+    macOS:   place libmpv.2.dylib, ffmpeg, ffprobe next to main.py
+             before building, or set FFMPEG_DIR / MPV_DIR env vars.
+    Linux:   system libmpv and ffmpeg are used from PATH (not bundled).
+"""
+
+import os
+import platform
+import sys
+from pathlib import Path
+
+block_cipher = None
+system = platform.system()
+
+# ---------- paths ----------------------------------------------------------
+
+base = Path(SPECPATH)
+ffmpeg_dir = Path(os.environ.get("FFMPEG_DIR", base))
+mpv_dir = Path(os.environ.get("MPV_DIR", base))
+
+# ---------- data files -----------------------------------------------------
+
+datas = []
+
+# YOLOv8 model (optional — large, skip if missing)
+yolo = base / "yolov8n.pt"
+if yolo.exists():
+    datas.append((str(yolo), "."))
+
+# ---------- native binaries ------------------------------------------------
+
+binaries = []
+
+if system == "Windows":
+    for name in ("libmpv-2.dll",):
+        p = mpv_dir / name
+        if p.exists():
+            binaries.append((str(p), "."))
+    for name in ("ffmpeg.exe", "ffprobe.exe"):
+        p = ffmpeg_dir / name
+        if p.exists():
+            binaries.append((str(p), "."))
+
+elif system == "Darwin":
+    for name in ("libmpv.2.dylib", "libmpv.dylib"):
+        p = mpv_dir / name
+        if p.exists():
+            binaries.append((str(p), "."))
+            break
+    for name in ("ffmpeg", "ffprobe"):
+        p = ffmpeg_dir / name
+        if p.exists():
+            binaries.append((str(p), "."))
+
+# ---------- analysis -------------------------------------------------------
+
+a = Analysis(
+    [str(base / "main.py")],
+    pathex=[str(base)],
+    binaries=binaries,
+    datas=datas,
+    hiddenimports=[
+        "mpv",
+        "PyQt6.QtOpenGL",
+        "PyQt6.QtOpenGLWidgets",
+    ],
+    hookspath=[],
+    hooksconfig={},
+    runtime_hooks=[],
+    excludes=[
+        # ultralytics is optional and huge — exclude from frozen build
+        "ultralytics",
+        "torch",
+        "torchvision",
+        "onnxruntime",
+        "opencv-python",
+        # test / dev
+        "pytest",
+        "hypothesis",
+    ],
+    noarchive=False,
+    cipher=block_cipher,
+)
+
+pyz = PYZ(a.pure, cipher=block_cipher)
+
+# ---------- executable -----------------------------------------------------
+
+exe_kwargs = dict(
+    pyz=pyz,
+    a=a,
+    name="8cut",
+    debug=False,
+    bootloader_ignore_signals=False,
+    strip=False,
+    upx=True,
+    console=False,  # GUI app
+)
+
+if system == "Darwin":
+    exe_kwargs["icon"] = str(base / "assets" / "logo.png")
+elif system == "Windows":
+    ico = base / "assets" / "logo.ico"
+    if ico.exists():
+        exe_kwargs["icon"] = str(ico)
+
+exe = EXE(**exe_kwargs)
+
+# ---------- collect --------------------------------------------------------
+
+coll = COLLECT(
+    exe,
+    a.binaries,
+    a.datas,
+    strip=False,
+    upx=True,
+    upx_exclude=[],
+    name="8cut",
+)
+
+# ---------- macOS .app bundle (only on Darwin) -----------------------------
+
+if system == "Darwin":
+    app = BUNDLE(
+        coll,
+        name="8cut.app",
+        icon=str(base / "assets" / "logo.png"),
+        bundle_identifier="com.8cut.app",
+        info_plist={
+            "CFBundleDisplayName": "8cut",
+            "CFBundleShortVersionString": "1.0.0",
+            "NSHighResolutionCapable": True,
+            "LSMinimumSystemVersion": "11.0",
+        },
+    )
diff --git a/main.py b/main.py
index 399b7cd..b621dc8 100755
--- a/main.py
+++ b/main.py
@@ -24,9 +24,31 @@ from PyQt6.QtWidgets import (
 )
 from PyQt6.QtCore import Qt, QObject, QThread, QTimer, QRect, QSize, pyqtSignal, QSettings
 from PyQt6.QtGui import QPainter, QColor, QPen, QPixmap, QDragEnterEvent, QDropEvent, QCursor, QFont, QKeySequence, QShortcut
+if getattr(sys, "frozen", False):
+    # In frozen builds, help ctypes find bundled libmpv
+    _bundle = Path(sys._MEIPASS)
+    if sys.platform == "win32":
+        os.add_dll_directory(str(_bundle))
+    elif sys.platform == "darwin":
+        os.environ.setdefault("DYLD_LIBRARY_PATH", str(_bundle))
 import mpv
 
 
+def _frozen_path() -> Path:
+    """Return the directory containing bundled binaries in a PyInstaller build."""
+    if getattr(sys, "frozen", False):
+        return Path(sys._MEIPASS)
+    return Path(__file__).parent
+
+
+def _bin(name: str) -> str:
+    """Resolve a binary name (e.g. 'ffmpeg') to its full path in frozen builds."""
+    p = _frozen_path() / name
+    if p.exists():
+        return str(p)
+    return name  # fall back to PATH
+
+
 def _log(*args) -> None:
     """Print a timestamped log line to stderr."""
     ts = datetime.now().strftime("%H:%M:%S")
@@ -103,7 +125,7 @@ def build_ffmpeg_command(
     # so there is no keyframe-alignment issue from pre-input seek.
     # Image sequences always use libwebp, so skip HW encoder setup.
     use_hw_vaapi = encoder == "h264_vaapi" and not image_sequence
-    cmd = ["ffmpeg", "-y"]
+    cmd = [_bin("ffmpeg"), "-y"]
 
     # VAAPI needs a device for hardware context.
     if use_hw_vaapi:
@@ -157,7 +179,7 @@ def build_audio_extract_command(input_path: str, start: float, sequence_dir: str
     """Return an ffmpeg command that extracts audio to <sequence_dir>.wav."""
     audio_path = sequence_dir + ".wav"
     return [
-        "ffmpeg", "-y",
+        _bin("ffmpeg"), "-y",
         "-ss", str(start),
         "-i", input_path,
         "-t", "8",
@@ -229,7 +251,7 @@ def detect_hw_encoders() -> list[str]:
     _HW_ENCODERS = ["h264_nvenc", "h264_vaapi", "h264_qsv", "h264_amf", "h264_videotoolbox"]
     try:
         result = subprocess.run(
-            ["ffmpeg", "-hide_banner", "-encoders"],
+            [_bin("ffmpeg"), "-hide_banner", "-encoders"],
             capture_output=True, text=True, timeout=5,
         )
         if result.returncode != 0:
@@ -304,7 +326,7 @@ def extract_frame_cv(video_path: str, time: float):
     fd, tmp = tempfile.mkstemp(suffix=".png")
     os.close(fd)
     try:
-        cmd = ["ffmpeg", "-y", "-ss", str(time), "-i", video_path,
+        cmd = [_bin("ffmpeg"), "-y", "-ss", str(time), "-i", video_path,
                "-frames:v", "1", tmp]
         result = subprocess.run(cmd, capture_output=True, timeout=10)
         if result.returncode != 0:
@@ -737,7 +759,7 @@ class FrameGrabber(QThread):
     def run(self):
         try:
             cmd = [
-                "ffmpeg", "-ss", str(self._time),
+                _bin("ffmpeg"), "-ss", str(self._time),
                 "-i", self._input,
                 "-frames:v", "1",
                 "-f", "image2pipe", "-vcodec", "png",