diff --git a/.env b/.env
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a8c4f10
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.env
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+# User/group id the process runs as, matches ownership of the /adguard mount
+PUID=1000
+PGID=1000
+
+# Timezone of the container
+TZ=Europe/Paris
+
+# Country codes for CIDR lists, comma separated. Prefix with ! to exclude instead of include.
+# Full lists here: https://github.com/vulnebify/cidre/tree/main/output/cidr/ipv4
+BLOCK_COUNTRIES=cn,ru
+
+# Scheduling: daily or weekly
+BLOCKLIST_CRON_TYPE=daily
+# If weekly, choose the day: mon, tue, wed, thu, fri, sat, sun
+BLOCKLIST_CRON_DAY=mon
+# Time of day to run the update, 24h HH:MM format
+BLOCKLIST_CRON_TIME=06:00
+
+# Docker API URL used to restart the AdGuard container (via socket-proxy)
+DOCKER_API_URL=http://socket-proxy-adguard:2375
+# Name of the AdGuard Home container to restart
+ADGUARD_CONTAINER_NAME=adguardhome
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 8a8415e..d230913 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -125,11 +125,12 @@
     git clone https://git.djeex.fr/Djeex/adguard-cidre
     cd adguard-cidre
     ```
-2. **Modify docker-compose.yml**
+2. **Edit the `.env` file**
 
-- Set `BLOCK_COUNTRIES` environment variable with the countries you want to block.
-- Adjust `BLOCKLIST_CRON` variables if you want a different update frequency.
-- Bind mount your adguard configuration folder (wich contains `AdGuardHome.yaml`) to `/adguard`
+- A `.env` file is included at the repo root with all environment variables (see [Environment Variables](#environment-variables)). Edit values there instead of `docker-compose.yml`.
+- Set `BLOCK_COUNTRIES` with the countries you want to block.
+- Adjust `BLOCKLIST_CRON_*` variables if you want a different update frequency.
+- Bind mount your adguard configuration folder (wich contains `AdGuardHome.yaml`) to `/adguard` in `docker-compose.yml`.
 - (optionnally) create and edit `manually_blocked_ips.conf` file in your adguard configuration folder to add other IPs you want to block. Only valid IP or CIDR entries will be processed, for exemple :
 
     ```bash
diff --git a/docker-compose.yml b/docker-compose.yml
index 2e317f7..350eb80 100644
--- a/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.yml
@@ -5,16 +5,16 @@ services:
     container_name: adguard-cidre
     restart: unless-stopped
     environment:
-      - PUID=1000 # user id the process runs as, matches ownership of the /adguard mount
-      - PGID=1000 # group id the process runs as
-      - TZ=Europe/Paris # change to your timezone
-      - BLOCK_COUNTRIES=cn,ru # choose countries listed IP to block. Full lists here https://github.com/vulnebify/cidre/tree/main/output/cidr/ipv4
-      - BLOCKLIST_CRON_TYPE=daily # daily or weekly
+      - PUID=${PUID} # user id the process runs as, matches ownership of the /adguard mount
+      - PGID=${PGID} # group id the process runs as
+      - TZ=${TZ} # change to your timezone
+      - BLOCK_COUNTRIES=${BLOCK_COUNTRIES} # choose countries listed IP to block. Full lists here https://github.com/vulnebify/cidre/tree/main/output/cidr/ipv4
+      - BLOCKLIST_CRON_TYPE=${BLOCKLIST_CRON_TYPE} # daily or weekly
       # if weekly, choose the day
-      # - BLOCKLIST_CRON_DAY=mon
-      - BLOCKLIST_CRON_TIME=06:00
-      - DOCKER_API_URL=http://socket-proxy-adguard:2375 # docker socket proxy
-      - ADGUARD_CONTAINER_NAME=adguardhome # adguard container name
+      - BLOCKLIST_CRON_DAY=${BLOCKLIST_CRON_DAY}
+      - BLOCKLIST_CRON_TIME=${BLOCKLIST_CRON_TIME}
+      - DOCKER_API_URL=${DOCKER_API_URL} # docker socket proxy
+      - ADGUARD_CONTAINER_NAME=${ADGUARD_CONTAINER_NAME} # adguard container name
     volumes:
       - /path/to/adguard/confdir:/adguard