diff --git a/.github/workflows/desktop-release.yml b/.github/workflows/desktop-release.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..7119fcb6d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/desktop-release.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,78 @@
+name: Desktop Release
+
+on:
+  push:
+    tags:
+      - 'v*'
+      - 'beta-v*'
+
+permissions:
+  contents: write
+
+jobs:
+  build:
+    runs-on: ${{ matrix.os }}
+    strategy:
+      fail-fast: false
+      matrix:
+        include:
+          - os: macos-latest
+            platform: --mac
+          - os: ubuntu-latest
+            platform: --linux
+          - os: windows-latest
+            platform: --win
+
+    steps:
+      - name: Checkout
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
+
+      - name: Extract version from tag
+        id: version
+        shell: bash
+        run: |
+          TAG=${GITHUB_REF#refs/tags/}
+          VERSION=${TAG#beta-}
+          VERSION=${VERSION#v}
+          echo "VERSION=$VERSION" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+
+      - name: Setup pnpm
+        uses: pnpm/action-setup@v4
+
+      - name: Setup Node.js
+        uses: actions/setup-node@v4
+        with:
+          node-version: 20
+          cache: 'pnpm'
+          cache-dependency-path: |
+            surfsense_web/pnpm-lock.yaml
+            surfsense_desktop/pnpm-lock.yaml
+
+      - name: Install web dependencies
+        run: pnpm install
+        working-directory: surfsense_web
+
+      - name: Build Next.js standalone
+        run: pnpm build
+        working-directory: surfsense_web
+        env:
+          NEXT_PUBLIC_FASTAPI_BACKEND_URL: ${{ vars.NEXT_PUBLIC_FASTAPI_BACKEND_URL }}
+          NEXT_PUBLIC_ELECTRIC_URL: ${{ vars.NEXT_PUBLIC_ELECTRIC_URL }}
+          NEXT_PUBLIC_DEPLOYMENT_MODE: ${{ vars.NEXT_PUBLIC_DEPLOYMENT_MODE }}
+          NEXT_PUBLIC_FASTAPI_BACKEND_AUTH_TYPE: ${{ vars.NEXT_PUBLIC_FASTAPI_BACKEND_AUTH_TYPE }}
+
+      - name: Install desktop dependencies
+        run: pnpm install
+        working-directory: surfsense_desktop
+
+      - name: Build Electron
+        run: pnpm build
+        working-directory: surfsense_desktop
+        env:
+          HOSTED_FRONTEND_URL: ${{ vars.HOSTED_FRONTEND_URL }}
+
+      - name: Package & Publish
+        run: pnpm exec electron-builder ${{ matrix.platform }} --config electron-builder.yml --publish always -c.extraMetadata.version=${{ steps.version.outputs.VERSION }}
+        working-directory: surfsense_desktop
+        env:
+          GH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
diff --git a/surfsense_desktop/scripts/build-electron.mjs b/surfsense_desktop/scripts/build-electron.mjs
index 2c59061b4..923830296 100644
--- a/surfsense_desktop/scripts/build-electron.mjs
+++ b/surfsense_desktop/scripts/build-electron.mjs
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ async function buildElectron() {
     minify: false,
     define: {
       'process.env.HOSTED_FRONTEND_URL': JSON.stringify(
-        desktopEnv.HOSTED_FRONTEND_URL || 'https://surfsense.net'
+        process.env.HOSTED_FRONTEND_URL || desktopEnv.HOSTED_FRONTEND_URL || 'https://surfsense.net'
       ),
     },
   };
diff --git a/surfsense_desktop/src/main.ts b/surfsense_desktop/src/main.ts
index a25644cb5..e0a6c3be5 100644
--- a/surfsense_desktop/src/main.ts
+++ b/surfsense_desktop/src/main.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import { app, BrowserWindow, shell, ipcMain, session, dialog, clipboard, Menu } from 'electron';
 import path from 'path';
 import { getPort } from 'get-port-please';
+import { autoUpdater } from 'electron-updater';
 
 function showErrorDialog(title: string, error: unknown): void {
   const err = error instanceof Error ? error : new Error(String(error));
@@ -210,6 +211,37 @@ if (process.defaultApp) {
   app.setAsDefaultProtocolClient(PROTOCOL);
 }
 
+function setupAutoUpdater() {
+  if (isDev) return;
+
+  autoUpdater.autoDownload = true;
+
+  autoUpdater.on('update-available', (info) => {
+    console.log(`Update available: ${info.version}`);
+  });
+
+  autoUpdater.on('update-downloaded', (info) => {
+    console.log(`Update downloaded: ${info.version}`);
+    dialog.showMessageBox({
+      type: 'info',
+      buttons: ['Restart', 'Later'],
+      defaultId: 0,
+      title: 'Update Ready',
+      message: `Version ${info.version} has been downloaded. Restart to apply the update.`,
+    }).then(({ response }) => {
+      if (response === 0) {
+        autoUpdater.quitAndInstall();
+      }
+    });
+  });
+
+  autoUpdater.on('error', (err) => {
+    console.error('Auto-updater error:', err);
+  });
+
+  autoUpdater.checkForUpdates();
+}
+
 function setupMenu() {
   const isMac = process.platform === 'darwin';
   const template: Electron.MenuItemConstructorOptions[] = [
@@ -233,6 +265,7 @@ app.whenReady().then(async () => {
     return;
   }
   createWindow();
+  setupAutoUpdater();
 
   // If a deep link was received before the window was ready, handle it now
   if (deepLinkUrl) {