diff --git a/android/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml b/android/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml
index 29294f8c..0ba75cb2 100644
--- a/android/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml
+++ b/android/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 <manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android" xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools">
   <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.INTERNET"/>
   <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.POST_NOTIFICATIONS"/>
+  <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.REQUEST_INSTALL_PACKAGES"/>
   <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE"/>
   <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.RECORD_AUDIO"/>
   <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.SYSTEM_ALERT_WINDOW"/>
diff --git a/src/components/settings/UpdatesSettings.tsx b/src/components/settings/UpdatesSettings.tsx
index b55c088d..898dcb86 100644
--- a/src/components/settings/UpdatesSettings.tsx
+++ b/src/components/settings/UpdatesSettings.tsx
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import { SettingsSection, SettingItem, ToggleSwitch } from './settings-section';
 import Button from '../Button';
 import { colors, spacing, radius, typography } from '../../theme/tokens';
 import { useUpdatesStore } from '../../stores/updates-store';
+import type { InstallProgress } from '../../lib/install-update';
 
 function formatTime(ts: number): string {
   if (!ts) return 'never';
@@ -11,11 +12,37 @@ function formatTime(ts: number): string {
   return date.toLocaleString();
 }
 
+function formatBytes(n: number): string {
+  if (n < 1024) return `${n} B`;
+  if (n < 1024 * 1024) return `${(n / 1024).toFixed(0)} KB`;
+  return `${(n / (1024 * 1024)).toFixed(1)} MB`;
+}
+
+function formatProgressLabel(p: InstallProgress): string {
+  const pct = p.progress != null ? `${Math.round(p.progress * 100)}%` : null;
+  const written = p.bytesWritten ? formatBytes(p.bytesWritten) : null;
+  const total = p.totalBytes ? formatBytes(p.totalBytes) : null;
+  const sizes = written && total ? `${written} of ${total}` : written ?? '';
+  return [pct, sizes].filter(Boolean).join(' · ') || 'Downloading…';
+}
+
+function installButtonLabel(
+  installing: boolean,
+  progress: InstallProgress | null,
+  apkAsset: unknown,
+): string {
+  if (!installing) return apkAsset ? 'Install' : 'Open release';
+  if (progress?.phase === 'installing') return 'Installing…';
+  if (progress?.progress != null) return `Downloading ${Math.round(progress.progress * 100)}%`;
+  return 'Downloading…';
+}
+
 export function UpdatesSettings() {
   const hydrated = useUpdatesStore((s) => s.hydrated);
   const hydrate = useUpdatesStore((s) => s.hydrate);
   const checking = useUpdatesStore((s) => s.checking);
   const installing = useUpdatesStore((s) => s.installing);
+  const installProgress = useUpdatesStore((s) => s.installProgress);
   const error = useUpdatesStore((s) => s.error);
   const lastCheckedAt = useUpdatesStore((s) => s.lastCheckedAt);
   const cachedLatest = useUpdatesStore((s) => s.cachedLatest);
@@ -81,7 +108,7 @@ export function UpdatesSettings() {
               onPress={onInstall}
               disabled={installing}
             >
-              {installing ? 'Downloading…' : apkAsset ? 'Install' : 'Open release'}
+              {installButtonLabel(installing, installProgress, apkAsset)}
             </Button>
           ) : (
             <Button
@@ -95,6 +122,29 @@ export function UpdatesSettings() {
           )}
         </SettingItem>
 
+        {installing && installProgress ? (
+          <View style={styles.progressBox}>
+            <View style={styles.progressTrack}>
+              <View
+                style={[
+                  styles.progressFill,
+                  {
+                    width:
+                      installProgress.phase === 'installing'
+                        ? '100%'
+                        : `${Math.round((installProgress.progress ?? 0) * 100)}%`,
+                  },
+                ]}
+              />
+            </View>
+            <Text style={styles.progressLabel}>
+              {installProgress.phase === 'installing'
+                ? 'Opening installer…'
+                : formatProgressLabel(installProgress)}
+            </Text>
+          </View>
+        ) : null}
+
         {cachedLatest?.body ? (
           <View style={styles.notesBox}>
             <Text style={styles.notesTitle}>Release notes</Text>
@@ -121,4 +171,20 @@ const styles = StyleSheet.create({
   },
   notesTitle: { ...typography.caption, color: colors.mutedForeground, textTransform: 'uppercase' },
   notesBody: { ...typography.body, color: colors.text, lineHeight: 20 },
+  progressBox: {
+    paddingHorizontal: spacing.md,
+    paddingVertical: spacing.sm,
+    gap: 6,
+  },
+  progressTrack: {
+    height: 6,
+    borderRadius: 3,
+    backgroundColor: colors.muted,
+    overflow: 'hidden',
+  },
+  progressFill: {
+    height: '100%',
+    backgroundColor: colors.primary,
+  },
+  progressLabel: { ...typography.caption, color: colors.mutedForeground },
 });
diff --git a/src/lib/install-update.ts b/src/lib/install-update.ts
index 8a57b8e8..148d5355 100644
--- a/src/lib/install-update.ts
+++ b/src/lib/install-update.ts
@@ -7,16 +7,55 @@ import type { ReleaseAsset } from '../api/updates';
 const FLAG_GRANT_READ_URI_PERMISSION = 0x00000001;
 const FLAG_ACTIVITY_NEW_TASK = 0x10000000;
 
-export async function downloadAndInstallApk(asset: ReleaseAsset): Promise<void> {
+export interface InstallProgress {
+  phase: 'downloading' | 'installing';
+  /** 0-1 during download; undefined for installing phase */
+  progress?: number;
+  /** Bytes received during current download */
+  bytesWritten?: number;
+  /** Total bytes for the download (best-effort, may be 0 if server omits Content-Length) */
+  totalBytes?: number;
+}
+
+export type InstallProgressListener = (p: InstallProgress) => void;
+
+export async function downloadAndInstallApk(
+  asset: ReleaseAsset,
+  onProgress?: InstallProgressListener,
+): Promise<void> {
   if (Platform.OS !== 'android') {
     throw new Error('APK install is only supported on Android');
   }
 
   const dest = new File(Paths.cache, asset.name);
   if (dest.exists) dest.delete();
-  const downloaded = await File.downloadFileAsync(asset.browser_download_url, dest);
 
-  const contentUri = await FileSystemLegacy.getContentUriAsync(downloaded.uri);
+  onProgress?.({ phase: 'downloading', progress: 0 });
+
+  const download = FileSystemLegacy.createDownloadResumable(
+    asset.browser_download_url,
+    dest.uri,
+    {},
+    (state) => {
+      const total = state.totalBytesExpectedToWrite ?? 0;
+      const progress = total > 0 ? state.totalBytesWritten / total : undefined;
+      onProgress?.({
+        phase: 'downloading',
+        progress,
+        bytesWritten: state.totalBytesWritten,
+        totalBytes: total,
+      });
+    },
+  );
+
+  const result = await download.downloadAsync();
+  if (!result?.uri) {
+    throw new Error('APK download failed');
+  }
+
+  onProgress?.({ phase: 'installing' });
+
+  const contentUri = await FileSystemLegacy.getContentUriAsync(result.uri);
 
   await IntentLauncher.startActivityAsync('android.intent.action.VIEW', {
     data: contentUri,
@@ -24,3 +63,16 @@ export async function downloadAndInstallApk(asset: ReleaseAsset): Promise<void>
     flags: FLAG_GRANT_READ_URI_PERMISSION | FLAG_ACTIVITY_NEW_TASK,
   });
 }
+
+/**
+ * Open the system "Install unknown apps" settings page for this app, so the
+ * user can grant permission to install APKs from the package installer.
+ * Useful as a fallback if the install intent never reaches the installer.
+ */
+export async function openInstallUnknownAppsSettings(): Promise<void> {
+  if (Platform.OS !== 'android') return;
+  await IntentLauncher.startActivityAsync(
+    'android.settings.MANAGE_UNKNOWN_APP_SOURCES',
+    { data: 'package:com.anonymous.bulwarkmobile' },
+  );
+}
diff --git a/src/stores/updates-store.ts b/src/stores/updates-store.ts
index 6b45d8e5..b10f51ae 100644
--- a/src/stores/updates-store.ts
+++ b/src/stores/updates-store.ts
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import AsyncStorage from '@react-native-async-storage/async-storage';
 import Constants from 'expo-constants';
 import { fetchLatestRelease, type LatestRelease } from '../api/updates';
 import { isNewer } from '../lib/version-compare';
-import { downloadAndInstallApk } from '../lib/install-update';
+import { downloadAndInstallApk, type InstallProgress } from '../lib/install-update';
 
 const STORAGE_KEY = 'webmail:updates:v1';
 const MIN_CHECK_INTERVAL_MS = 6 * 60 * 60 * 1000;
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ export interface UpdatesState extends PersistedUpdates {
   hydrated: boolean;
   checking: boolean;
   installing: boolean;
+  installProgress: InstallProgress | null;
   error: string | null;
 
   hydrate: () => Promise<void>;
@@ -48,6 +49,7 @@ export const useUpdatesStore = create<UpdatesState>((set, get) => ({
   hydrated: false,
   checking: false,
   installing: false,
+  installProgress: null,
   error: null,
 
   hydrate: async () => {
@@ -100,12 +102,18 @@ export const useUpdatesStore = create<UpdatesState>((set, get) => ({
   installLatest: async () => {
     const s = get();
     if (s.installing || !s.cachedLatest?.apkAsset) return;
-    set({ installing: true, error: null });
+    set({ installing: true, error: null, installProgress: { phase: 'downloading', progress: 0 } });
     try {
-      await downloadAndInstallApk(s.cachedLatest.apkAsset);
-      set({ installing: false });
+      await downloadAndInstallApk(s.cachedLatest.apkAsset, (p) => {
+        set({ installProgress: p });
+      });
+      set({ installing: false, installProgress: null });
     } catch (err) {
-      set({ installing: false, error: err instanceof Error ? err.message : String(err) });
+      set({
+        installing: false,
+        installProgress: null,
+        error: err instanceof Error ? err.message : String(err),
+      });
     }
   },