diff --git a/docs/guide/release-notes.asciidoc b/docs/guide/release-notes.asciidoc
index 190833ccd..ee71c01de 100644
--- a/docs/guide/release-notes.asciidoc
+++ b/docs/guide/release-notes.asciidoc
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 [[release-notes]]
 == Release notes
 
+* <<rn-8-12-0>>
 * <<rn-8-11-1>>
 * <<rn-8-11-0>>
 * <<rn-8-10-1>>
@@ -33,6 +34,17 @@
 * <<rn-8-1-0>>
 * <<rn-8-0-0>>
 
+[discrete]
+[[rn-8-12-0]]
+=== 8.12.0 (2024-01-19)
+
+- Dropped support for Python 3.6
+- Allowed unrestricted `body` parameter again
+- Added the Inference APIs
+- Added the ES|QL API
+- Added `active_only` parameter to `security.get_api_key` API
+- Added `expiration` parameter to `security.update_api_key` API
+
 [discrete]
 [[rn-8-11-1]]
 === 8.11.1 (2023-12-08)
diff --git a/elasticsearch/_version.py b/elasticsearch/_version.py
index 55926ae32..ccf0c569e 100644
--- a/elasticsearch/_version.py
+++ b/elasticsearch/_version.py
@@ -15,4 +15,4 @@
 #  specific language governing permissions and limitations
 #  under the License.
 
-__versionstr__ = "8.11.0"
+__versionstr__ = "8.12.0"