diff --git a/src-tauri/src/lib.rs b/src-tauri/src/lib.rs
index aadf45c..27ff80e 100644
--- a/src-tauri/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src-tauri/src/lib.rs
@@ -660,7 +660,8 @@ async fn download_and_install_update(app: tauri::AppHandle, tag: String) -> Resu
         #[derive(serde::Deserialize)]
         struct Release { assets: Vec<Asset> }
 
-        let release: Release = resp.json().await.map_err(|e| e.to_string())?;
+        let body = resp.text().await.map_err(|e| e.to_string())?;
+        let release: Release = serde_json::from_str(&body).map_err(|e| e.to_string())?;
 
         let asset = release.assets
             .into_iter()
@@ -682,12 +683,16 @@ async fn download_and_install_update(app: tauri::AppHandle, tag: String) -> Resu
         }
         drop(file);
 
-        // Launch the NSIS installer — it handles closing/replacing the running app.
-        std::process::Command::new("cmd")
-            .args(["/C", "start", "", &tmp_path.to_string_lossy()])
+        // Launch the NSIS installer silently without a visible cmd window.
+        use std::os::windows::process::CommandExt;
+        const CREATE_NO_WINDOW: u32 = 0x08000000;
+        std::process::Command::new(&tmp_path)
+            .creation_flags(CREATE_NO_WINDOW)
             .spawn()
             .map_err(|e| e.to_string())?;
 
+        let _ = app.emit("update-launching", ());
+
         Ok(())
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/features/settings/sections/AboutSettings.svelte b/src/features/settings/sections/AboutSettings.svelte
index fef71ab..12fd104 100644
--- a/src/features/settings/sections/AboutSettings.svelte
+++ b/src/features/settings/sections/AboutSettings.svelte
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
   import { open as openUrl } from "@tauri-apps/plugin-shell";
 
   interface ReleaseInfo { tag_name: string; name: string; body: string; published_at: string; html_url: string; }
-  type UpdatePhase = "idle" | "downloading" | "ready" | "error";
+  type UpdatePhase = "idle" | "downloading" | "launching" | "ready" | "error";
   const IS_WINDOWS = navigator.userAgent.includes("Windows");
 
   let appVersion      = $state("…");
@@ -33,6 +33,13 @@
     return () => unlisten?.();
   });
 
+  $effect(() => {
+    let unlisten: (() => void) | undefined;
+    listen("update-launching", () => { updatePhase = "launching"; })
+      .then(fn => { unlisten = fn; });
+    return () => unlisten?.();
+  });
+
   async function loadReleases() {
     releasesLoading = true; releasesError = null;
     try {
@@ -81,7 +88,7 @@
     try {
       if (IS_WINDOWS) {
         try { await invoke("kill_server"); } catch {}
-        await invoke("download_and_install_update");
+        await invoke("download_and_install_update", { tag: release.tag_name });
         updatePhase = "ready";
       } else {
         await openUrl(release.html_url);
@@ -134,6 +141,11 @@
           </div>
         </div>
       {/if}
+      {#if updatePhase === "launching"}
+        <div class="s-update-ready">
+          <span class="s-update-ready-label">Launching installer for {targetTag}…</span>
+        </div>
+      {/if}
       {#if updatePhase === "ready"}
         <div class="s-update-ready">
           <span class="s-update-ready-label">{targetTag} downloaded — restart to finish installing.</span>