diff --git a/doc/APIchanges b/doc/APIchanges
index 9d128ae77b..bfea83c73a 100644
--- a/doc/APIchanges
+++ b/doc/APIchanges
@@ -2,6 +2,9 @@ The last version increases of all libraries were on 2025-03-28
 
 API changes, most recent first:
 
+2025-11-16 - xxxxxxxxxx - lavu 60.18.100 - cpu.h
+  Deprecate AV_CPU_FLAG_FORCE without replacement.
+
 2025-11-01 - xxxxxxxxxx - lavc 62.19.100 - avcodec.h
   Schedule AVCodecParser and av_parser_init() to use enum AVCodecID
   for codec ids on the next major version bump.
diff --git a/libavutil/cpu.h b/libavutil/cpu.h
index 5ef5da58eb..a06fc08e56 100644
--- a/libavutil/cpu.h
+++ b/libavutil/cpu.h
@@ -24,7 +24,9 @@
 #include <stddef.h>
 #include "version.h"
 
-#define AV_CPU_FLAG_FORCE    0x80000000 /* force usage of selected flags (OR) */
+#if FF_API_CPU_FLAG_FORCE
+#define AV_CPU_FLAG_FORCE    0x80000000 /* @deprecated, should not be used */
+#endif
 
     /* lower 16 bits - CPU features */
 #define AV_CPU_FLAG_MMX          0x0001 ///< standard MMX
diff --git a/libavutil/version.h b/libavutil/version.h
index b16b88bfca..d1385a8829 100644
--- a/libavutil/version.h
+++ b/libavutil/version.h
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@
  */
 
 #define LIBAVUTIL_VERSION_MAJOR  60
-#define LIBAVUTIL_VERSION_MINOR  17
+#define LIBAVUTIL_VERSION_MINOR  18
 #define LIBAVUTIL_VERSION_MICRO 100
 
 #define LIBAVUTIL_VERSION_INT   AV_VERSION_INT(LIBAVUTIL_VERSION_MAJOR, \
@@ -110,6 +110,7 @@
 #define FF_API_VULKAN_FIXED_QUEUES      (LIBAVUTIL_VERSION_MAJOR < 61)
 #define FF_API_OPT_INT_LIST             (LIBAVUTIL_VERSION_MAJOR < 61)
 #define FF_API_OPT_PTR                  (LIBAVUTIL_VERSION_MAJOR < 61)
+#define FF_API_CPU_FLAG_FORCE           (LIBAVUTIL_VERSION_MAJOR < 61)
 
 /**
  * @}