diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/app/command-palette/index.tsx b/apps/desktop/src/app/command-palette/index.tsx
index 0014e4e71f1..59f8ba0cbae 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/app/command-palette/index.tsx
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/app/command-palette/index.tsx
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ import {
 } from '@/lib/icons'
 import { normalize } from '@/lib/text'
 import { cn } from '@/lib/utils'
+import { resolveVersionStatus } from '@/lib/version-status'
 import { $repoWorktrees } from '@/store/coding-status'
 import {
   $commandPaletteOpen,
@@ -59,8 +60,16 @@ import {
 import { $bindings } from '@/store/keybinds'
 import { openPetGenerate } from '@/store/pet-generate'
 import { requestStartWorkSession } from '@/store/projects'
+import { $connection } from '@/store/session'
 import { runGatewayRestart } from '@/store/system-actions'
-import { applyBackendUpdate } from '@/store/updates'
+import {
+  $backendUpdateApply,
+  $backendUpdateStatus,
+  $desktopVersion,
+  $updateApply,
+  $updateStatus,
+  requestActiveUpdate
+} from '@/store/updates'
 import { canOpenNewWindow, openNewWindow } from '@/store/windows'
 import { luminance } from '@/themes/color'
 import { type ThemeMode, useTheme } from '@/themes/context'
@@ -93,6 +102,8 @@ interface PaletteItem {
   action?: string
   /** Renders a trailing check: this row IS the current setting (theme, mode). */
   active?: boolean
+  /** Muted text beside the label — state the row acts on (a version, a count). */
+  detail?: string
   icon: IconComponent
   id: string
   /** Keep the palette open after running (live-preview pickers like theme/mode). */
@@ -242,6 +253,7 @@ const PaletteRow = memo(function PaletteRow({
     >
       <Icon className="size-3.5 shrink-0 text-muted-foreground" />
       <span className="truncate">{item.label}</span>
+      {item.detail && <span className="truncate text-muted-foreground/80">{item.detail}</span>}
       {combo && <KbdCombo className="ml-auto opacity-55" combo={combo} size="sm" />}
       {item.to && <ChevronRight className={cn('size-3.5 shrink-0 text-muted-foreground/70', !combo && 'ml-auto')} />}
       {item.active && <Check className={cn('size-3.5 shrink-0 text-primary', !combo && !item.to && 'ml-auto')} />}
@@ -345,6 +357,35 @@ export function CommandPalette() {
   const [search, setSearch] = useState('')
   const [page, setPage] = useState<string | null>(null)
 
+  // The Update row names the same install the statusbar names — same target
+  // selection, same resolver. Reduced to the label string: an in-flight apply
+  // rewrites these stores on every progress line, and only a changed string
+  // should rebuild the palette's groups.
+  const connection = useStore($connection)
+  const desktopVersion = useStore($desktopVersion)
+  const clientStatus = useStore($updateStatus)
+  const clientApply = useStore($updateApply)
+  const backendStatus = useStore($backendUpdateStatus)
+  const backendApply = useStore($backendUpdateApply)
+
+  const updateVersionLabel = useMemo(() => {
+    const backend = connection?.mode === 'remote'
+    const apply = backend ? backendApply : clientApply
+    const status = backend ? backendStatus : clientStatus
+
+    return resolveVersionStatus({
+      applying: apply.applying || apply.stage === 'restart',
+      behind: status?.behind ?? 0,
+      copy: t.shell.statusbar,
+      remote: backend,
+      restarting: apply.stage === 'restart',
+      sha: status?.currentSha?.slice(0, 7) ?? null,
+      target: backend ? 'backend' : 'client',
+      updateAvailable: status?.updateAvailable,
+      version: backend ? status?.currentVersion : desktopVersion?.appVersion
+    }).label
+  }, [backendApply, backendStatus, clientApply, clientStatus, connection?.mode, desktopVersion?.appVersion, t])
+
   // cmdk's onSelect doesn't forward the triggering event — keep the last
   // click/keydown modifiers so session rows can honour ⌘-Enter / ⌘-click.
   const lastSelectMods = useRef<{ ctrlKey: boolean; metaKey: boolean; shiftKey: boolean }>({
@@ -582,11 +623,12 @@ export function CommandPalette() {
             run: () => void runGatewayRestart()
           },
           {
+            detail: updateVersionLabel,
             icon: Download,
             id: 'cc-update-hermes',
             keywords: ['update', 'upgrade', 'hermes', 'version', 'system', 'restart'],
             label: cc.updateHermes,
-            run: () => void applyBackendUpdate()
+            run: () => requestActiveUpdate()
           }
         ]
       },
@@ -663,7 +705,7 @@ export function CommandPalette() {
           ]
         : [])
     ]
-  }, [contributedItems, go, settingsSectionLabel, t, worktrees])
+  }, [contributedItems, go, settingsSectionLabel, t, updateVersionLabel, worktrees])
 
   // The long, granular lists (settings fields, API keys, MCP servers, archived
   // chats) only surface once the user types — otherwise they'd bury the