diff --git a/.github/PULL_REQUEST_TEMPLATE/release.md b/.github/PULL_REQUEST_TEMPLATE/release.md
index b7154c83c..615a7d58e 100644
--- a/.github/PULL_REQUEST_TEMPLATE/release.md
+++ b/.github/PULL_REQUEST_TEMPLATE/release.md
@@ -1,25 +1,34 @@
 Prepare for release of PyNWB [version]
 
 ### Before merging:
+- [ ] Make sure all PRs to be included in this release have been merged to `dev`.
 - [ ] Major and minor releases: Update package versions in `requirements.txt`, `requirements-dev.txt`,
-  `requirements-doc.txt`, `requirements-min.txt`, and `environment-ros3.yml` as needed.
+  `requirements-doc.txt`, `requirements-opt.txt`, and `environment-ros3.yml` to the latest versions,
+  and update dependency ranges in `pyproject.toml` and minimums in `requirements-min.txt` as needed.
+  Run `pip install pur && pur -r requirements-dev.txt -r requirements.txt -r requirements-opt.txt`
+  and manually update `environment-ros3.yml`.
 - [ ] Check legal file dates and information in `Legal.txt`, `license.txt`, `README.rst`, `docs/source/conf.py`,
   and any other locations as needed
 - [ ] Update `pyproject.toml` as needed
 - [ ] Update `README.rst` as needed
-- [ ] Update `src/pynwb/nwb-schema` submodule as needed. Check the version number and commit SHA manually
+- [ ] Update `src/pynwb/nwb-schema` submodule as needed. Check the version number and commit SHA
+  manually. Make sure we are using the latest release and not the latest commit on the `main` branch.
 - [ ] Update changelog (set release date) in `CHANGELOG.md` and any other docs as needed
 - [ ] Run tests locally including gallery, validation, and streaming tests, and inspect all warnings and outputs
-  (`python test.py -v -p -i -b -w -r > out.txt 2>&1`)
-- [ ] Test docs locally (`make clean`, `make html`)
-- [ ] Push changes to this PR and make sure all PRs to be included in this release have been merged
-- [ ] Check that the readthedocs build for this PR succeeds (build latest to pull the new branch, then activate and
-  build docs for new branch): https://readthedocs.org/projects/pynwb/builds/
+  (`python test.py -v -p -i -b -w -r > out.txt 2>&1`). Try to remove all warnings.
+- [ ] Test docs locally and inspect all warnings and outputs `cd docs; make clean && make html`
+- [ ] After pushing this branch to GitHub, manually trigger the "Run all tests" GitHub Actions workflow on this
+  branch by going to https://github.com/NeurodataWithoutBorders/pynwb/actions/workflows/run_all_tests.yml, selecting
+  "Run workflow" on the right, selecting this branch, and clicking "Run workflow". Make sure all tests pass.
+- [ ] Check that the readthedocs build for this PR succeeds (see the PR check)
 
 ### After merging:
 1. Create release by following steps in `docs/source/make_a_release.rst` or use alias `git pypi-release [tag]` if set up
 2. After the CI bot creates the new release (wait ~10 min), update the release notes on the
    [GitHub releases page](https://github.com/NeurodataWithoutBorders/pynwb/releases) with the changelog
-3. Check that the readthedocs "latest" and "stable" builds run and succeed
-4. Update [conda-forge/pynwb-feedstock](https://github.com/conda-forge/pynwb-feedstock) with the latest version number
-   and SHA256 retrieved from PyPI > PyNWB > Download Files > View hashes for the `.tar.gz` file. Re-render as needed
+3. Check that the readthedocs "stable" build runs and succeeds
+4. Either monitor [conda-forge/pynwb-feedstock](https://github.com/conda-forge/pynwb-feedstock) for the
+   regro-cf-autotick-bot bot to create a PR updating the version of HDMF to the latest PyPI release, usually within
+   24 hours of release, or manually create a PR updating `recipe/meta.yaml` with the latest version number
+   and SHA256 retrieved from PyPI > PyNWB > Download Files > View hashes for the `.tar.gz` file. Re-render and update
+   dependencies as needed.