diff --git a/loader/include/Geode/platform/platform.hpp b/loader/include/Geode/platform/platform.hpp
index 2b5df536..c8d52484 100644
--- a/loader/include/Geode/platform/platform.hpp
+++ b/loader/include/Geode/platform/platform.hpp
@@ -114,15 +114,16 @@
 namespace geode {
     class PlatformID {
     public:
+        // todo in v4: make these flags and add archless Mac and Android as well as Desktop and Mobile and remove Linux
         enum {
-            Unknown = -1,
-            Windows,
-            MacIntel,
-            MacArm,
-            iOS,
-            Android32,
-            Android64,
-            Linux,
+            Unknown   = -1,
+            Windows   = 0,
+            MacIntel  = 1,
+            MacArm    = 2,
+            iOS       = 3,
+            Android32 = 4,
+            Android64 = 5,
+            Linux     = 6,
         };
 
         using Type = decltype(Unknown);
@@ -172,7 +173,14 @@ namespace geode {
          */
         static GEODE_DLL bool coveredBy(const char* str, PlatformID t);
         static GEODE_DLL bool coveredBy(std::string const& str, PlatformID t);
+        /**
+         * Returns the list of platforms covered by this string name. For 
+         * example, "android" would return both Android32 and Android64
+         * todo in v4: deprecate this as the flagged version deals with this
+         */
+        static GEODE_DLL std::vector<PlatformID> getCovered(std::string_view str);
 
+        // todo in v4: this does not need to be constexpr in the header. dllexport it
         static constexpr char const* toString(Type lp) {
             switch (lp) {
                 case Unknown: return "Unknown";
@@ -188,6 +196,7 @@ namespace geode {
             return "Undefined";
         }
 
+        // todo in v4: this does not need to be constexpr in the header. dllexport it
         static constexpr char const* toShortString(Type lp, bool ignoreArch = false) {
             switch (lp) {
                 case Unknown: return "unknown";
diff --git a/loader/src/utils/PlatformID.cpp b/loader/src/utils/PlatformID.cpp
index 02ec045c..49a746c5 100644
--- a/loader/src/utils/PlatformID.cpp
+++ b/loader/src/utils/PlatformID.cpp
@@ -5,6 +5,12 @@
 using namespace geode::prelude;
 
 PlatformID PlatformID::from(const char* str) {
+    // todo in v4: this should just be
+    // "win" -> Windows
+    // "mac", "mac-intel", "mac-arm" -> Mac
+    // "ios" -> iOS
+    // "android", "android32", "android64" -> Android
+    // no linux
     switch (hash(str)) {
         case hash("win"):
         case hash("Windows"):
@@ -33,29 +39,35 @@ PlatformID PlatformID::from(const char* str) {
 }
 
 bool PlatformID::coveredBy(const char* str, PlatformID t) {
-    switch (hash(str)) {
-        case hash("win"): return t == PlatformID::Windows;
-
-        case hash("mac"): return t == PlatformID::MacIntel || t == PlatformID::MacArm;
-        case hash("mac-intel"): return t == PlatformID::MacIntel;
-        case hash("mac-arm"): return t == PlatformID::MacArm;
-
-        case hash("ios"): return t == PlatformID::iOS;
-
-        case hash("android"): return t == PlatformID::Android32 || t == PlatformID::Android64;
-        case hash("android32"): return t == PlatformID::Android32;
-        case hash("android64"): return t == PlatformID::Android64;
-
-        case hash("linux"): return t == PlatformID::Linux;
-
-        default: return false;
-    }
+    // todo in v4: this is ridiculously inefficient currently - in v4 just use a flag check!
+    return ranges::contains(getCovered(str), t);
 }
 
 bool PlatformID::coveredBy(std::string const& str, PlatformID t) {
     return PlatformID::coveredBy(str.c_str(), t);
 }
 
+std::vector<PlatformID> PlatformID::getCovered(std::string_view str) {
+    switch (hash(str)) {
+        case hash("win"): return { PlatformID::Windows };
+
+        case hash("mac"): return { PlatformID::MacIntel, PlatformID::MacArm };
+        case hash("mac-intel"): return { PlatformID::MacIntel };
+        case hash("mac-arm"): return { PlatformID::MacArm };
+
+        case hash("ios"): return { PlatformID::iOS };
+
+        case hash("android"): return { PlatformID::Android32, PlatformID::Android64 };
+        case hash("android32"): return { PlatformID::Android32 };
+        case hash("android64"): return { PlatformID::Android64 };
+
+        // todo in v4: no linux
+        case hash("linux"): return { PlatformID::Linux };
+        
+        default: return {};
+    }
+}
+
 PlatformID PlatformID::from(std::string const& str) {
     return PlatformID::from(str.c_str());
 }