diff --git a/apps/desktop/README.md b/apps/desktop/README.md
index 5a4e92bf9e..4d1235ec8a 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/README.md
+++ b/apps/desktop/README.md
@@ -122,6 +122,29 @@ The bundled harness is multi-GB uncompressed (≈2 GB), dominated by
 ~1 GB. This is the inherent footprint of shipping the full harness runtime
 standalone, and is the accepted trade-off for a zero-external-dependency app.
 
+## Updates (manual download)
+
+The app is **not code-signed**, so updates are a manual-download flow rather
+than a silent swap. On startup (and hourly), and from the Settings → About
+"check for updates" button (through a preload bridge), the main process fetches
+the OSS manifest (`updates/releases.json`, `DSH_UPDATE_URL` overrides) and
+compares the latest version against `app.getVersion()`. When a newer release
+exists it prompts the user to open the per-platform installer URL.
+
+To publish a release:
+
+```sh
+pnpm --filter @deepseek-ai/dsh-desktop run build:harness
+pnpm desktop:pack                        # produces .dmg (mac) / .nsis .exe (win)
+DSH_RELEASE_NOTES="…" pnpm --filter @deepseek-ai/dsh-desktop run generate-release-json
+```
+
+`scripts/generate-release-json.mjs` writes `dist/releases.json` from the built
+installers (`DSH_UPDATE_BASE` defaults to `https://deepseek.pinesound.cn/updates/`).
+Upload `releases.json` plus the `.dmg`/`.exe` to the OSS `updates/` folder, and
+the `deepseek-harness-web` `download/` page renders the same manifest. Building
+the Windows `.exe` on macOS needs wine (or build on a Windows host).
+
 ## Notes
 
 - `asar: false` and `npmRebuild: false` are deliberate (see
diff --git a/apps/desktop/package.json b/apps/desktop/package.json
index b5ab586665..e41246c1ab 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/package.json
+++ b/apps/desktop/package.json
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
   "scripts": {
     "build": "tsc -b tsconfig.json",
     "build:harness": "node scripts/build-harness.mjs",
+    "generate-release-json": "node scripts/generate-release-json.mjs",
     "typecheck": "tsc -b tsconfig.json",
     "test": "vitest run",
     "pack": "electron-builder"
diff --git a/apps/desktop/scripts/generate-release-json.mjs b/apps/desktop/scripts/generate-release-json.mjs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..30aa442369
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/desktop/scripts/generate-release-json.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,59 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env node
+/**
+ * Generate the OSS update manifest (`releases.json`) from the packaged
+ * installers in `apps/desktop/dist`. The manifest drives both the desktop app's
+ * manual "check for updates" (main-process fetch + version compare) and the
+ * web download page. Run after `desktop:pack`, then upload `releases.json`
+ * together with the installers to the OSS `updates/` folder.
+ *
+ * The installer URLs are derived from the `DSH_UPDATE_BASE` (default
+ * `https://deepseek.pinesound.cn/updates/`) plus the artifact filename.
+ * `DSH_RELEASE_NOTES` optionally supplies the release-notes text.
+ */
+
+import { readdirSync, writeFileSync } from 'node:fs'
+import { dirname, join, resolve } from 'node:path'
+import { fileURLToPath } from 'node:url'
+
+const root = resolve(dirname(fileURLToPath(import.meta.url)), '../../..')
+const dist = join(root, 'apps/desktop/dist')
+const base = process.env.DSH_UPDATE_BASE ?? 'https://deepseek.pinesound.cn/updates/'
+
+/** Extract a semver-ish version from a filename like `…0.1.0-rc.5-arm64.dmg`. */
+function versionOf(filename) {
+  const base = filename.replace(/\.(dmg|exe)$/, '').replace(/-(arm64|x64)$/, '')
+  const match = /(\d+\.\d+\.\d+(?:-[0-9A-Za-z.]+)?)$/.exec(base)
+  return match === null ? undefined : match[1]
+}
+
+const platforms = {}
+let latestVersion
+let latestDate = process.env.DSH_RELEASE_DATE ?? new Date().toISOString().slice(0, 10)
+
+for (const entry of readdirSync(dist)) {
+  if (!entry.endsWith('.dmg') && !entry.endsWith('.exe')) continue
+  const version = versionOf(entry)
+  if (version === undefined) continue
+  const key = entry.endsWith('.dmg')
+    ? entry.includes('arm64') ? 'mac-arm64' : 'mac-x64'
+    : 'win-x64'
+  platforms[key] = { url: `${base}${encodeURIComponent(entry)}` }
+  if (latestVersion === undefined || version > latestVersion) {
+    latestVersion = version
+    latestDate = process.env.DSH_RELEASE_DATE ?? new Date().toISOString().slice(0, 10)
+  }
+}
+
+if (latestVersion === undefined) {
+  console.error(`generate-release-json: no installers found in ${dist}`)
+  process.exit(1)
+}
+
+const manifest = {
+  latest: { version: latestVersion, date: latestDate },
+  releaseNotes: process.env.DSH_RELEASE_NOTES ?? '',
+  platforms,
+}
+
+writeFileSync(join(dist, 'releases.json'), `${JSON.stringify(manifest, null, 2)}\n`)
+console.log(`wrote ${join(dist, 'releases.json')} for ${latestVersion}`)
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/main.ts b/apps/desktop/src/main.ts
index b2b7877446..63ed093302 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/main.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/main.ts
@@ -17,18 +17,39 @@ import { existsSync } from 'node:fs'
 import { createRequire } from 'node:module'
 import { join, resolve } from 'node:path'
 import { fileURLToPath } from 'node:url'
-import { app, dialog, BrowserWindow, Menu, type MenuItemConstructorOptions } from 'electron'
+import { app, dialog, BrowserWindow, ipcMain, Menu, shell, type MenuItemConstructorOptions } from 'electron'
 
 import { LOOPBACK_HOST, parseReadyPort } from './ready-port.ts'
+import type { UpdateCheckResult } from './preload.ts'
 
 const require = createRequire(import.meta.url)
 
+/**
+ * URL of the release manifest hosted on OSS. Override per deployment with
+ * DSH_UPDATE_URL. The manifest (releases.json) carries the latest version,
+ * release notes, and per-platform installer URLs.
+ */
+const UPDATE_MANIFEST_URL = process.env.DSH_UPDATE_URL ?? 'https://deepseek.pinesound.cn/updates/releases.json'
+
+/** The renderer's update-check IPC channel. */
+const UPDATE_CHANNEL = 'check-update'
+
+/** The release manifest published on OSS (`updates/releases.json`). */
+interface ReleaseManifest {
+  readonly latest: { readonly version: string }
+  readonly releaseNotes?: string
+  readonly platforms: Partial<Record<'mac-arm64' | 'mac-x64' | 'win-x64', { readonly url: string }>>
+}
+
 /** User-facing product name (the npm name is the scoped package id). */
 const PRODUCT_NAME = 'DeepSeek Harness'
 
 /** Window icon: the branded PNG in build/, resolved from this ES module's URL. */
 const APP_ICON = fileURLToPath(new URL('../../build/icon.png', import.meta.url))
 
+/** Renderer preload (compiled to lib/types/preload.js), resolved from this ES module's URL. */
+const PRELOAD = fileURLToPath(new URL('./preload.js', import.meta.url))
+
 /**
  * The self-contained harness runtime bundled into the packaged app by
  * electron-builder's `extraResources` (see electron-builder.yml): a copy of the
@@ -118,6 +139,55 @@ function installAppMenu(): void {
   Menu.setApplicationMenu(Menu.buildFromTemplate(template))
 }
 
+/**
+ * Compare two version strings for "newer". Versions are `0.1.0-rc.N`; the
+ * numeric `rc` suffix carries the order, so compare the trailing integer and
+ * fall back to a plain string compare for non-rc builds.
+ */
+function isNewer(latest: string, current: string): boolean {
+  const rc = (value: string): number => {
+    const match = /rc\.(\d+)$/.exec(value)
+    return match === null ? Number.NaN : Number(match[1])
+  }
+  const lrc = rc(latest)
+  const crc = rc(current)
+  if (Number.isFinite(lrc) && Number.isFinite(crc)) return lrc > crc
+  return latest !== current
+}
+
+/** The per-platform download URL from a release manifest. */
+function platformDownloadUrl(manifest: ReleaseManifest): string | undefined {
+  const key = process.platform === 'win32' ? 'win-x64' : process.arch === 'arm64' ? 'mac-arm64' : 'mac-x64'
+  return manifest.platforms[key]?.url
+}
+
+/**
+ * Fetch the release manifest and compare the latest version against the
+ * running app. Returns an update-available result (with the download URL) when
+ * a newer release exists; errors surface as `{ status: 'error' }` so the UI
+ * never crashes on a transient network miss.
+ * @returns the update-check result for the SPA and the startup prompt.
+ */
+async function checkForUpdate(): Promise<UpdateCheckResult> {
+  const current = app.getVersion()
+  try {
+    const response = await fetch(UPDATE_MANIFEST_URL)
+    if (!response.ok) throw new Error(`update manifest HTTP ${response.status}`)
+    const manifest = (await response.json()) as ReleaseManifest
+    const latest = manifest.latest.version
+    if (!isNewer(latest, current)) return { status: 'up-to-date', current }
+    return {
+      status: 'update-available',
+      current,
+      latest,
+      notes: manifest.releaseNotes,
+      url: platformDownloadUrl(manifest),
+    }
+  } catch (error) {
+    return { status: 'error', current, notes: error instanceof Error ? error.message : String(error) }
+  }
+}
+
 /** Spawn's node executable: a bundled one when the app is packaged, else PATH. */
 function nodeExecutable(): string {
   const harness = harnessRoot()
@@ -144,10 +214,12 @@ function openWindow(url: string): BrowserWindow {
     // use the packaged .app icon from electron-builder's build/icon.png.
     ...(existsSync(APP_ICON) ? { icon: APP_ICON } : {}),
     webPreferences: {
-      // The UI is a remote SPA served by the harness; keep Node out of it.
+      // The UI is a remote SPA served by the harness; keep Node out of it. The
+      // preload exposes only the update-check bridge (no direct Node access).
       nodeIntegration: false,
       contextIsolation: true,
       sandbox: true,
+      preload: PRELOAD,
     },
   })
   void win.loadURL(url)
@@ -216,12 +288,36 @@ function startSession(): void {
 
 app.whenReady().then(() => {
   installAppMenu()
+  // The SPA's About "check for updates" button asks the main process.
+  ipcMain.handle(UPDATE_CHANNEL, () => checkForUpdate())
   startSession()
   app.on('activate', () => {
     if (BrowserWindow.getAllWindows().length === 0 && session !== undefined) {
       session.window = openWindow(session.url)
     }
   })
+  // Manual-download update flow: check on startup (and hourly), and when a newer
+  // release exists prompt to open the installer URL. No signing, so the user
+  // downloads and installs by hand rather than an automatic swap.
+  const promptUpdate = async (): Promise<void> => {
+    const result = await checkForUpdate()
+    if (result.status !== 'update-available' || result.url === undefined) return
+    const { response } = await dialog.showMessageBox({
+      type: 'info',
+      message: `发现新版本 v${result.latest}`,
+      detail: result.notes ?? '点击「去下载」获取最新安装包。',
+      buttons: ['去下载', '稍后'],
+      defaultId: 0,
+      cancelId: 1,
+    })
+    if (response === 0) shell.openExternal(result.url).catch(() => {})
+  }
+  const checkAt = (delayMs: number): void => {
+    setTimeout(() => { promptUpdate().catch(() => {}) }, delayMs)
+  }
+  checkAt(4000)
+  const checkTimer = setInterval(() => { promptUpdate().catch(() => {}) }, 60 * 60 * 1000)
+  app.on('will-quit', () => { clearInterval(checkTimer) })
 })
 
 app.on('window-all-closed', () => {
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/preload.ts b/apps/desktop/src/preload.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..36a8b1da71
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/preload.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+/**
+ * Renderer preload bridge for the desktop shell. Exposes a narrow, type-safe
+ * surface to the loopback SPA: a manual "check for updates" that runs in the
+ * main process (Node fetch, no CORS) and returns the latest release info plus a
+ * download URL. The renderer stays sandboxed and remote; only this bridge and
+ * the update check cross the process boundary.
+ * @module @deepseek-ai/dsh-desktop/preload
+ */
+
+import { contextBridge, ipcRenderer } from 'electron'
+
+/** The update-check result the SPA's About section renders. */
+export interface UpdateCheckResult {
+  readonly status: 'up-to-date' | 'update-available' | 'error'
+  readonly current: string
+  readonly latest?: string | undefined
+  readonly notes?: string | undefined
+  readonly url?: string | undefined
+}
+
+contextBridge.exposeInMainWorld('dshApp', {
+  /** Ask the main process for the latest release; resolves the check result. */
+  checkUpdate: (): Promise<UpdateCheckResult> => ipcRenderer.invoke('check-update') as Promise<UpdateCheckResult>,
+})
diff --git a/packages/client/ui-settings-general/src/client/AboutSection.module.css b/packages/client/ui-settings-general/src/client/AboutSection.module.css
index 1ab33971c3..f886ff4af6 100644
--- a/packages/client/ui-settings-general/src/client/AboutSection.module.css
+++ b/packages/client/ui-settings-general/src/client/AboutSection.module.css
@@ -70,3 +70,7 @@
   margin: 0;
   opacity: 0.75;
 }
+
+.download {
+  align-self: flex-start;
+}
diff --git a/packages/client/ui-settings-general/src/client/AboutSection.tsx b/packages/client/ui-settings-general/src/client/AboutSection.tsx
index 2a13bed0f0..92eccbed68 100644
--- a/packages/client/ui-settings-general/src/client/AboutSection.tsx
+++ b/packages/client/ui-settings-general/src/client/AboutSection.tsx
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
 /**
  * The About section: PineSound company introduction and a software-update check.
  *
- * The update check is a client-side placeholder: it compares the build version
- * against a fixed known-latest constant and reports up-to-date, pending a real
- * update channel. The two constants are product metadata, not tunables.
+ * The "check for updates" button asks the desktop main process (via the preload
+ * bridge) for the latest release and shows a download link when one is newer;
+ * on a plain-web surface without the bridge it reports up-to-date.
  */
 
 import { useState } from 'react'
@@ -13,10 +13,23 @@ import css from './AboutSection.module.css'
 /** This build's version, mirrored from apps/desktop/package.json. */
 const APP_VERSION = '0.1.0-rc.5'
 
-/** Latest version known to this build; the update check compares against it. */
-const LATEST_VERSION = APP_VERSION
+/** The update-check bridge the desktop preload injects (absent on plain web). */
+interface DshAppBridge {
+  checkUpdate: () => Promise<{
+    readonly status: 'up-to-date' | 'update-available' | 'error'
+    readonly current: string
+    readonly latest?: string | undefined
+    readonly notes?: string | undefined
+    readonly url?: string | undefined
+  }>
+}
 
-type UpdateStatus = 'idle' | 'checking' | 'upToDate'
+type UpdateState =
+  | { readonly status: 'idle' }
+  | { readonly status: 'checking' }
+  | { readonly status: 'up-to-date' }
+  | { readonly status: 'available'; readonly latest: string; readonly notes?: string | undefined; readonly url?: string | undefined }
+  | { readonly status: 'error'; readonly detail?: string | undefined }
 
 /** Full component props for the About section. */
 export type AboutSectionComponentProps =
@@ -28,12 +41,29 @@ export type AboutSectionComponentProps =
  * @returns the About section element tree.
  */
 export function AboutSection({ t }: AboutSectionComponentProps) {
-  const [status, setStatus] = useState<UpdateStatus>('idle')
-  const checking = status === 'checking'
+  const [state, setState] = useState<UpdateState>({ status: 'idle' })
+  const checking = state.status === 'checking'
   const check = (): void => {
     if (checking) return
-    setStatus('checking')
-    window.setTimeout(() => { setStatus('upToDate') }, 600)
+    const bridge = (window as { dshApp?: DshAppBridge }).dshApp
+    if (bridge === undefined) {
+      // No desktop bridge (plain web): nothing newer is known here.
+      setState({ status: 'up-to-date' })
+      return
+    }
+    setState({ status: 'checking' })
+    void bridge.checkUpdate().then(
+      (result) => {
+        if (result.status === 'update-available') {
+          setState({ status: 'available', latest: result.latest ?? '', notes: result.notes, url: result.url })
+        } else if (result.status === 'up-to-date') {
+          setState({ status: 'up-to-date' })
+        } else {
+          setState({ status: 'error', detail: result.notes })
+        }
+      },
+      () => { setState({ status: 'error' }) },
+    )
   }
   return (
     <div className={css.section}>
@@ -57,8 +87,22 @@ export function AboutSection({ t }: AboutSectionComponentProps) {
         >
           {checking ? t('about.checking') : t('about.checkUpdates')}
         </button>
-        {status === 'upToDate' && !checking
-          ? <p className={css.status} role="status">{t('about.upToDate')} · v{LATEST_VERSION}</p>
+        {state.status === 'up-to-date' && !checking
+          ? <p className={css.status} role="status">{t('about.upToDate')} · v{APP_VERSION}</p>
+          : null}
+        {state.status === 'available'
+          ? (
+            <p className={css.status} role="status">
+              {t('about.updateAvailable')} · v{state.latest}
+              {state.notes === undefined || state.notes.length === 0 ? '' : ` — ${state.notes}`}
+            </p>
+          )
+          : null}
+        {state.status === 'available' && state.url !== undefined
+          ? <a className={css.download} href={state.url} target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">{t('about.download')}</a>
+          : null}
+        {state.status === 'error'
+          ? <p className={css.status} role="status">{t('about.updateCheckFailed')}{state.detail === undefined || state.detail.length === 0 ? '' : `: ${state.detail}`}</p>
           : null}
       </div>
     </div>
diff --git a/packages/client/ui-settings-general/src/client/locales.ts b/packages/client/ui-settings-general/src/client/locales.ts
index d252a87a3f..dadfa2b3f1 100644
--- a/packages/client/ui-settings-general/src/client/locales.ts
+++ b/packages/client/ui-settings-general/src/client/locales.ts
@@ -17,6 +17,9 @@ export const zh = {
   'about.checkUpdates': '检查更新',
   'about.checking': '正在检查更新…',
   'about.upToDate': '已是最新版本',
+  'about.updateAvailable': '发现新版本',
+  'about.download': '去下载',
+  'about.updateCheckFailed': '检查更新失败',
 } satisfies Record<string, string>
 
 /** The settings namespace key union. */
@@ -39,4 +42,7 @@ export const en = {
   'about.checkUpdates': 'Check for updates',
   'about.checking': 'Checking for updates…',
   'about.upToDate': 'You are on the latest version',
+  'about.updateAvailable': 'A new version is available',
+  'about.download': 'Download',
+  'about.updateCheckFailed': 'Could not check for updates',
 } satisfies Record<SettingsKey, string>
diff --git a/packages/client/ui-settings-general/tests/components.client.spec.tsx b/packages/client/ui-settings-general/tests/components.client.spec.tsx
index 7c26557e97..9366f55738 100644
--- a/packages/client/ui-settings-general/tests/components.client.spec.tsx
+++ b/packages/client/ui-settings-general/tests/components.client.spec.tsx
@@ -72,14 +72,31 @@ describe('AboutSection', () => {
     expect(screen.getByRole('button', { name: en['about.checkUpdates'] })).toBeTruthy()
   })
 
-  it('checks for updates and reports the latest version', async () => {
+  it('reports up-to-date on a web surface without the desktop bridge', async () => {
     render(<AboutSection {...aboutProps} />)
     fireEvent.click(screen.getByRole('button', { name: en['about.checkUpdates'] }))
-    expect(screen.getByText(en['about.checking'])).toBeTruthy()
     await waitFor(() => {
       expect(screen.getByRole('status').textContent).toContain(en['about.upToDate'])
     })
   })
+
+  it('shows a download link when the bridge reports a newer version', async () => {
+    const checkUpdate = vi.fn(async () => ({
+      status: 'update-available' as const, current: '0.1.0-rc.5', latest: '0.1.0-rc.6',
+      notes: 'New release', url: 'https://example.com/app.dmg',
+    }))
+    ;(window as { dshApp?: unknown }).dshApp = { checkUpdate }
+    try {
+      render(<AboutSection {...aboutProps} />)
+      fireEvent.click(screen.getByRole('button', { name: en['about.checkUpdates'] }))
+      const status = await screen.findByRole('status')
+      expect(status.textContent).toContain(en['about.updateAvailable'])
+      expect(status.textContent).toContain('0.1.0-rc.6')
+      expect(screen.getByRole('link', { name: en['about.download'] }).getAttribute('href')).toBe('https://example.com/app.dmg')
+    } finally {
+      delete (window as { dshApp?: unknown }).dshApp
+    }
+  })
 })
 
 describe('SettingsDocumentAction', () => {