diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/app/settings/about-settings.tsx b/apps/desktop/src/app/settings/about-settings.tsx
index cef90450ef2..c1d56115d6c 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/app/settings/about-settings.tsx
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/app/settings/about-settings.tsx
@@ -13,7 +13,8 @@ import {
   $updateStatus,
   checkUpdates,
   openUpdatesWindow,
-  refreshDesktopVersion
+  refreshDesktopVersion,
+  startActiveUpdate
 } from '@/store/updates'
 
 import { ListRow, SectionHeading, SettingsContent } from './primitives'
@@ -141,9 +142,14 @@ export function AboutSettings() {
             </Button>
 
             {behind > 0 && supported && !applying && (
-              <Button onClick={() => openUpdatesWindow()} size="sm">
-                {a.seeWhatsNew}
-              </Button>
+              <>
+                <Button onClick={() => startActiveUpdate()} size="sm">
+                  {a.updateNow}
+                </Button>
+                <Button onClick={() => openUpdatesWindow()} size="sm" variant="textStrong">
+                  {a.seeWhatsNew}
+                </Button>
+              </>
             )}
 
             <Button asChild className="ml-auto" size="sm" variant="text">
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/i18n/en.ts b/apps/desktop/src/i18n/en.ts
index 704ed5f8e56..ea2a6f745bb 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/i18n/en.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/i18n/en.ts
@@ -384,6 +384,7 @@ export const en: Translations = {
       checkNow: 'Check now',
       checking: 'Checking…',
       seeWhatsNew: "See what's new",
+      updateNow: 'Update now',
       releaseNotes: 'Release notes',
       onLatest: "You're on the latest version.",
       installing: 'An update is currently installing.',
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/i18n/ja.ts b/apps/desktop/src/i18n/ja.ts
index a3109b94ffa..b02f90486d9 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/i18n/ja.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/i18n/ja.ts
@@ -506,6 +506,7 @@ export const ja = defineLocale({
       checkNow: '今すぐ確認',
       checking: '確認中…',
       seeWhatsNew: '新機能を見る',
+      updateNow: '今すぐ更新',
       releaseNotes: 'リリースノート',
       onLatest: '最新バージョンです。',
       installing: '更新をインストール中です。',
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/i18n/types.ts b/apps/desktop/src/i18n/types.ts
index 7cb915b6ac3..d03568d6d35 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/i18n/types.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/i18n/types.ts
@@ -281,6 +281,7 @@ export interface Translations {
       checkNow: string
       checking: string
       seeWhatsNew: string
+      updateNow: string
       releaseNotes: string
       onLatest: string
       installing: string
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/i18n/zh-hant.ts b/apps/desktop/src/i18n/zh-hant.ts
index 23fc6027b42..f739bfa8e5f 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/i18n/zh-hant.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/i18n/zh-hant.ts
@@ -494,6 +494,7 @@ export const zhHant = defineLocale({
       checkNow: '立即檢查',
       checking: '檢查中…',
       seeWhatsNew: '查看新增內容',
+      updateNow: '立即更新',
       releaseNotes: '發行說明',
       onLatest: '你已是最新版本。',
       installing: '正在安裝更新。',
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/i18n/zh.ts b/apps/desktop/src/i18n/zh.ts
index 271ca9e4899..5cf9e23d982 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/i18n/zh.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/i18n/zh.ts
@@ -582,6 +582,7 @@ export const zh: Translations = {
       checkNow: '立即检查',
       checking: '检查中…',
       seeWhatsNew: '查看新增内容',
+      updateNow: '立即更新',
       releaseNotes: '发行说明',
       onLatest: '你已是最新版本。',
       installing: '正在安装更新。',
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/store/updates.ts b/apps/desktop/src/store/updates.ts
index b9338314e70..f83b27e76e0 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/store/updates.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/store/updates.ts
@@ -195,6 +195,20 @@ export function openUpdatesWindow(): void {
   openUpdateOverlayFor(isRemoteMode() ? 'backend' : 'client')
 }
 
+/**
+ * Start applying the available update for the active target right away. Opens
+ * the updates overlay first so the user sees apply progress (the overlay
+ * renders ApplyingView once `applying` flips true), then kicks off the install.
+ * Used by the "Update now" affordance on the About panel, which would otherwise
+ * only be able to open the changelog overlay.
+ */
+export function startActiveUpdate(): void {
+  const target: UpdateTarget = isRemoteMode() ? 'backend' : 'client'
+  $updateOverlayTarget.set(target)
+  $updateOverlayOpen.set(true)
+  void (target === 'backend' ? applyBackendUpdate() : applyUpdates())
+}
+
 /** Re-read the running app's version from the Electron main process and
  *  publish it on `$desktopVersion`. Called when the About panel mounts, the
  *  update flow finishes, and the window regains focus, so the About text