diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index ef3bec176..34588dd00 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -1,3 +1,25 @@
+48.beta
+=======
+* Fix overlapping tiles in app grid on hover [Sam; !3551]
+* Improve screen time limit support
+  [Philip, Florian; !3597, !3603, !3604, !3606]
+* Fix default user avatar with light stsyle [Sam; !3596]
+* Transition to new BoxLayout.orientation property
+  [Florian, Carlos; !3614, !3618]
+* Allow tracking screen time history with no limit set [Philip; !3610]
+* Fix Extensions app losing state after shell restart [Florian; !3463]
+* Support loading login banner message from file [Florian; !3558]
+* Misc. bug fixes and cleanups [Florian, Daniel, Bilal, Philip, Adam, Carlos,
+  Julian; !3600, !3601, !3528, !3510, !3605, !3607, !3609, !3613, !3615, !3598,
+  !3617, !3599, !3612, !3621, !3619, !3429, !3627]
+
+Contributors:
+  Bilal Elmoussaoui, Carlos Garnacho, Sam Hewitt, Florian Müllner,
+  Julian Sparber, Daniel van Vugt, Adam Williamson, Philip Withnall
+
+Translators:
+  Rafael Fontenelle [pt_BR], Artur S0 [ru], Quentin PAGÈS [oc],
+  Emilio Sepúlveda [ia], Martin [sl], Philipp Kiemle [de]
 48.alpha
 ========
 * Improve quick settings accessibility [Lukáš; !3477, !3481, !3484, !3485]
diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index e7f39467d..ff3197410 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 project('gnome-shell', 'c',
-  version: '48.alpha',
+  version: '48.beta',
   meson_version: '>= 1.1.0',
   license: 'GPL-2.0-or-later',
 )
@@ -25,9 +25,9 @@ gio_req = '>= 2.79.2'
 gi_req = '>= 1.49.1'
 gjs_req = '>= 1.73.1'
 gtk_req = '>= 4.0'
-mutter_req = '>= 48.alpha'
+mutter_req = '>= 48.beta'
 polkit_req = '>= 0.100'
-schemas_req = '>= 48.alpha'  # actually requires commit 9d55553, just after alpha
+schemas_req = '>= 48.beta'
 systemd_req = '>= 246'
 gnome_desktop_req = '>= 40'
 pipewire_req = '>= 0.3.49'
diff --git a/subprojects/extensions-app/data/metainfo/org.gnome.Extensions.metainfo.xml.in b/subprojects/extensions-app/data/metainfo/org.gnome.Extensions.metainfo.xml.in
index 80dab6130..e476ef23b 100644
--- a/subprojects/extensions-app/data/metainfo/org.gnome.Extensions.metainfo.xml.in
+++ b/subprojects/extensions-app/data/metainfo/org.gnome.Extensions.metainfo.xml.in
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@
   </description>
 
   <releases>
+    <release version="48.beta" type="development" date="2025-02-04"/>
     <release version="48.alpha" type="development" date="2025-01-13">
       <description>
         <p>Allow closing window with shortcut</p>
diff --git a/subprojects/extensions-app/meson.build b/subprojects/extensions-app/meson.build
index 03e77653e..2195593e8 100644
--- a/subprojects/extensions-app/meson.build
+++ b/subprojects/extensions-app/meson.build
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 project('gnome-extensions-app',
-  version: '48.alpha',
+  version: '48.beta',
   meson_version: '>= 0.58.0',
   license: 'GPL-2.0-or-later',
 )
diff --git a/subprojects/extensions-tool/meson.build b/subprojects/extensions-tool/meson.build
index 2418c8ba3..39eb31910 100644
--- a/subprojects/extensions-tool/meson.build
+++ b/subprojects/extensions-tool/meson.build
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 project('gnome-extensions-tool', 'c',
-  version: '48.alpha',
+  version: '48.beta',
   meson_version: '>= 0.58.0',
   license: 'GPL-2.0-or-later',
 )
diff --git a/subprojects/shew/meson.build b/subprojects/shew/meson.build
index 1f3f9f7b1..d8c2364e3 100644
--- a/subprojects/shew/meson.build
+++ b/subprojects/shew/meson.build
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 project('shew', 'c',
-  version: '48.alpha',
+  version: '48.beta',
   meson_version: '>= 0.58.0',
   license: 'LGPL-2.1-or-later',
 )