diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -15,14 +15,16 @@
 include(KDECMakeSettings)
 include(KDEFrameworkCompilerSettings NO_POLICY_SCOPE)
 
-include(GenerateExportHeader)
+include(ECMGenerateExportHeader)
 include(CMakePackageConfigHelpers)
 include(ECMSetupVersion)
 include(ECMGenerateHeaders)
 include(ECMQtDeclareLoggingCategory)
 include(ECMAddQch)
 include(ECMSetupQtPluginMacroNames)
 
+set(EXCLUDE_DEPRECATED_BEFORE_AND_AT 0 CACHE STRING "Control the range of deprecated API excluded from the build [default=0].")
+
 option(BUILD_QCH "Build API documentation in QCH format (for e.g. Qt Assistant, Qt Creator & KDevelop)" OFF)
 add_feature_info(QCH ${BUILD_QCH} "API documentation in QCH format (for e.g. Qt Assistant, Qt Creator & KDevelop)")
 
diff --git a/autotests/kaboutdatatest.cpp b/autotests/kaboutdatatest.cpp
--- a/autotests/kaboutdatatest.cpp
+++ b/autotests/kaboutdatatest.cpp
@@ -35,7 +35,9 @@
     void testLongFormConstructor();
     void testShortFormConstructor();
     void testSetAddLicense();
+#if KCOREADDONS_ENABLE_DEPRECATED_SINCE(5, 2)
     void testSetProgramIconName();
+#endif
     void testSetDesktopFileName();
     void testCopying();
 
@@ -47,7 +49,9 @@
 
 static const char AppName[] =            "app";
 static const char ProgramName[] =        "ProgramName";
+#if KCOREADDONS_ENABLE_DEPRECATED_SINCE(5, 2)
 static const char ProgramIconName[] =    "program-icon";
+#endif
 static const char Version[] =            "Version";
 static const char ShortDescription[] =   "ShortDescription";
 static const char CopyrightStatement[] = "CopyrightStatement";
@@ -68,7 +72,9 @@
     QCOMPARE(aboutData.componentName(), QString::fromLatin1(AppName));
     QCOMPARE(aboutData.productName(), QString::fromLatin1(AppName));
     QCOMPARE(aboutData.displayName(), QLatin1String(ProgramName));
+#if KCOREADDONS_ENABLE_DEPRECATED_SINCE(5, 2)
     QCOMPARE(aboutData.programIconName(), QString::fromLatin1(AppName));
+#endif
     QCOMPARE(aboutData.programLogo(), QVariant());
     QCOMPARE(aboutData.organizationDomain(), QString::fromLatin1("kde.org"));
     QCOMPARE(aboutData.version(), QString::fromLatin1(Version));
@@ -105,7 +111,9 @@
     QCOMPARE(aboutData.componentName(), QLatin1String(AppName));
     QCOMPARE(aboutData.productName(), QLatin1String(AppName));
     QCOMPARE(aboutData.displayName(), QLatin1String(ProgramName));
+#if KCOREADDONS_ENABLE_DEPRECATED_SINCE(5, 2)
     QCOMPARE(aboutData.programIconName(), QLatin1String(AppName));
+#endif
     QCOMPARE(aboutData.programLogo(), QVariant());
     QCOMPARE(aboutData.organizationDomain(), QString::fromLatin1(OrganizationDomain));
     QCOMPARE(aboutData.version(), QString::fromLatin1(Version));
@@ -150,7 +158,9 @@
     QCOMPARE(aboutData.componentName(), QString::fromLatin1(AppName));
     QCOMPARE(aboutData.productName(), QString::fromLatin1(AppName));
     QCOMPARE(aboutData.displayName(), QLatin1String(ProgramName));
+#if KCOREADDONS_ENABLE_DEPRECATED_SINCE(5, 2)
     QCOMPARE(aboutData.programIconName(), QString::fromLatin1(AppName));
+#endif
     QCOMPARE(aboutData.programLogo(), QVariant());
     QCOMPARE(aboutData.organizationDomain(), QString::fromLatin1("kde.org"));
     QCOMPARE(aboutData.version(), QString::fromLatin1(Version));
@@ -264,6 +274,7 @@
                                                         QLatin1String(LicenseFileText)));
 }
 
+#if KCOREADDONS_ENABLE_DEPRECATED_SINCE(5, 2)
 void KAboutDataTest::testSetProgramIconName()
 {
     const QString programIconName(QString::fromLatin1(ProgramIconName));
@@ -281,6 +292,7 @@
 #pragma GCC diagnostic pop
     QCOMPARE(aboutData.programIconName(), programIconName);
 }
+#endif
 
 void KAboutDataTest::testCopying()
 {
diff --git a/autotests/kusertest.cpp b/autotests/kusertest.cpp
--- a/autotests/kusertest.cpp
+++ b/autotests/kusertest.cpp
@@ -102,7 +102,9 @@
 
     // make sure we don't crash when accessing properties of an invalid instance
     QCOMPARE(invalidKUser.faceIconPath(), QString());
+#if KCOREADDONS_ENABLE_DEPRECATED_SINCE(5, 0)
     QCOMPARE(invalidKUser.fullName(), QString());
+#endif
     QCOMPARE(invalidKUser.groupId(), KGroupId());
     invalidKUser.groupNames(); // could be empty, or "nogroup", so no checks here
     invalidKUser.groups(); // same as above
diff --git a/src/lib/CMakeLists.txt b/src/lib/CMakeLists.txt
--- a/src/lib/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/lib/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -117,8 +117,14 @@
                                 CATEGORY_NAME org.kde.kcoreaddons)
 
 add_library(KF5CoreAddons ${libkcoreaddons_SRCS})
-generate_export_header(KF5CoreAddons BASE_NAME KCoreAddons)
 add_library(KF5::CoreAddons ALIAS KF5CoreAddons)
+ecm_generate_export_header(KF5CoreAddons
+    BASE_NAME KCoreAddons
+    GROUP_BASE_NAME KF
+    VERSION ${KF5_VERSION}
+    DEPRECATION_VERSIONS 4.0 5.0 5.2
+    EXCLUDE_DEPRECATED_BEFORE_AND_AT ${EXCLUDE_DEPRECATED_BEFORE_AND_AT}
+)
 
 target_include_directories(KF5CoreAddons PUBLIC "$<BUILD_INTERFACE:${kcoreaddons_INCLUDE_DIRS}>")
 
diff --git a/src/lib/kaboutdata.h b/src/lib/kaboutdata.h
--- a/src/lib/kaboutdata.h
+++ b/src/lib/kaboutdata.h
@@ -722,6 +722,7 @@
      */
     KAboutData &setDisplayName(const QString &displayName);
 
+#if KCOREADDONS_ENABLE_DEPRECATED_SINCE(5, 2)
     /**
      * Obsolete method
      *
@@ -734,8 +735,9 @@
      *
      * @deprecated since 5.2, use QApplication::setWindowIcon(QIcon::fromTheme()) instead.
      */
-    KCOREADDONS_DEPRECATED KAboutData &setProgramIconName(const QString &iconName); // KF6 remove this
-
+    KCOREADDONS_DEPRECATED_VERSION(5, 2, "Use QApplication::setWindowIcon")
+    KAboutData &setProgramIconName(const QString &iconName);
+#endif
     /**
      * Defines the program logo.
      *
@@ -939,15 +941,18 @@
      */
     const char *internalProgramName() const;
 
+#if KCOREADDONS_ENABLE_DEPRECATED_SINCE(5, 2)
     /**
      * Returns the program's icon name.
      *
      * The default value is componentName().
      * @return the program's icon name.
      *
      * This is mostly for compatibility, given that setProgramIconName is deprecated.
      */
+    KCOREADDONS_DEPRECATED_VERSION(5, 2, "Use QApplication::windowIcon")
     QString programIconName() const;
+#endif
 
     /**
      * Returns the program logo image.
diff --git a/src/lib/kaboutdata.cpp b/src/lib/kaboutdata.cpp
--- a/src/lib/kaboutdata.cpp
+++ b/src/lib/kaboutdata.cpp
@@ -474,7 +474,9 @@
     QList<KAboutPerson> _translatorList;
     QList<KAboutLicense> _licenseList;
     QString productName;
+#if KCOREADDONS_BUILD_DEPRECATED_SINCE(5, 2)
     QString programIconName;
+#endif
     QVariant programLogo;
     QString customAuthorPlainText, customAuthorRichText;
     bool customAuthorTextEnabled;
@@ -611,7 +613,9 @@
     KAboutData ret(plugin.pluginId(), plugin.name(), plugin.version(), plugin.description(),
                    KAboutLicense::byKeyword(plugin.license()).key(), plugin.copyrightText(),
                    plugin.extraInformation(), plugin.website());
+#if KCOREADDONS_BUILD_DEPRECATED_SINCE(5, 2)
     ret.d->programIconName = plugin.iconName();
+#endif
     ret.d->_authorList = plugin.authors();
     ret.d->_translatorList = plugin.translators();
     ret.d->_creditList = plugin.otherContributors();
@@ -815,6 +819,7 @@
     return d->_internalProgramName.constData();
 }
 
+#if KCOREADDONS_BUILD_DEPRECATED_SINCE(5, 2)
 QString KAboutData::programIconName() const
 {
     return d->programIconName.isEmpty() ? componentName() : d->programIconName;
@@ -825,6 +830,7 @@
     d->programIconName = iconName;
     return *this;
 }
+#endif
 
 QVariant KAboutData::programLogo() const
 {
diff --git a/src/lib/plugin/kexportplugin.h b/src/lib/plugin/kexportplugin.h
--- a/src/lib/plugin/kexportplugin.h
+++ b/src/lib/plugin/kexportplugin.h
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@
 #define K_EXPORT_PLUGIN_VERSION(version) \
     Q_EXTERN_C Q_DECL_EXPORT const quint32 kde_plugin_version = version;
 
+#if KCOREADDONS_ENABLE_DEPRECATED_SINCE(5, 0)
 /**
  * \relates KPluginLoader
  * This macro exports the main object of the plugin. Most times, this will be a KPluginFactory
@@ -42,7 +43,6 @@
 #else
 #define Q_STANDARD_CALL
 
-#ifndef KCOREADDONS_NO_DEPRECATED
 class KCOREADDONS_DEPRECATED_EXPORT K_EXPORT_PLUGIN_is_deprecated_see_KDE5PORTING
 {
 };
diff --git a/src/lib/plugin/kpluginfactory.h b/src/lib/plugin/kpluginfactory.h
--- a/src/lib/plugin/kpluginfactory.h
+++ b/src/lib/plugin/kpluginfactory.h
@@ -386,23 +386,22 @@
     template<typename T>
     T *create(QWidget *parentWidget, QObject *parent, const QString &keyword = QString(), const QVariantList &args = QVariantList());
 
+#if KCOREADDONS_ENABLE_DEPRECATED_SINCE(4, 0)
     /**
      * @deprecated since 4.0 use create<T>(QObject *parent, const QVariantList &args)
      */
-#ifndef KCOREADDONS_NO_DEPRECATED
     template<typename T>
-    KCOREADDONS_DEPRECATED
+    KCOREADDONS_DEPRECATED_VERSION(4, 0, "Use KPluginFactory::create<T>(QObject *parent, const QVariantList &args)")
     T *create(QObject *parent, const QStringList &args)
     {
         return create<T>(parent, stringListToVariantList(args));
     }
-#endif
 
     /**
      * @deprecated since 4.0 use create<T>(QObject *parent, const QVariantList &args)
      */
-#ifndef KCOREADDONS_NO_DEPRECATED
-    KCOREADDONS_DEPRECATED QObject *create(QObject *parent = nullptr, const char *classname = "QObject", const QStringList &args = QStringList())
+    KCOREADDONS_DEPRECATED_VERSION(4, 0, "Use KPluginFactory::create<T>(QObject *parent, const QVariantList &args)")
+    QObject *create(QObject *parent = nullptr, const char *classname = "QObject", const QStringList &args = QStringList())
     {
         return create(classname, nullptr, parent, stringListToVariantList(args), QString());
     }
@@ -491,18 +490,18 @@
 
     KPluginFactoryPrivate *const d_ptr;
 
+#if KCOREADDONS_ENABLE_DEPRECATED_SINCE(4, 0)
     /**
      * @deprecated since 4.0 use create<T>(QObject *parent, const QVariantList &args)
      */
-#ifndef KCOREADDONS_NO_DEPRECATED
-    virtual KCOREADDONS_DEPRECATED QObject *createObject(QObject *parent, const char *className, const QStringList &args);
-#endif
+    KCOREADDONS_DEPRECATED_VERSION(4, 0, "Use KPluginFactory::create<T>(QObject *parent, const QVariantList &args)")
+    virtual QObject *createObject(QObject *parent, const char *className, const QStringList &args);
 
     /**
      * @deprecated since 4.0 use create<T>(QWidget *parentWidget, QObject *parent, const QString &keyword, const QVariantList &args)
      */
-#ifndef KCOREADDONS_NO_DEPRECATED
-    virtual KCOREADDONS_DEPRECATED KParts::Part *createPartObject(QWidget *parentWidget, QObject *parent, const char *classname, const QStringList &args);
+    KCOREADDONS_DEPRECATED_VERSION(4, 0, "Use KPluginFactory::create<T>(QWidget *parentWidget, QObject *parent, const QString &keyword, const QVariantList &args)")
+    virtual KParts::Part *createPartObject(QWidget *parentWidget, QObject *parent, const char *classname, const QStringList &args);
 #endif
 
     /**
diff --git a/src/lib/plugin/kpluginfactory.cpp b/src/lib/plugin/kpluginfactory.cpp
--- a/src/lib/plugin/kpluginfactory.cpp
+++ b/src/lib/plugin/kpluginfactory.cpp
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@
     }
 }
 
-#ifndef KCOREADDONS_NO_DEPRECATED
+#if KCOREADDONS_BUILD_DEPRECATED_SINCE(4, 0)
 QObject *KPluginFactory::createObject(QObject *parent, const char *className, const QStringList &args)
 {
     Q_UNUSED(parent);
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@
 }
 #endif
 
-#ifndef KCOREADDONS_NO_DEPRECATED
+#if KCOREADDONS_BUILD_DEPRECATED_SINCE(4, 0)
 KParts::Part *KPluginFactory::createPartObject(QWidget *parentWidget, QObject *parent, const char *classname, const QStringList &args)
 {
     Q_UNUSED(parent);
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@
 
     QObject *obj = nullptr;
 
-#ifndef KCOREADDONS_NO_DEPRECATED
+#if KCOREADDONS_BUILD_DEPRECATED_SINCE(4, 0)
     if (keyword.isEmpty()) {
 
         const QStringList argsStringList = variantListToStringList(args);
diff --git a/src/lib/util/kuser.h b/src/lib/util/kuser.h
--- a/src/lib/util/kuser.h
+++ b/src/lib/util/kuser.h
@@ -304,13 +304,14 @@
     /** @return the native user id of the user. */
     KGroupId groupId() const;
 
-#ifndef KCOREADDONS_NO_DEPRECATED
+#if KCOREADDONS_ENABLE_DEPRECATED_SINCE(5, 0)
     /**
      * Returns the group id of the user.
      * @return the id of the group or -1 if user is invalid
      * @deprecated since 5.0 use KUser::groupId()
      */
-    KCOREADDONS_DEPRECATED K_GID gid() const
+    KCOREADDONS_DEPRECATED_VERSION(5, 0, "Use KUser::groupId()")
+    K_GID gid() const
     {
         return groupId().nativeId();
     }
@@ -328,22 +329,24 @@
      */
     QString loginName() const;
 
+#if KCOREADDONS_ENABLE_DEPRECATED_SINCE(5, 0)
     /**
      * The full name of the user.
      * @return the full name of the user or QString() if user is invalid
      * @deprecated use property(KUser::FullName) instead
      */
-#ifndef KCOREADDONS_NO_DEPRECATED
-    KCOREADDONS_DEPRECATED QString fullName() const
+    KCOREADDONS_DEPRECATED_VERSION(5, 0, "Use KUser::property(KUser::FullName).toString()")
+    QString fullName() const
     {
         return property(FullName).toString();
     }
     /**
      * Returns the user id of the user.
      * @return the id of the user or -1 (UNIX)/ null(Windows) if user is invalid
      * @deprecated since 5.0 use KUser::userId()
      */
-    KCOREADDONS_DEPRECATED K_UID uid() const
+    KCOREADDONS_DEPRECATED_VERSION(5, 0, "Use KUser::userId().nativeId()")
+    K_UID uid() const
     {
         return userId().nativeId();
     }
@@ -517,13 +520,14 @@
      */
     bool isValid() const;
 
-#ifndef KCOREADDONS_NO_DEPRECATED
+#if KCOREADDONS_ENABLE_DEPRECATED_SINCE(5, 0)
     /**
      * Returns the group id of the group.
      * @return the group id of the group or -1 if the group is invalid
      * @deprecated since 5.0 use KUserGroup::groupId()
      */
-    KCOREADDONS_DEPRECATED K_GID gid() const
+    KCOREADDONS_DEPRECATED_VERSION(5, 0, "Use KUserGroup::groupId().nativeId()")
+    K_GID gid() const
     {
         return groupId().nativeId();
     }