try without excluding vips, see what happens

.github/workflows/build.yml

@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ jobs:
           - os: macos-13-xlarge
             TARGET: macos
             CMD_BUILD: >
-                pyinstaller -i icon.icns --exclude-module libvips -w -n LinearStitch LS_GUI.py &&
+                pyinstaller -i icon.icns -w -n LinearStitch LS_GUI.py &&
                 cd dist/ &&
                 zip -r9 LinearStitchMac LinearStitch.app/
             OUT_FILE_NAME: LinearStitchMac.zip
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ jobs:
             ARCH: x64
             TARGET: windows
             CMD_BUILD: > 
-              pyinstaller -i icon.icns --exclude-module libvips --add-data 'zereneTemplate.xml;.' -w -n LinearStitch LS_GUI.py &&
+              pyinstaller -i icon.icns --add-data 'zereneTemplate.xml;.' -w -n LinearStitch LS_GUI.py &&
               cd dist/ &&
               7z a LinearStitchWindows.zip -r *
             OUT_FILE_NAME: LinearStitchWindows.zip

LinearStitch.spec

@@ -1,9 +1,6 @@
 # -*- mode: python ; coding: utf-8 -*-
 
 
-block_cipher = None
-
-
 a = Analysis(
     ['LS_GUI.py'],
     pathex=[],
@@ -13,13 +10,10 @@ a = Analysis(
     hookspath=[],
     hooksconfig={},
     runtime_hooks=[],
-    excludes=['libvips'],
-    win_no_prefer_redirects=False,
-    win_private_assemblies=False,
-    cipher=block_cipher,
+    excludes=[],
     noarchive=False,
 )
-pyz = PYZ(a.pure, a.zipped_data, cipher=block_cipher)
+pyz = PYZ(a.pure)
 
 exe = EXE(
     pyz,
@@ -42,7 +36,6 @@ exe = EXE(
 coll = COLLECT(
     exe,
     a.binaries,
-    a.zipfiles,
     a.datas,
     strip=False,
     upx=True,