diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index f2d4464..5b08268 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 All notable changes to DealDrop are documented in this file.
 
 ## [Unreleased]
+- Fixed: Settings → About → **Check for updates** says GitHub couldn't be reached when the check fails, instead of "You're on the latest version." A failed check also no longer hides an update that was already offered.
 - Linux: DealDrop is now a **Flatpak** (`DealDrop_<version>_x86_64.flatpak`) instead of an AppImage. Install it once by hand; settings, sign-ins and "Start when I log in" carry over from the AppImage (same `~/.config/dealdrop/`). The AppImage gets no more updates.
 - **Update to vX.Y.Z** in the sidebar when a newer release is out (checked at start and every 6 hours). The Flatpak downloads and installs it and restarts; Windows and macOS open the release page.
 - Settings → About has a **Check for updates** button that says whether you're on the latest version (or that GitHub couldn't be reached).
diff --git a/renderer/app.js b/renderer/app.js
index d370244..0ffc338 100644
--- a/renderer/app.js
+++ b/renderer/app.js
@@ -2014,19 +2014,26 @@ async function copyError () {
   announceStatus('Copied')
 }
 
+// A check that couldn't reach GitHub is not "no update": keep the offer already shown.
+function updateAfterCheck (shown, answer, reached) {
+  return reached ? answer : shown
+}
+
 // "Update to vX.Y.Z" above the error box when GitHub has a newer release for this platform.
 // The Flatpak installs it and restarts; other builds open the release page.
-// Returns false when the check itself failed; the 6-hourly calls stay silent about that.
+// Returns false when the check itself failed; the 6-hourly calls stay silent about that,
+// and an update already offered stays up.
 async function checkUpdate () {
-  let ok = true
-  state.update = await window.api.checkUpdate().catch(() => { ok = false; return null })
-  if (ok && !state.update && state.updateError) { state.updateError = null; renderErrors() } // the failed update is gone (installed by hand, or withdrawn)
+  let reached = true
+  const answer = await window.api.checkUpdate().catch(() => { reached = false; return null })
+  state.update = updateAfterCheck(state.update, answer, reached)
+  if (reached && !state.update && state.updateError) { state.updateError = null; renderErrors() } // the failed update is gone (installed by hand, or withdrawn)
   const box = document.getElementById('sidebar-update')
   const btn = document.getElementById('btn-update')
-  if (!box || !btn || btn.disabled) return ok
+  if (!box || !btn || btn.disabled) return reached
   box.style.display = state.update ? 'block' : 'none'
   if (state.update) btn.textContent = `Update to v${state.update.version}`
-  return ok
+  return reached
 }
 
 // Settings → About: a check the user asked for, so it says what happened (textContent: the version comes from the network).
diff --git a/src-tauri/src/main.rs b/src-tauri/src/main.rs
index a609801..9494281 100644
--- a/src-tauri/src/main.rs
+++ b/src-tauri/src/main.rs
@@ -1042,13 +1042,21 @@ fn get_autostart() -> bool { autostart::get() }
 #[tauri::command]
 fn set_autostart(on: bool) -> Result<(), String> { autostart::set(on) }
 
+/// `Ok(None)` means this platform is up to date. An error stays an error: the UI reads `None`
+/// as "You're on the latest version", so a GitHub failure must not look like that.
+fn offered_update(found: Result<Option<Update>, String>, in_flatpak: bool) -> Result<Option<Update>, String> {
+    found.map(|up| up.map(|u| Update { can_install: u.bundle.is_some() && in_flatpak, ..u }))
+}
+
 /// A newer release for this platform, if any (the UI asks at start and every 6 hours).
+/// Errors reject the command so Settings → About can say GitHub couldn't be reached.
 #[tauri::command]
-async fn check_update() -> Option<Update> {
-    match latest_release().await {
-        Ok(up) => up.map(|u| Update { can_install: u.bundle.is_some() && update::in_flatpak(), ..u }),
-        Err(e) => { eprintln!("[update check] {e}"); None }
-    }
+async fn check_update() -> Result<Option<Update>, String> {
+    let found = match latest_release().await {
+        Ok(up) => Ok(up),
+        Err(e) => { eprintln!("[update check] {e}"); Err(e) }
+    };
+    offered_update(found, update::in_flatpak())
 }
 
 /// Flatpak only: downloads the newest release's bundle, installs it and restarts into it.
@@ -1217,9 +1225,29 @@ fn main() {
 
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod tests {
-    use super::{LiveSale, days_from_civil, sale_soon_notice, sale_starting_tomorrow, SALES, clamp_cut, dedupe_free, failure, free_notice, fresh_big_deals, fresh_free, fresh_wishlist, is_hidden, keep_or_fail, keep_prices, carry_cheapest, carry_deal_lowest, normalize_hidden, normalize_targets, target_hits, target_notice, price_failure, CS_BLOCKED, normalize_title, remember_big_deals, remember_free, remember_wishlist, restore_by_prefix, safe_https, sale_key, should_prime, store_label, tray_counts, tray_tooltip, with_count, wishlist_notice, load_db, proton_suffix, Acct, Db, Deal, Free, Price, Prime, Settings, SteamProfile, Tokens, WishItem, accounts, same_refresh, BIG_DEAL_CUTS, WISHLIST_CUTS};
+    use super::{LiveSale, days_from_civil, sale_soon_notice, sale_starting_tomorrow, SALES, clamp_cut, dedupe_free, failure, free_notice, fresh_big_deals, fresh_free, fresh_wishlist, is_hidden, keep_or_fail, keep_prices, carry_cheapest, carry_deal_lowest, normalize_hidden, normalize_targets, target_hits, target_notice, price_failure, CS_BLOCKED, normalize_title, remember_big_deals, remember_free, remember_wishlist, restore_by_prefix, safe_https, sale_key, should_prime, store_label, tray_counts, tray_tooltip, with_count, wishlist_notice, load_db, proton_suffix, Acct, Db, Deal, Free, Price, Prime, Settings, SteamProfile, Tokens, Update, WishItem, accounts, offered_update, same_refresh, BIG_DEAL_CUTS, WISHLIST_CUTS};
     use std::collections::{HashMap, HashSet};
 
+    #[test]
+    fn a_failed_update_check_is_not_the_same_as_being_up_to_date() {
+        let bundle = Some("https://github.com/SusieeTheLinuxUser/dealdrop/releases/download/v0.10.0/DealDrop_0.10.0_x86_64.flatpak".into());
+        let up = Update {
+            version: "0.10.0".into(),
+            page: "https://github.com/SusieeTheLinuxUser/dealdrop/releases/tag/v0.10.0".into(),
+            bundle: bundle.clone(),
+            can_install: false,
+        };
+        let flatpak = offered_update(Ok(Some(up.clone())), true).unwrap().unwrap();
+        assert!(flatpak.can_install); // only the Flatpak installs the bundle itself
+        assert_eq!(flatpak.bundle, bundle);
+        let other = offered_update(Ok(Some(up)), false).unwrap().unwrap();
+        assert!(!other.can_install); // Windows, macOS, and a non-Flatpak Linux build open the release page
+        assert!(!offered_update(Ok(Some(Update { bundle: None, ..other })), true).unwrap().unwrap().can_install);
+        assert_eq!(offered_update(Ok(None), true).unwrap(), None); // a real "nothing newer"
+        // the About button reads a rejected command as "Couldn't reach GitHub", not as up to date
+        assert_eq!(offered_update(Err("HTTP 503".into()), true), Err("HTTP 503".into()));
+    }
+
     #[cfg(unix)]
     #[test]
     fn a_config_that_cant_be_moved_aside_stops_saving() {
diff --git a/tools/preview/selfcheck.mjs b/tools/preview/selfcheck.mjs
index c8c03b7..3325e0c 100644
--- a/tools/preview/selfcheck.mjs
+++ b/tools/preview/selfcheck.mjs
@@ -31,10 +31,11 @@ vm.runInContext([
   between('function nextTheme (', '\nfunction syncSaleTheme'),
   between('function wishlistLowestTag (', '\n// ─── Price targets'),
   between('const saleKey =', '\n// Live sale →'),
+  between('function updateAfterCheck (', '\n// "Update to v'),
   between('const targetKey', '\nfunction wishlistTargetTag'),
   between('const nextIndex', '\n// Moves focus between'),
   between('const fmt$ =', '\n// CSP forbids inline onerror'),
-  'globalThis.helpers = { SALES, state, filteredSorted, storeKeyFor, escHtml, updateRefreshAge, mergeUiPrefs, dealShops, parseClaimed, pruneClaimed, toggleClaimed, claimedLast, normalizeTitle, hiddenTitle, searchRank, parseSeen, newIds, mergeSeen, wishlistKey, seenIds, salesSeenIds, PAGE_SIZE, pageSlice, nextTheme, targetKey, targetPrice, targetHit, parseTarget, protonTier, protonText, protonTag, nextIndex, fmt$, salePriceDescription, dataSig, timeLeft, endsFirst, endDateLabel, startDateLabel, fmtChecked, gameStoreName, srcIcon, wishlistLowestTag, saleKey, BASE_THEMES, SALE_THEMES }',
+  'globalThis.helpers = { SALES, state, filteredSorted, storeKeyFor, escHtml, updateRefreshAge, mergeUiPrefs, dealShops, parseClaimed, pruneClaimed, toggleClaimed, claimedLast, normalizeTitle, hiddenTitle, searchRank, parseSeen, newIds, mergeSeen, wishlistKey, seenIds, salesSeenIds, PAGE_SIZE, pageSlice, nextTheme, targetKey, targetPrice, targetHit, parseTarget, protonTier, protonText, protonTag, nextIndex, fmt$, salePriceDescription, dataSig, timeLeft, endsFirst, endDateLabel, startDateLabel, fmtChecked, gameStoreName, srcIcon, wishlistLowestTag, saleKey, updateAfterCheck, BASE_THEMES, SALE_THEMES }',
 ].join('\n'), context)
 
 const h = context.helpers
@@ -360,6 +361,13 @@ assert.equal(h.saleKey({ name: 'Autumn Sale' }), 'autumn')
 assert.equal(h.saleKey({ name: 'Weekly Deals' }), undefined)
 assert.equal(h.saleKey({ name: 'Steam Scream Fest' }), undefined) // a fest, not a seasonal sale
 
+// A failed update check keeps the offer already shown; only a reached answer replaces it
+const offered = { version: '0.10.0' }
+assert.equal(h.updateAfterCheck(offered, null, false), offered)
+assert.equal(h.updateAfterCheck(null, null, false), null)
+assert.equal(h.updateAfterCheck(offered, null, true), null) // reached, and nothing newer: the offer is gone
+assert.equal(h.updateAfterCheck(null, offered, true), offered)
+
 // Countdowns: the d/h/soon split is the floor of the exact instant delta (never a wall-clock
 // day count, which would shift across a DST night); relative durations keep this runnable any day
 for (const [ms, label] of [[2.5 * 86400000, '2d left'], [86400000 + 60000, '1d left'], [86400000 - 60000, '23h left'], [5 * 3600000 - 60000, '4h left'], [3600000 + 60000, '1h left'], [3600000 - 60000, 'ending soon']]) {
@@ -381,4 +389,4 @@ for (const t of jsThemes) {
 for (const t of cssThemes) assert.equal(jsThemes.has(t), true, `style.css theme "${t}" is missing from BASE_THEMES/SALE_THEMES in app.js`)
 assert.equal(jsThemes.has('midnight'), true) // and the root default is offered in Settings
 
-console.log('Renderer self-check passed (price targets, escaping, hidden titles, search ranking, filters, store filter, UI preference merge, claimed games, seen deals, list paging, next sale, refresh age, sale themes, J/K navigation, money and date labels, poll data signature, ProtonDB tiers, lowest-ever rule, sale keys, countdown thresholds, theme/CSS consistency).')
+console.log('Renderer self-check passed (price targets, escaping, hidden titles, search ranking, filters, store filter, UI preference merge, claimed games, seen deals, list paging, next sale, refresh age, sale themes, J/K navigation, money and date labels, poll data signature, ProtonDB tiers, lowest-ever rule, sale keys, countdown thresholds, theme/CSS consistency, failed update check).')