diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index d381b83..783d77d 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -34,6 +34,13 @@ generate-descriptions:
 	    npm run-script generate-descriptions -- $(shell pwd)/examples/$$f $(shell pwd)/examples/$$f || exit 1; \
 	done
 
+.PHONY: update-file-format
+update-file-format:
+	@echo "Updating \"file_format:\" in ./examples/* to: $(FILE_FORMAT)"
+	@for f in $(EXAMPLE_FILES); do \
+	    sed -e 's/file_format:.*/file_format: \"$(FILE_FORMAT)\"/g' -i '' ./examples/$$f; \
+	done
+
 .PHONY: install-tools
 install-tools:
 	npm install
diff --git a/RELEASING.md b/RELEASING.md
index 2311a3d..da91d46 100644
--- a/RELEASING.md
+++ b/RELEASING.md
@@ -1,5 +1,17 @@
 # How to Create a Release of OpenTelemetry Configuration (for Maintainers Only)
 
+## Update `file_format`
+
+Update the `file_format: "<verison>` of [./examples](./examples) as follows:
+
+```shell
+# Set FILE_FORMAT env var to target version of the release
+export FILE_FORMAT=0.4
+make update-file-format
+```
+
+Merge a PR with the changes to `main`.
+
 ## Tagging the Release
 
 Our release tags follow the convention `v<major>.<minor>.<patch>`. For example,