diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index b491846..cd87336 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -32,3 +32,6 @@ dist/
 
 # Nightly python remake
 tools/
+
+# build files
+bin/
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index bb257e3..6122476 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1,7 +1,12 @@
 BINARY_NAME := chatlog
 GO := go
+
+# Embed version into binary
 ifeq ($(VERSION),)
-	VERSION := $(shell git describe --tags --always --dirty="-dev")
+	VERSION := $(shell git describe --tags --always --dirty="-dev" 2>/dev/null)
+endif
+ifeq ($(VERSION),)
+	VERSION := dev
 endif
 LDFLAGS := -ldflags '-X "github.com/sjzar/chatlog/pkg/version.Version=$(VERSION)" -w -s'
 
@@ -19,7 +24,7 @@ UPX_PLATFORMS := \
 	linux/arm64 \
 	windows/amd64
 
-.PHONY: all clean lint tidy test build crossbuild upx
+.PHONY: all clean lint tidy test build upx
 
 all: clean lint tidy test build
 
@@ -41,20 +46,25 @@ test:
 
 build:
 	@echo "🔨 Building for current platform..."
+	@mkdir -p bin
 	CGO_ENABLED=1 $(GO) build -trimpath $(LDFLAGS) -o bin/$(BINARY_NAME) main.go
 
-crossbuild: clean
-	@echo "🌍 Building for multiple platforms..."
-	for platform in $(PLATFORMS); do \
-		os=$$(echo $$platform | cut -d/ -f1); \
-		arch=$$(echo $$platform | cut -d/ -f2); \
-		float=$$(echo $$platform | cut -d/ -f3); \
-		output_name=bin/chatlog_$${os}_$${arch}; \
-		[ "$$float" != "" ] && output_name=$$output_name_$$float; \
-		echo "🔨 Building for $$os/$$arch..."; \
-		echo "🔨 Building for $$output_name..."; \
-		GOOS=$$os GOARCH=$$arch CGO_ENABLED=1 GOARM=$$float $(GO) build -trimpath $(LDFLAGS) -o $$output_name main.go ; \
-		if [ "$(ENABLE_UPX)" = "1" ] && echo "$(UPX_PLATFORMS)" | grep -q "$$os/$$arch"; then \
-			echo "⚙️ Compressing binary $$output_name..." && upx --best $$output_name; \
+build-windows:
+	@echo "🪟 Cross-compiling for Windows amd64..."
+	@mkdir -p bin
+	@if [ "$(OS)" = "Windows_NT" ]; then \
+		# On Windows host, don't force CC; rely on local toolchain (e.g. MSYS2 mingw64). \
+		echo "🧭 Host detected: Windows"; \
+		GOOS=windows GOARCH=amd64 CGO_ENABLED=1 $(GO) build -trimpath $(LDFLAGS) -o bin/$(BINARY_NAME)_windows_amd64.exe main.go; \
+	else \
+		# Non-Windows host: require mingw-w64 cross compiler. Use fallback if CC_WIN_AMD64 is empty. \
+		ccbin=$${CC_WIN_AMD64:-x86_64-w64-mingw32-gcc}; \
+		echo "🛠  Resolving MinGW: $$ccbin"; \
+		if ! command -v "$$ccbin" >/dev/null 2>&1; then \
+			echo "❌ $$ccbin not found in PATH."; \
+			echo "   Arch Linux: sudo pacman -S --needed mingw-w64-gcc"; \
+			exit 1; \
 		fi; \
-	done
\ No newline at end of file
+		echo "⚙️ Using CC=$$ccbin"; \
+		env CC="$$ccbin" GOOS=windows GOARCH=amd64 CGO_ENABLED=1 $(GO) build -trimpath $(LDFLAGS) -o bin/$(BINARY_NAME)_windows_amd64.exe main.go; \
+	fi
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/chatlog b/chatlog
deleted file mode 100644
index b9a6bd8..0000000
Binary files a/chatlog and /dev/null differ