diff --git a/NEWS.md b/NEWS.md
index 3d9740ba0..3a4ac7fc3 100644
--- a/NEWS.md
+++ b/NEWS.md
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 * New `check_mac_devel()` function to check a package using the macOS builder at https://mac.r-project.org/macbuilder/submit.html (@nfrerebeau, #2507)
 * `is_loading()` is now re-exported from pkgload (#2556).
 * `load_all()` now errors if called recursively, i.e. if you accidentally include a `load_all()` call in one of your R source files (#2617).
+* `release()` is deprecated in favour of `usethis::use_release_issue()`.
 * `show_news()` now looks for NEWS files in the same locations as `utils::news()`: `inst/NEWS.Rd`, `NEWS.md`, `NEWS`, and `inst/NEWS` (@arcresu, #2499).
 
 # devtools 2.4.6
diff --git a/R/release.R b/R/release.R
index 65c6c8c11..9482912ed 100644
--- a/R/release.R
+++ b/R/release.R
@@ -1,23 +1,12 @@
 #' Release package to CRAN.
 #'
-#' Run automated and manual tests, then post package to CRAN.
-#'
-#' The package release process will:
-#'
-#'   * Confirm that the package passes `R CMD check` on relevant platforms
-#'   * Confirm that important files are up-to-date
-#'   * Build the package
-#'   * Submit the package to CRAN, using comments in "cran-comments.md"
-#'
-#' You can add arbitrary extra questions by defining an (un-exported) function
-#' called `release_questions()` that returns a character vector
-#' of additional questions to ask.
+#' @description
+#' `r lifecycle::badge("deprecated")`
 #'
-#' You also need to read the CRAN repository policy at
-#' 'https://cran.r-project.org/web/packages/policies.html' and make
-#' sure you're in line with the policies. `release` tries to automate as
-#' many of polices as possible, but it's impossible to be completely
-#' comprehensive, and they do change in between releases of devtools.
+#' `release()` is deprecated in favour of [usethis::use_release_issue()].
+#' We no longer feel confident recommrding `release()` because we don't use it
+#' ourselves, so there's no guarantee that it will track best practices as
+#' they evolve over time.
 #'
 #' @template devtools
 #' @param check if `TRUE`, run checking, otherwise omit it.  This
@@ -29,6 +18,15 @@
 #'   tasks that you can use in addition to or in place of `release`.
 #' @export
 release <- function(pkg = ".", check = FALSE, args = NULL) {
+  lifecycle::deprecate_warn(
+    "2.5.0",
+    "release()",
+    "usethis::use_release_issue()"
+  )
+  if (!rlang::is_interactive()) {
+    cli::cli_abort("Interactive session required.")
+  }
+
   pkg <- as.package(pkg)
   # Figure out if this is a new package
   cran_version <- cran_pkg_version(pkg$package)
@@ -159,6 +157,10 @@ find_release_questions <- function(pkg = ".") {
 }
 
 yesno <- function(msg, .envir = parent.frame()) {
+  if (!rlang::is_interactive()) {
+    cli::cli_abort("Called from non-interactive context.")
+  }
+
   yeses <- c(
     "Yes",
     "Definitely",
diff --git a/_pkgdown.yml b/_pkgdown.yml
index 2cb2f760c..55cd1ee89 100644
--- a/_pkgdown.yml
+++ b/_pkgdown.yml
@@ -26,7 +26,6 @@ reference:
   - document
   - load_all
   - reload
-  - release
   - spell_check
   - test
 - title: Package Installation
@@ -49,6 +48,10 @@ reference:
   - wd
   - save_all
 
+- title: Deprecated functions
+  contents:
+  - release
+
 news:
   releases:
   - text: "Version 2.2.1"
diff --git a/man/release.Rd b/man/release.Rd
index d0efd4d00..038672f69 100644
--- a/man/release.Rd
+++ b/man/release.Rd
@@ -18,26 +18,12 @@ release it.}
 line arguments to be passed to \verb{R CMD build}.}
 }
 \description{
-Run automated and manual tests, then post package to CRAN.
-}
-\details{
-The package release process will:
-\itemize{
-\item Confirm that the package passes \verb{R CMD check} on relevant platforms
-\item Confirm that important files are up-to-date
-\item Build the package
-\item Submit the package to CRAN, using comments in "cran-comments.md"
-}
-
-You can add arbitrary extra questions by defining an (un-exported) function
-called \code{release_questions()} that returns a character vector
-of additional questions to ask.
+\ifelse{html}{\href{https://lifecycle.r-lib.org/articles/stages.html#deprecated}{\figure{lifecycle-deprecated.svg}{options: alt='[Deprecated]'}}}{\strong{[Deprecated]}}
 
-You also need to read the CRAN repository policy at
-'https://cran.r-project.org/web/packages/policies.html' and make
-sure you're in line with the policies. \code{release} tries to automate as
-many of polices as possible, but it's impossible to be completely
-comprehensive, and they do change in between releases of devtools.
+\code{release()} is deprecated in favour of \code{\link[usethis:use_release_issue]{usethis::use_release_issue()}}.
+We no longer feel confident recommrding \code{release()} because we don't use it
+ourselves, so there's no guarantee that it will track best practices as
+they evolve over time.
 }
 \seealso{
 \code{\link[usethis:use_release_issue]{usethis::use_release_issue()}} to create a checklist of release
diff --git a/tests/testthat/_snaps/release.md b/tests/testthat/_snaps/release.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..0be558b2d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/testthat/_snaps/release.md
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+# release() is deprecated
+
+    Code
+      . <- release()
+    Condition
+      Warning:
+      `release()` was deprecated in devtools 2.5.0.
+      i Please use `usethis::use_release_issue()` instead.
+      Error in `release()`:
+      ! Interactive session required.
+
diff --git a/tests/testthat/test-release.R b/tests/testthat/test-release.R
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..2be6ea9f7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/testthat/test-release.R
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+test_that("release() is deprecated", {
+  expect_snapshot(. <- release(), error = TRUE)
+})