diff --git a/server/shell.ts b/server/shell.ts
index a0651e9..a1e5d93 100644
--- a/server/shell.ts
+++ b/server/shell.ts
@@ -290,6 +290,16 @@ export function renderShell(opts: ShellOptions): string {
   <style>${TABBAR_CSS}</style>
 </head>
 <body data-space-visibility="${escapeAttr(spaceVisibility)}" data-space-slug="${escapeAttr(spaceSlug)}" data-module-id="${escapeAttr(moduleId)}" data-scope-overrides="${escapeAttr(JSON.stringify(scopeOverrides))}">
+  <div class="rspace-banner rspace-banner--install" id="pwa-install-banner" style="display:none">
+    <span class="rspace-banner__text">Install rSpace app for the best experience</span>
+    <button class="rspace-banner__action" id="pwa-install-btn">Install</button>
+    <button class="rspace-banner__close" id="pwa-install-close" title="Dismiss">&times;</button>
+  </div>
+  <div class="rspace-banner rspace-banner--update" id="pwa-update-banner" style="display:none">
+    <span class="rspace-banner__text">New version available</span>
+    <button class="rspace-banner__action" id="pwa-update-btn">Update</button>
+    <button class="rspace-banner__close" id="pwa-update-close" title="Dismiss">&times;</button>
+  </div>
   <header class="rstack-header">
     <div class="rstack-header__left">
       <a href="/" style="display:flex;align-items:center;margin-right:4px"><img src="/favicon.png" alt="rSpace" class="rstack-header__logo"></a>
@@ -343,16 +353,67 @@ export function renderShell(opts: ShellOptions): string {
 
   <script type="module">
     import '/shell.js';
-    // ── Service worker registration ──
+    // ── Service worker registration + update detection ──
     if ("serviceWorker" in navigator && location.hostname !== "localhost") {
-      navigator.serviceWorker.register("/sw.js?v=4").catch(() => {});
+      navigator.serviceWorker.register("/sw.js?v=5").then((reg) => {
+        function showUpdateBanner() {
+          const b = document.getElementById('pwa-update-banner');
+          if (!b || b.style.display !== 'none') return;
+          b.style.display = '';
+          document.body.classList.add('rspace-banner-visible');
+        }
+        if (reg.waiting) showUpdateBanner();
+        reg.addEventListener('updatefound', () => {
+          const nw = reg.installing;
+          if (!nw) return;
+          nw.addEventListener('statechange', () => {
+            if (nw.state === 'installed' && navigator.serviceWorker.controller) showUpdateBanner();
+          });
+        });
+      }).catch(() => {});
+      let refreshing = false;
+      navigator.serviceWorker.addEventListener('controllerchange', () => {
+        if (refreshing) return;
+        refreshing = true;
+        location.reload();
+      });
     }
-    // ── Install prompt capture ──
+    // ── PWA install banner ──
     window.addEventListener("beforeinstallprompt", (e) => {
       e.preventDefault();
       window.__rspaceInstallPrompt = () => { e.prompt(); return e.userChoice; };
       window.dispatchEvent(new CustomEvent("rspace-install-available"));
+      if (localStorage.getItem('rspace_install_dismissed') !== '1') {
+        const b = document.getElementById('pwa-install-banner');
+        if (b) { b.style.display = ''; document.body.classList.add('rspace-banner-visible'); }
+      }
     });
+    document.getElementById('pwa-install-btn')?.addEventListener('click', async () => {
+      if (window.__rspaceInstallPrompt) {
+        const choice = await window.__rspaceInstallPrompt();
+        if (choice?.outcome === 'accepted') {
+          document.getElementById('pwa-install-banner').style.display = 'none';
+          document.body.classList.remove('rspace-banner-visible');
+          localStorage.setItem('rspace_install_dismissed', '1');
+        }
+      }
+    });
+    document.getElementById('pwa-install-close')?.addEventListener('click', () => {
+      document.getElementById('pwa-install-banner').style.display = 'none';
+      document.body.classList.remove('rspace-banner-visible');
+      localStorage.setItem('rspace_install_dismissed', '1');
+    });
+    document.getElementById('pwa-update-btn')?.addEventListener('click', () => {
+      navigator.serviceWorker?.getRegistration().then((reg) => { reg?.waiting?.postMessage({ type: 'SKIP_WAITING' }); });
+    });
+    document.getElementById('pwa-update-close')?.addEventListener('click', () => {
+      document.getElementById('pwa-update-banner').style.display = 'none';
+      document.body.classList.remove('rspace-banner-visible');
+    });
+    if (window.matchMedia('(display-mode: standalone)').matches) {
+      const ib = document.getElementById('pwa-install-banner');
+      if (ib) ib.style.display = 'none';
+    }
     // ── Header minimize toggle ──
     if (localStorage.getItem('rspace_headers_minimized') === '1') {
       document.body.classList.add('rspace-headers-minimized');
@@ -2188,7 +2249,7 @@ export function renderModuleLanding(opts: ModuleLandingOptions): string {
   <script type="module">
     import '/shell.js';
     if ("serviceWorker" in navigator && location.hostname !== "localhost") {
-      navigator.serviceWorker.register("/sw.js?v=4").catch(() => {});
+      navigator.serviceWorker.register("/sw.js?v=5").catch(() => {});
     }
     document.querySelector('rstack-app-switcher')?.setModules(${moduleListJSON});
     try {
@@ -2523,7 +2584,7 @@ export function renderSubPageInfo(opts: SubPageInfoOptions): string {
   <script type="module">
     import '/shell.js';
     if ("serviceWorker" in navigator && location.hostname !== "localhost") {
-      navigator.serviceWorker.register("/sw.js?v=4").catch(() => {});
+      navigator.serviceWorker.register("/sw.js?v=5").catch(() => {});
     }
     document.querySelector('rstack-app-switcher')?.setModules(${moduleListJSON});
     try {
diff --git a/website/public/shell.css b/website/public/shell.css
index 94b29b7..9bfa523 100644
--- a/website/public/shell.css
+++ b/website/public/shell.css
@@ -10,6 +10,92 @@ body {
   padding-bottom: env(safe-area-inset-bottom);
 }
 
+/* ── PWA install / update banners ── */
+
+.rspace-banner {
+  position: fixed;
+  top: 0; left: 0; right: 0;
+  z-index: 10002;
+  display: flex;
+  align-items: center;
+  justify-content: center;
+  gap: 12px;
+  padding: 8px 16px;
+  font-size: 0.8125rem;
+  animation: rspace-banner-in 0.3s ease-out;
+}
+@keyframes rspace-banner-in {
+  from { transform: translateY(-100%); }
+  to { transform: translateY(0); }
+}
+.rspace-banner--install {
+  background: linear-gradient(135deg, #14b8a6, #0ea5e9);
+  color: #fff;
+}
+.rspace-banner--update {
+  background: linear-gradient(135deg, #f59e0b, #ef4444);
+  color: #fff;
+}
+.rspace-banner__text {
+  flex: 1;
+  text-align: center;
+  font-weight: 500;
+}
+.rspace-banner__action {
+  padding: 4px 14px;
+  border-radius: 6px;
+  border: 1px solid rgba(255,255,255,0.4);
+  background: rgba(255,255,255,0.2);
+  color: #fff;
+  font-size: 0.8125rem;
+  font-weight: 600;
+  cursor: pointer;
+  white-space: nowrap;
+  transition: background 0.15s;
+}
+.rspace-banner__action:hover {
+  background: rgba(255,255,255,0.35);
+}
+.rspace-banner__close {
+  background: none;
+  border: none;
+  color: rgba(255,255,255,0.7);
+  font-size: 1.25rem;
+  cursor: pointer;
+  padding: 0 4px;
+  line-height: 1;
+}
+.rspace-banner__close:hover {
+  color: #fff;
+}
+/* Push header down when a banner is visible */
+body.rspace-banner-visible .rstack-header {
+  top: 36px;
+}
+body.rspace-banner-visible .rstack-tab-row {
+  top: 92px; /* 36px banner + 56px header */
+}
+body.rspace-banner-visible #app {
+  padding-top: 128px; /* 36px banner + 92px normal */
+}
+body.rspace-banner-visible .rapp-subnav {
+  top: 129px;
+}
+@media (max-width: 640px) {
+  .rspace-banner {
+    font-size: 0.75rem;
+    gap: 8px;
+    padding: 6px 12px;
+  }
+  /* On mobile, header is sticky not fixed, so no offsets needed —
+     the banner sits in flow above the header */
+  body.rspace-banner-visible .rstack-header { top: 0; }
+  body.rspace-banner-visible .rstack-tab-row { top: 0; }
+  body.rspace-banner-visible #app { padding-top: 0; }
+  body.rspace-banner-visible .rapp-subnav { top: auto; }
+  .rspace-banner { position: sticky; }
+}
+
 /* ── Header bar ── */
 
 .rstack-header {
diff --git a/website/sw.ts b/website/sw.ts
index d8e9090..ac30f61 100644
--- a/website/sw.ts
+++ b/website/sw.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 /// <reference lib="webworker" />
 declare const self: ServiceWorkerGlobalScope;
 
-const CACHE_VERSION = "rspace-v4";
+const CACHE_VERSION = "rspace-v5";
 const STATIC_CACHE = `${CACHE_VERSION}-static`;
 const HTML_CACHE = `${CACHE_VERSION}-html`;
 const API_CACHE = `${CACHE_VERSION}-api`;
@@ -51,7 +51,8 @@ self.addEventListener("install", (event) => {
 			]);
 		})()
 	);
-	self.skipWaiting();
+	// Don't skipWaiting automatically — let the client trigger it via
+	// SKIP_WAITING message so the update banner can prompt the user first.
 });
 
 self.addEventListener("activate", (event) => {
@@ -292,6 +293,12 @@ self.addEventListener("message", (event) => {
 	const msg = event.data;
 	if (!msg || typeof msg !== "object") return;
 
+	// Client requests this SW to activate immediately (user clicked "Update")
+	if (msg.type === "SKIP_WAITING") {
+		self.skipWaiting();
+		return;
+	}
+
 	if (msg.type === "cache-ecosystem-module" && msg.moduleUrl) {
 		event.waitUntil(
 			(async () => {
