diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index 98867b0e6..ef21e1e17 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -1,12 +1,29 @@
+Overview of changes leading to 8.1.0
+Tuesday, August 1, 2023
+====================================
+- Fix long-standing build issue with the AIX compiler and older Apple clang.
+
+- Revert optimization that could cause timeout during subsetting with malicious fonts.
+
+- More optimization work:
+  - 45% speed up in shaping Noto Duployan font.
+  - 10% speed up in subsetting Noto Duployan font.
+  - Another 8% speed up in shaping Gulzar.
+  - 5% speed up in loading Roboto.
+
+- New API:
++hb_ot_layout_collect_features_map()
+
+
 Overview of changes leading to 8.0.1
 Wednesday, July 12, 2023
 ====================================
 - Build fix on 32-bit ARM.
 
 - More speed optimizations:
-  - 60% speedup in retaingids subsetting SourceHanSans-VF.
-  - 38% speed up in subsetting (beyond-64k) mega-merged Noto.
+  - 60% speed up in retain-gid (used for IFT) subsetting of SourceHanSans-VF.
   - 16% speed up in retain-gid (used for IFT) subsetting of NotoSansCJKkr.
+  - 38% speed up in subsetting (beyond-64k) mega-merged Noto.
 
 
 Overview of changes leading to 8.0.0
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 3de964bc5..d6361b0db 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 AC_PREREQ([2.64])
 AC_INIT([HarfBuzz],
-        [8.0.1],
+        [8.1.0],
         [https://github.com/harfbuzz/harfbuzz/issues/new],
         [harfbuzz],
         [http://harfbuzz.org/])
diff --git a/docs/harfbuzz-docs.xml b/docs/harfbuzz-docs.xml
index 952705af9..53b0a79a1 100644
--- a/docs/harfbuzz-docs.xml
+++ b/docs/harfbuzz-docs.xml
@@ -120,6 +120,7 @@
       <index id="api-index-full"><title>API Index</title><xi:include href="xml/api-index-full.xml"><xi:fallback /></xi:include></index>
       <index id="deprecated-api-index"><title>Index of deprecated API</title><xi:include href="xml/api-index-deprecated.xml"><xi:fallback /></xi:include></index>
 
+      <index id="api-index-8-1-0"><title>Index of new symbols in 8.1.0</title><xi:include href="xml/api-index-8.1.0.xml"><xi:fallback /></xi:include></index>
       <index id="api-index-8-0-0"><title>Index of new symbols in 8.0.0</title><xi:include href="xml/api-index-8.0.0.xml"><xi:fallback /></xi:include></index>
       <index id="api-index-7-3-0"><title>Index of new symbols in 7.3.0</title><xi:include href="xml/api-index-7.3.0.xml"><xi:fallback /></xi:include></index>
       <index id="api-index-7-1-0"><title>Index of new symbols in 7.1.0</title><xi:include href="xml/api-index-7.1.0.xml"><xi:fallback /></xi:include></index>
diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index c3062c72f..2e459ce96 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 project('harfbuzz', 'c', 'cpp',
   meson_version: '>= 0.55.0',
-  version: '8.0.1',
+  version: '8.1.0',
   default_options: [
     'cpp_eh=none',          # Just to support msvc, we are passing -fno-exceptions also anyway
     'cpp_rtti=false',       # Just to support msvc, we are passing -fno-rtti also anyway
diff --git a/src/hb-ot-layout.cc b/src/hb-ot-layout.cc
index 7ee48f800..5ce36693a 100644
--- a/src/hb-ot-layout.cc
+++ b/src/hb-ot-layout.cc
@@ -1293,7 +1293,7 @@ hb_ot_layout_collect_features (hb_face_t      *face,
  * Fetches the mapping from feature tags to feature indexes for
  * the specified script and language.
  *
- * XSince: REPLACEME
+ * Since: 8.1.0
  **/
 void
 hb_ot_layout_collect_features_map (hb_face_t      *face,
diff --git a/src/hb-version.h b/src/hb-version.h
index c29012232..1b5f05cef 100644
--- a/src/hb-version.h
+++ b/src/hb-version.h
@@ -47,20 +47,20 @@ HB_BEGIN_DECLS
  *
  * The minor component of the library version available at compile-time.
  */
-#define HB_VERSION_MINOR 0
+#define HB_VERSION_MINOR 1
 /**
  * HB_VERSION_MICRO:
  *
  * The micro component of the library version available at compile-time.
  */
-#define HB_VERSION_MICRO 1
+#define HB_VERSION_MICRO 0
 
 /**
  * HB_VERSION_STRING:
  *
  * A string literal containing the library version available at compile-time.
  */
-#define HB_VERSION_STRING "8.0.1"
+#define HB_VERSION_STRING "8.1.0"
 
 /**
  * HB_VERSION_ATLEAST: