diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index c41f6197..46694fe4 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -9,6 +9,12 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 
 ### Added
 
+- Startup update check: tty7 asks GitHub once, in the background, whether a
+  newer release has shipped and — if so — shows a "Download" prompt in
+  Settings → About that opens the Releases page. It never downloads or updates
+  itself; you still install by hand. Turn the check off with `check_for_updates`
+  in `config.json` or the "Check for updates on launch" toggle in About. A
+  failed or offline check is silent.
 - ⌘K (Ctrl+K on Windows/Linux) clears the screen and scrollback — the same
   "Clear" the right-click menu already offered, now on the keyboard shortcut
   Terminal.app, iTerm2, and Ghostty users expect. Also available from the
diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index 91ababd6..e152af08 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -645,6 +645,29 @@ dependencies = [
  "arrayvec",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "aws-lc-rs"
+version = "1.17.1"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "4342d8937fc7e5dd9b1c60292261c0670c882a2cd1719cfc11b1af41731e32ad"
+dependencies = [
+ "aws-lc-sys",
+ "zeroize",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "aws-lc-sys"
+version = "0.42.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "6d9ceb1da931507a12f4fccea479dccd00da1943e1b4ae72d8e502d707361444"
+dependencies = [
+ "cc",
+ "cmake",
+ "dunce",
+ "fs_extra",
+ "pkg-config",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "backtrace"
 version = "0.3.76"
@@ -681,7 +704,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "bitflags 2.13.0",
  "cexpr",
  "clang-sys",
- "itertools 0.13.0",
+ "itertools 0.11.0",
  "log",
  "prettyplease",
  "proc-macro2",
@@ -950,6 +973,12 @@ dependencies = [
  "shlex 2.0.1",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "cesu8"
+version = "1.1.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "6d43a04d8753f35258c91f8ec639f792891f748a1edbd759cf1dcea3382ad83c"
+
 [[package]]
 name = "cexpr"
 version = "0.6.0"
@@ -1016,6 +1045,15 @@ dependencies = [
  "libloading",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "cmake"
+version = "0.1.58"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "c0f78a02292a74a88ac736019ab962ece0bc380e3f977bf72e376c5d78ff0678"
+dependencies = [
+ "cc",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "cocoa"
 version = "0.25.0"
@@ -1103,6 +1141,16 @@ version = "1.1.0"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "3d7b894f5411737b7867f4827955924d7c254fc9f4d91a6aad6b097804b1018b"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "combine"
+version = "4.6.7"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "ba5a308b75df32fe02788e748662718f03fde005016435c444eea572398219fd"
+dependencies = [
+ "bytes",
+ "memchr",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "command-fds"
 version = "0.3.3"
@@ -1512,7 +1560,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "libc",
  "option-ext",
  "redox_users",
- "windows-sys 0.61.2",
+ "windows-sys 0.60.2",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
@@ -1712,7 +1760,7 @@ source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "39cab71617ae0d63f51a36d69f866391735b51691dbda63cf6f96d042b63efeb"
 dependencies = [
  "libc",
- "windows-sys 0.61.2",
+ "windows-sys 0.52.0",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
@@ -1985,6 +2033,12 @@ dependencies = [
  "pkg-config",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "fs_extra"
+version = "1.3.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "42703706b716c37f96a77aea830392ad231f44c9e9a67872fa5548707e11b11c"
+
 [[package]]
 name = "fsevent-sys"
 version = "4.1.0"
@@ -2302,7 +2356,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "log",
  "presser",
  "thiserror 2.0.18",
- "windows 0.62.2",
+ "windows 0.58.0",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
@@ -2934,6 +2988,15 @@ dependencies = [
  "util",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "http_client_tls"
+version = "0.1.0"
+source = "git+https://github.com/zed-industries/zed?rev=1d217ee39d381ac101b7cf49d3d22451ac1093fe#1d217ee39d381ac101b7cf49d3d22451ac1093fe"
+dependencies = [
+ "rustls",
+ "rustls-platform-verifier",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "httparse"
 version = "1.10.1"
@@ -3009,7 +3072,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "js-sys",
  "log",
  "wasm-bindgen",
- "windows-core 0.62.2",
+ "windows-core 0.58.0",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
@@ -3350,6 +3413,22 @@ version = "1.0.18"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "8f42a60cbdf9a97f5d2305f08a87dc4e09308d1276d28c869c684d7777685682"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "jni"
+version = "0.21.1"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "1a87aa2bb7d2af34197c04845522473242e1aa17c12f4935d5856491a7fb8c97"
+dependencies = [
+ "cesu8",
+ "cfg-if",
+ "combine",
+ "jni-sys 0.3.1",
+ "log",
+ "thiserror 1.0.69",
+ "walkdir",
+ "windows-sys 0.45.0",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "jni-sys"
 version = "0.3.1"
@@ -3878,7 +3957,7 @@ version = "0.6.1"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "536bfad37a309d62069485248eeaba1e8d9853aaf951caaeaed0585a95346f08"
 dependencies = [
- "windows-sys 0.61.2",
+ "windows-sys 0.60.2",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
@@ -4105,7 +4184,7 @@ version = "0.50.3"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "7957b9740744892f114936ab4a57b3f487491bbeafaf8083688b16841a4240e5"
 dependencies = [
- "windows-sys 0.61.2",
+ "windows-sys 0.60.2",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
@@ -5506,6 +5585,24 @@ version = "1.1.0"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "19b30a45b0cd0bcca8037f3d0dc3421eaf95327a17cad11964fb8179b4fc4832"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "reqwest_client"
+version = "0.1.0"
+source = "git+https://github.com/zed-industries/zed?rev=1d217ee39d381ac101b7cf49d3d22451ac1093fe#1d217ee39d381ac101b7cf49d3d22451ac1093fe"
+dependencies = [
+ "anyhow",
+ "bytes",
+ "futures",
+ "gpui_util",
+ "http_client",
+ "http_client_tls",
+ "log",
+ "regex",
+ "serde",
+ "tokio",
+ "zed-reqwest",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "resvg"
 version = "0.45.1"
@@ -5682,7 +5779,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "errno",
  "libc",
  "linux-raw-sys 0.4.15",
- "windows-sys 0.59.0",
+ "windows-sys 0.52.0",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
@@ -5695,7 +5792,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "errno",
  "libc",
  "linux-raw-sys 0.12.1",
- "windows-sys 0.61.2",
+ "windows-sys 0.52.0",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
@@ -5715,6 +5812,8 @@ version = "0.23.41"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "6b92b125634d9b795e7beca796cc790df15a7fb38323bf3196fda83292d06b1f"
 dependencies = [
+ "aws-lc-rs",
+ "log",
  "once_cell",
  "ring",
  "rustls-pki-types",
@@ -5754,12 +5853,40 @@ dependencies = [
  "zeroize",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "rustls-platform-verifier"
+version = "0.5.3"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "19787cda76408ec5404443dc8b31795c87cd8fec49762dc75fa727740d34acc1"
+dependencies = [
+ "core-foundation 0.10.0",
+ "core-foundation-sys",
+ "jni",
+ "log",
+ "once_cell",
+ "rustls",
+ "rustls-native-certs",
+ "rustls-platform-verifier-android",
+ "rustls-webpki",
+ "security-framework",
+ "security-framework-sys",
+ "webpki-root-certs 0.26.11",
+ "windows-sys 0.52.0",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "rustls-platform-verifier-android"
+version = "0.1.1"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "f87165f0995f63a9fbeea62b64d10b4d9d8e78ec6d7d51fb2125fda7bb36788f"
+
 [[package]]
 name = "rustls-webpki"
 version = "0.103.13"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "61c429a8649f110dddef65e2a5ad240f747e85f7758a6bccc7e5777bd33f756e"
 dependencies = [
+ "aws-lc-rs",
  "ring",
  "rustls-pki-types",
  "untrusted",
@@ -6317,7 +6444,7 @@ source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "52d1cfed4120b4d927bf7c0f86d2087a4a7d6027c906d9f9d525a80573b9be51"
 dependencies = [
  "libc",
- "windows-sys 0.61.2",
+ "windows-sys 0.60.2",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
@@ -6363,7 +6490,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "cfg-if",
  "libc",
  "psm",
- "windows-sys 0.61.2",
+ "windows-sys 0.60.2",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
@@ -6710,7 +6837,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "getrandom 0.4.3",
  "once_cell",
  "rustix 1.1.4",
- "windows-sys 0.61.2",
+ "windows-sys 0.52.0",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
@@ -7185,6 +7312,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "objc2 0.6.4",
  "objc2-app-kit 0.3.2",
  "portable-pty",
+ "reqwest_client",
  "serde",
  "serde_json",
  "smallvec",
@@ -7213,7 +7341,7 @@ checksum = "f2f6fb2847f6742cd76af783a2a2c49e9375d0a111c7bef6f71cd9e738c72d6e"
 dependencies = [
  "memoffset 0.9.1",
  "tempfile",
- "windows-sys 0.61.2",
+ "windows-sys 0.60.2",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
@@ -7765,6 +7893,24 @@ dependencies = [
  "wasm-bindgen",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "webpki-root-certs"
+version = "0.26.11"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "75c7f0ef91146ebfb530314f5f1d24528d7f0767efbfd31dce919275413e393e"
+dependencies = [
+ "webpki-root-certs 1.0.8",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "webpki-root-certs"
+version = "1.0.8"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "0d46a5a140e6f7afeccd8eae97eff335163939eac8b929834875168b29b3d267"
+dependencies = [
+ "rustls-pki-types",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "weezl"
 version = "0.1.12"
@@ -7965,7 +8111,7 @@ version = "0.1.11"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "c2a7b1c03c876122aa43f3020e6c3c3ee5c05081c9a00739faf7503aeba10d22"
 dependencies = [
- "windows-sys 0.61.2",
+ "windows-sys 0.52.0",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
@@ -8316,6 +8462,15 @@ dependencies = [
  "windows-link 0.2.1",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "windows-sys"
+version = "0.45.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "75283be5efb2831d37ea142365f009c02ec203cd29a3ebecbc093d52315b66d0"
+dependencies = [
+ "windows-targets 0.42.2",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "windows-sys"
 version = "0.52.0"
@@ -8352,6 +8507,21 @@ dependencies = [
  "windows-link 0.2.1",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "windows-targets"
+version = "0.42.2"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "8e5180c00cd44c9b1c88adb3693291f1cd93605ded80c250a75d472756b4d071"
+dependencies = [
+ "windows_aarch64_gnullvm 0.42.2",
+ "windows_aarch64_msvc 0.42.2",
+ "windows_i686_gnu 0.42.2",
+ "windows_i686_msvc 0.42.2",
+ "windows_x86_64_gnu 0.42.2",
+ "windows_x86_64_gnullvm 0.42.2",
+ "windows_x86_64_msvc 0.42.2",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "windows-targets"
 version = "0.52.6"
@@ -8412,6 +8582,12 @@ dependencies = [
  "windows-link 0.2.1",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "windows_aarch64_gnullvm"
+version = "0.42.2"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "597a5118570b68bc08d8d59125332c54f1ba9d9adeedeef5b99b02ba2b0698f8"
+
 [[package]]
 name = "windows_aarch64_gnullvm"
 version = "0.52.6"
@@ -8424,6 +8600,12 @@ version = "0.53.1"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "a9d8416fa8b42f5c947f8482c43e7d89e73a173cead56d044f6a56104a6d1b53"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "windows_aarch64_msvc"
+version = "0.42.2"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "e08e8864a60f06ef0d0ff4ba04124db8b0fb3be5776a5cd47641e942e58c4d43"
+
 [[package]]
 name = "windows_aarch64_msvc"
 version = "0.52.6"
@@ -8436,6 +8618,12 @@ version = "0.53.1"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "b9d782e804c2f632e395708e99a94275910eb9100b2114651e04744e9b125006"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "windows_i686_gnu"
+version = "0.42.2"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "c61d927d8da41da96a81f029489353e68739737d3beca43145c8afec9a31a84f"
+
 [[package]]
 name = "windows_i686_gnu"
 version = "0.52.6"
@@ -8460,6 +8648,12 @@ version = "0.53.1"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "fa7359d10048f68ab8b09fa71c3daccfb0e9b559aed648a8f95469c27057180c"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "windows_i686_msvc"
+version = "0.42.2"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "44d840b6ec649f480a41c8d80f9c65108b92d89345dd94027bfe06ac444d1060"
+
 [[package]]
 name = "windows_i686_msvc"
 version = "0.52.6"
@@ -8472,6 +8666,12 @@ version = "0.53.1"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "1e7ac75179f18232fe9c285163565a57ef8d3c89254a30685b57d83a38d326c2"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "windows_x86_64_gnu"
+version = "0.42.2"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "8de912b8b8feb55c064867cf047dda097f92d51efad5b491dfb98f6bbb70cb36"
+
 [[package]]
 name = "windows_x86_64_gnu"
 version = "0.52.6"
@@ -8484,6 +8684,12 @@ version = "0.53.1"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "9c3842cdd74a865a8066ab39c8a7a473c0778a3f29370b5fd6b4b9aa7df4a499"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "windows_x86_64_gnullvm"
+version = "0.42.2"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "26d41b46a36d453748aedef1486d5c7a85db22e56aff34643984ea85514e94a3"
+
 [[package]]
 name = "windows_x86_64_gnullvm"
 version = "0.52.6"
@@ -8496,6 +8702,12 @@ version = "0.53.1"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "0ffa179e2d07eee8ad8f57493436566c7cc30ac536a3379fdf008f47f6bb7ae1"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "windows_x86_64_msvc"
+version = "0.42.2"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "9aec5da331524158c6d1a4ac0ab1541149c0b9505fde06423b02f5ef0106b9f0"
+
 [[package]]
 name = "windows_x86_64_msvc"
 version = "0.52.6"
diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index bf616438..5e15ab59 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -26,6 +26,15 @@ smallvec.workspace = true
 serde = { workspace = true }
 serde_json.workspace = true
 
+# HTTP client for the startup update check (`core::update`): one GET to the
+# GitHub releases API to see if a newer version has shipped. `reqwest_client`
+# wraps Zed's `zed-reqwest` fork behind gpui's `http_client` trait (re-exported
+# as `gpui::http_client`) and manages its own tokio runtime. That reqwest+rustls
+# stack is *already* compiled into the tree via `gpui-component-assets`, so this
+# pins no new native code — it only exposes what we're already building. Pinned
+# to gpui's rev so the shared `http_client`/`zed-reqwest` versions stay aligned.
+reqwest_client = { git = "https://github.com/zed-industries/zed", rev = "1d217ee39d381ac101b7cf49d3d22451ac1093fe" }
+
 # Zed's fork of alacritty_terminal — same rev Zed pins. Used by the *client*
 # (`terminal::remote`) for the VT parser + grid (`Term`/`ansi::Processor`) that
 # renders the mirror. The daemon's PTY itself is driven by `portable-pty` below.
diff --git a/src/core/config.rs b/src/core/config.rs
index 39377115..e6b0dc6b 100644
--- a/src/core/config.rs
+++ b/src/core/config.rs
@@ -68,6 +68,11 @@ pub struct Config {
     /// finishes.
     #[serde(default, deserialize_with = "de_lenient")]
     pub notify_on_command_finish: NotifyMode,
+    /// On startup, ask GitHub whether a newer release has shipped and, if so,
+    /// surface a "download" prompt in Settings → About. Never downloads or
+    /// self-updates — it only links to the Releases page. On by default; set to
+    /// `false` to skip the network call entirely (offline / privacy).
+    pub check_for_updates: bool,
 
     // ── Appearance ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
     /// The shape drawn for the terminal cursor.
@@ -234,6 +239,9 @@ impl Default for Config {
             scrollback_limit: 10_000,
             new_tab_position: NewTabPosition::AfterCurrent,
             notify_on_command_finish: NotifyMode::Unfocused,
+            // Opt-out, not opt-in: a stale terminal that never tells you it's
+            // outdated is the status quo we're fixing. One cheap GET at startup.
+            check_for_updates: true,
             cursor_style: CursorStyle::Block,
             // Input/mouse defaults preserve today's behavior: GPUI already hides
             // the pointer while typing (its `CursorHideMode` default), so this
diff --git a/src/core/mod.rs b/src/core/mod.rs
index 61fcf7d3..8fd243ac 100644
--- a/src/core/mod.rs
+++ b/src/core/mod.rs
@@ -12,3 +12,4 @@ pub mod config;
 pub mod osc;
 pub mod session;
 pub mod threads;
+pub mod update;
diff --git a/src/core/update.rs b/src/core/update.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..27f35538
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/core/update.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,199 @@
+//! Notify-only update check.
+//!
+//! On GUI startup (unless `config.check_for_updates` is off) we make one GET to
+//! the GitHub releases API, compare the latest published version against the
+//! running binary, and — if it's newer — stash an [`UpdateStatus`] global that
+//! Settings → About reads to show a "download" prompt linking to the Releases
+//! page. That's the whole feature: we never download, replace, or restart
+//! anything. The user updates by hand (drag the new `.app`, unzip, …), exactly
+//! as the README's Install section describes.
+//!
+//! Everything here fails soft: no network, a rate-limit, a private/renamed repo,
+//! an unparseable tag — all collapse to "no prompt", logged at `debug` and never
+//! surfaced. A terminal must open the same whether or not GitHub is reachable.
+
+use anyhow::{Context as _, Result};
+use gpui::http_client::{AsyncBody, HttpClient as _, HttpRequestExt as _, RedirectPolicy};
+use gpui::{App, Global, http_client};
+use reqwest_client::ReqwestClient;
+use smol::io::AsyncReadExt as _;
+
+use crate::core::config::Config;
+
+/// `owner/repo` the release check queries — matches the repository the binary is
+/// published from (see `Cargo.toml`'s `repository`).
+const REPO: &str = "l0ng-ai/tty7";
+
+/// Where the "Download" prompt points. GitHub's `/releases/latest` alias always
+/// resolves to the newest published (non-prerelease) build, so it never goes
+/// stale as versions roll — no need to embed a specific tag.
+pub const RELEASES_URL: &str = "https://github.com/l0ng-ai/tty7/releases/latest";
+
+/// A newer release than the one currently running.
+#[derive(Clone, Debug, PartialEq, Eq)]
+pub struct AvailableUpdate {
+    /// The newer version, normalized without a leading `v` (e.g. `"0.3.1"`), for
+    /// display in the About panel.
+    pub version: String,
+}
+
+/// The result of the startup update check, stored as a GPUI global so the
+/// Settings view can read it. Absent until the check completes; `available` is
+/// `None` when we're already current (or the check failed / was skipped).
+#[derive(Clone, Debug, Default)]
+pub struct UpdateStatus {
+    pub available: Option<AvailableUpdate>,
+}
+
+impl Global for UpdateStatus {}
+
+/// Kick off the background update check. Returns immediately; the network work
+/// runs on a detached task and, if a newer version exists, writes the
+/// [`UpdateStatus`] global and repaints so an already-open About panel updates.
+///
+/// Honors `config.check_for_updates`: when off, we make no network call at all.
+pub fn spawn_check(cx: &mut App) {
+    if !cx.global::<Config>().check_for_updates {
+        return;
+    }
+
+    cx.spawn(async move |cx| {
+        let current = env!("CARGO_PKG_VERSION");
+        let latest = match fetch_latest_version().await {
+            Ok(v) => v,
+            Err(e) => {
+                // `{e:#}` includes the anyhow context chain; kept at debug so a
+                // routine offline start doesn't spam the log.
+                log::debug!("update check skipped: {e:#}");
+                return;
+            }
+        };
+
+        if !is_update_available(&latest, current) {
+            log::debug!("update check: up to date (latest {latest}, running {current})");
+            return;
+        }
+
+        let version = latest.trim_start_matches('v').to_string();
+        log::info!("update available: {version} (running {current})");
+        let _ = cx.update(|cx| {
+            cx.set_global(UpdateStatus {
+                available: Some(AvailableUpdate { version }),
+            });
+            // Repaint so a Settings → About that's already open shows the prompt
+            // now rather than only on the next interaction.
+            cx.refresh_windows();
+        });
+    })
+    .detach();
+}
+
+/// The `tag_name` field of GitHub's release payload — the only piece we read.
+#[derive(serde::Deserialize)]
+struct LatestRelease {
+    tag_name: String,
+}
+
+/// GET the repo's latest release and return its raw tag (e.g. `"v0.3.1"`).
+async fn fetch_latest_version() -> Result<String> {
+    // GitHub rejects requests without a User-Agent; identify ourselves. The
+    // reqwest+rustls stack this rides on is already compiled into the app via
+    // `gpui-component-assets`, so constructing a client here is cheap.
+    let client = ReqwestClient::user_agent(concat!("tty7/", env!("CARGO_PKG_VERSION")))
+        .context("building HTTP client")?;
+
+    let url = format!("https://api.github.com/repos/{REPO}/releases/latest");
+    let request = http_client::Request::get(&url)
+        .header("Accept", "application/vnd.github+json")
+        .header("X-GitHub-Api-Version", "2022-11-28")
+        .follow_redirects(RedirectPolicy::FollowAll)
+        .body(AsyncBody::default())
+        .context("building request")?;
+
+    let mut response = client
+        .send(request)
+        .await
+        .context("requesting latest release")?;
+
+    if !response.status().is_success() {
+        anyhow::bail!("GitHub API returned HTTP {}", response.status().as_u16());
+    }
+
+    let mut body = Vec::new();
+    response
+        .body_mut()
+        .read_to_end(&mut body)
+        .await
+        .context("reading response body")?;
+
+    let release: LatestRelease =
+        serde_json::from_slice(&body).context("parsing release JSON")?;
+    Ok(release.tag_name)
+}
+
+/// Parse a version string into a `(major, minor, patch)` triple, tolerating a
+/// leading `v` and ignoring any pre-release / build suffix (`-rc.1`, `+build`).
+/// Missing minor/patch components read as `0`. Returns `None` if the numeric
+/// core doesn't parse — the caller treats that as "don't prompt".
+fn parse_version(s: &str) -> Option<(u64, u64, u64)> {
+    let core = s.trim().trim_start_matches('v');
+    // A pre-release/build tag (`0.4.0-rc.1`, `0.4.0+ci`) compares by its release
+    // core here; we don't ship pre-releases, so finer ordering isn't worth it.
+    let core = core.split(['-', '+']).next().unwrap_or(core);
+    let mut parts = core.split('.');
+    let major = parts.next()?.parse().ok()?;
+    let minor = parts.next().unwrap_or("0").parse().ok()?;
+    let patch = parts.next().unwrap_or("0").parse().ok()?;
+    Some((major, minor, patch))
+}
+
+/// Whether `latest` names a strictly newer version than `current`. If either
+/// side fails to parse we return `false`: an unrecognizable tag should never
+/// nag the user to "update" to something we can't even order.
+fn is_update_available(latest: &str, current: &str) -> bool {
+    match (parse_version(latest), parse_version(current)) {
+        (Some(latest), Some(current)) => latest > current,
+        _ => false,
+    }
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::*;
+
+    #[test]
+    fn parses_versions_with_and_without_prefix() {
+        assert_eq!(parse_version("v0.3.1"), Some((0, 3, 1)));
+        assert_eq!(parse_version("0.3.1"), Some((0, 3, 1)));
+        assert_eq!(parse_version(" 1.2.0 "), Some((1, 2, 0)));
+        // Missing components default to zero.
+        assert_eq!(parse_version("v2"), Some((2, 0, 0)));
+        assert_eq!(parse_version("v2.5"), Some((2, 5, 0)));
+        // Pre-release / build metadata is ignored down to the release core.
+        assert_eq!(parse_version("v0.4.0-rc.1"), Some((0, 4, 0)));
+        assert_eq!(parse_version("0.4.0+ci.7"), Some((0, 4, 0)));
+        // Garbage yields None.
+        assert_eq!(parse_version("nightly"), None);
+        assert_eq!(parse_version(""), None);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn detects_newer_versions() {
+        assert!(is_update_available("v0.3.1", "0.3.0"));
+        assert!(is_update_available("v1.0.0", "0.9.9"));
+        assert!(is_update_available("0.4.0", "0.3.99"));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn ignores_same_or_older_versions() {
+        assert!(!is_update_available("v0.3.0", "0.3.0"));
+        assert!(!is_update_available("v0.2.9", "0.3.0"));
+        assert!(!is_update_available("0.3.0", "0.3.1"));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn unparseable_tag_never_prompts() {
+        assert!(!is_update_available("garbage", "0.3.0"));
+        assert!(!is_update_available("v0.3.1", "garbage"));
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index d153bd3f..fb0d0679 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -261,6 +261,10 @@ fn main() {
             crate::ui::theme::apply_cursor_hide_mode(cx);
             // Start watching `config.json` so edits hot-reload theme/colors live.
             spawn_config_watcher(cx);
+            // Ask GitHub (once, in the background) whether a newer release exists;
+            // if so, Settings → About surfaces a download prompt. Fails soft and
+            // is a no-op when `check_for_updates` is disabled.
+            crate::core::update::spawn_check(cx);
             keymap::init(cx);
 
             cx.spawn(async move |cx| {
diff --git a/src/ui/app.rs b/src/ui/app.rs
index c7eb58e0..d296de38 100644
--- a/src/ui/app.rs
+++ b/src/ui/app.rs
@@ -559,6 +559,13 @@ impl Tty7App {
         self.update_config(cx, |cfg| cfg.link_url = on);
     }
 
+    /// Toggle the startup update check (Settings → About). Takes effect on the
+    /// next launch — this only persists the preference; it doesn't run or cancel
+    /// an in-flight check.
+    pub(crate) fn set_check_for_updates(&mut self, on: bool, cx: &mut Context<Self>) {
+        self.update_config(cx, |cfg| cfg.check_for_updates = on);
+    }
+
     pub(crate) fn set_cursor_blink(&mut self, on: bool, cx: &mut Context<Self>) {
         self.update_config(cx, |cfg| cfg.cursor_blink = on);
         // Turning blink off mid-cycle could leave the cursor in its hidden phase;
@@ -1634,6 +1641,25 @@ impl Tty7App {
             log::warn!("failed to open {}: {e}", path.display());
         }
     }
+
+    /// Open the GitHub Releases page in the browser — the "Download" action of
+    /// the Settings → About update prompt. Deliberately hand-off, not
+    /// self-update: the newest build is one click away on the web.
+    pub(crate) fn open_releases_page(&self) {
+        let opener = if cfg!(target_os = "macos") {
+            "open"
+        } else if cfg!(windows) {
+            "explorer"
+        } else {
+            "xdg-open"
+        };
+        if let Err(e) = std::process::Command::new(opener)
+            .arg(crate::core::update::RELEASES_URL)
+            .spawn()
+        {
+            log::warn!("failed to open releases page: {e}");
+        }
+    }
 }
 
 impl Render for Tty7App {
diff --git a/src/ui/settings.rs b/src/ui/settings.rs
index ef09c7e4..8b5f2a4f 100644
--- a/src/ui/settings.rs
+++ b/src/ui/settings.rs
@@ -1265,6 +1265,13 @@ impl Tty7App {
         let theme = cx.theme();
         let (foreground, muted_fg) = (theme.foreground, theme.muted_foreground);
 
+        // Startup update check (see `core::update`): a newer release, if one was
+        // found, plus the toggle that controls whether we look at all.
+        let update = cx
+            .try_global::<crate::core::update::UpdateStatus>()
+            .and_then(|s| s.available.clone());
+        let check_for_updates = cx.global::<Config>().check_for_updates;
+
         let logo = Arc::new(Image::from_bytes(
             ImageFormat::Png,
             include_bytes!("../../assets/logo@256.png").to_vec(),
@@ -1313,6 +1320,65 @@ impl Tty7App {
                             .child("GPU-rendered · daemon-backed · shell-aware"),
                     ),
             )
+            // Updates: the startup check drops a newer version here if it found
+            // one. We never self-update — "Download" just opens the Releases
+            // page; the toggle turns the check off (see `core::update`).
+            .child(
+                v_flex()
+                    .mt_6()
+                    .gap_2()
+                    .child(self.section_rule(cx))
+                    .child(
+                        div()
+                            .text_sm()
+                            .font_weight(FontWeight::MEDIUM)
+                            .text_color(foreground)
+                            .child("Updates"),
+                    )
+                    .when_some(update, |this, upd| {
+                        this.child(
+                            h_flex()
+                                .gap_3()
+                                .items_center()
+                                .child(div().text_sm().text_color(foreground).child(
+                                    format!("Version {} is available.", upd.version),
+                                ))
+                                .child(
+                                    // Match the sibling "Restart Background
+                                    // Service…" button (default style, not the
+                                    // dark `.primary()` fill) so About reads as
+                                    // one panel.
+                                    Button::new("download-update")
+                                        .label("Download")
+                                        .small()
+                                        .on_click(cx.listener(|this, _, _w, _cx| {
+                                            this.open_releases_page()
+                                        })),
+                                ),
+                        )
+                    })
+                    .child(div().text_sm().text_color(muted_fg).child(
+                        "Check GitHub for a newer release on launch and show a download link here. tty7 never updates itself; the button opens the Releases page.",
+                    ))
+                    .child(
+                        h_flex()
+                            .gap_2()
+                            .items_center()
+                            .child(
+                                Switch::new("check-updates")
+                                    .checked(check_for_updates)
+                                    .on_click(cx.listener(|this, on: &bool, _w, cx| {
+                                        this.set_check_for_updates(*on, cx)
+                                    })),
+                            )
+                            .child(
+                                div()
+                                    .text_sm()
+                                    .text_color(foreground)
+                                    .child("Check for updates on launch"),
+                            ),
+                    ),
+            )
             // Manage that daemon. A fresh process is the only way to pick up a
             // macOS permission granted after it started (e.g. Full Disk Access),
             // to recover if it wedges, or to start clean — quitting/reopening the