diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index 5643f52..509b57f 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -87,6 +87,11 @@ jobs:
           done
           ls -la dist
 
+      - name: Web-flasher metadata (version.json + manifests, roll with release)
+        env:
+          TAG: ${{ steps.v.outputs.tag }}
+        run: python3 scripts/build/gen-flasher-meta.py "$TAG" dist "release-notes/$TAG.txt"
+
       - name: Create / update the GitHub Release
         env:
           GH_TOKEN: ${{ github.token }}
@@ -117,6 +122,7 @@ jobs:
             scp -i ~/.ssh/id_deploy "dist/$n.bin" "dist/$n-merged.bin" "$VPS:$REL/"
             scp -i ~/.ssh/id_deploy "dist/$n-merged.bin" "dist/$n.bin" "$VPS:$VPS_PATH/latest/"
           done
+          scp -i ~/.ssh/id_deploy dist/version.json dist/manifest-tdeck.json dist/manifest-heltec-v4-tft.json "$VPS:$VPS_PATH/latest/"
           $SSH "$VPS" "cd '$VPS_PATH/releases/TOUCH' && python3 -c \"import os,json; b=sorted(d for d in os.listdir('.') if d.startswith('beta_') and os.path.isdir(d)); open('index.json','w').write(json.dumps([{'name':x,'type':'dir'} for x in b], indent=2))\""
           rm -f ~/.ssh/id_deploy
           echo "Published $TAG to wadamesh.com"
diff --git a/deploy/site/index.html b/deploy/site/index.html
index 500ae57..5ab2a82 100644
--- a/deploy/site/index.html
+++ b/deploy/site/index.html
@@ -245,6 +245,10 @@
       <button class="back" data-back>← choose a different path</button>
       <div class="guide-head"><h3>Standalone install</h3></div>
       <p class="p">Plug the device in over USB and flash it right here. Works in <b>Chrome</b> or <b>Edge</b> on desktop.</p>
+      <div data-whatsnew hidden style="margin:18px auto 0;max-width:560px;background:rgba(21,182,166,.07);border:1px solid rgba(21,182,166,.28);border-radius:12px;padding:13px 16px;text-align:left">
+        <div style="font-weight:600">What's new in <span data-wn-tag style="color:var(--teal)">the latest build</span></div>
+        <ul data-wn-notes style="margin:7px 0 0;padding-left:18px;font-size:.9rem;color:var(--mut);line-height:1.55"></ul>
+      </div>
       <div class="steps" style="margin-top:22px">
         <div class="step"><div class="num">1</div><div><h4>Connect over USB</h4><p>Plug your T-Deck or Heltec V4 into your computer with a data cable.</p></div></div>
         <div class="step"><div class="num">2</div><div><h4>Pick your board &amp; install</h4><p>Hit <b>Install</b> below, choose the serial port, and let it flash. It does a clean full install.</p></div></div>
@@ -252,9 +256,9 @@
       </div>
       <div class="boards">
         <div class="board"><h4>Heltec V4 + TFT</h4><p>ESP32-S3 with CHSC6x touch.</p>
-          <esp-web-install-button manifest="./manifest-heltec-v4-tft.json"></esp-web-install-button></div>
+          <esp-web-install-button manifest="https://firmware.wadamesh.com/latest/manifest-heltec-v4-tft.json"></esp-web-install-button></div>
         <div class="board"><h4>LilyGo T-Deck / Plus</h4><p>ESP32-S3 keyboard handheld.</p>
-          <esp-web-install-button manifest="./manifest-tdeck.json"></esp-web-install-button></div>
+          <esp-web-install-button manifest="https://firmware.wadamesh.com/latest/manifest-tdeck.json"></esp-web-install-button></div>
       </div>
       <div class="noserial">Your browser can't flash here — use <b>Chrome</b> or <b>Edge</b> on a desktop.</div>
       <p class="hint">T-Deck not detected? Hold the trackball while tapping reset to force download mode.</p>
@@ -379,6 +383,22 @@ We use no tracking, analytics, or advertising cookies. Our CDN and security prov
   try { if (!localStorage.getItem('wm-cookie-ack')) cbar.classList.add('show'); } catch(_) {}
   document.getElementById('cookieok').addEventListener('click', () => { cbar.classList.remove('show'); try { localStorage.setItem('wm-cookie-ack','1'); } catch(_) {} });
 
+  // Live release version + "what's new" — read from the firmware host so the
+  // flasher always reflects the current build (the release pipeline updates
+  // version.json; no site redeploy needed per release).
+  fetch('https://firmware.wadamesh.com/latest/version.json', {cache:'no-store'})
+    .then(r => r.ok ? r.json() : null)
+    .then(v => {
+      if (!v || !v.tag) return;
+      document.querySelectorAll('[data-wn-tag]').forEach(e => e.textContent = v.tag);
+      const notes = Array.isArray(v.notes) ? v.notes : [];
+      document.querySelectorAll('[data-wn-notes]').forEach(ul => {
+        ul.innerHTML = '';
+        notes.forEach(n => { const li = document.createElement('li'); li.textContent = n; ul.appendChild(li); });
+      });
+      if (notes.length) document.querySelectorAll('[data-whatsnew]').forEach(b => b.hidden = false);
+    }).catch(()=>{});
+
 </script>
 
 <!-- animated mesh backdrop — Vanta NET (3D dot-and-line network) in wadamesh teal on white.
diff --git a/deploy/site/manifest-heltec-v4-tft.json b/deploy/site/manifest-heltec-v4-tft.json
deleted file mode 100644
index a89a22e..0000000
--- a/deploy/site/manifest-heltec-v4-tft.json
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,13 +0,0 @@
-{
-  "name": "wadamesh — Heltec V4 TFT",
-  "version": "beta_1",
-  "new_install_prompt_erase": true,
-  "builds": [
-    {
-      "chipFamily": "ESP32-S3",
-      "parts": [
-        { "path": "https://firmware.wadamesh.com/latest/wadamesh-heltec-v4-tft-merged.bin", "offset": 0 }
-      ]
-    }
-  ]
-}
diff --git a/deploy/site/manifest-tdeck.json b/deploy/site/manifest-tdeck.json
deleted file mode 100644
index 2d7e1f9..0000000
--- a/deploy/site/manifest-tdeck.json
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,13 +0,0 @@
-{
-  "name": "wadamesh — LilyGo T-Deck",
-  "version": "beta_1",
-  "new_install_prompt_erase": true,
-  "builds": [
-    {
-      "chipFamily": "ESP32-S3",
-      "parts": [
-        { "path": "https://firmware.wadamesh.com/latest/wadamesh-tdeck-merged.bin", "offset": 0 }
-      ]
-    }
-  ]
-}
diff --git a/release-notes/beta_2.txt b/release-notes/beta_2.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..35d2dc2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/release-notes/beta_2.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+New WADAMESH boot logo + teal default theme
+Wi-Fi scan no longer crashes when no network is connected
+Wi-Fi settings apply live — no more reboot prompt
+Factory reset now fully wipes the device (SD-storage fix)
diff --git a/scripts/build/gen-flasher-meta.py b/scripts/build/gen-flasher-meta.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..70b649e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/build/gen-flasher-meta.py
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+# Generate the web-flasher metadata that must roll with every release:
+#   - version.json            : {tag, notes[]} — the site shows this ("what's new")
+#   - manifest-tdeck.json      : esp-web-tools manifest (its "version" drives the
+#   - manifest-heltec-v4-tft.json   install dialog, so it must equal the tag)
+#
+# These live next to the rolling bins at firmware.wadamesh.com/latest/, so the
+# flasher always reflects the current release without a site redeploy.
+#
+# Usage: gen-flasher-meta.py <tag> <outdir> [notes_file]
+#   notes_file: one note per non-empty line (plain text); optional.
+import sys, json, os
+
+tag = sys.argv[1]
+outdir = sys.argv[2]
+notes_file = sys.argv[3] if len(sys.argv) > 3 else None
+
+notes = []
+if notes_file and os.path.exists(notes_file):
+    notes = [ln.strip() for ln in open(notes_file) if ln.strip() and not ln.startswith("#")]
+
+os.makedirs(outdir, exist_ok=True)
+
+with open(os.path.join(outdir, "version.json"), "w") as f:
+    json.dump({"tag": tag, "notes": notes}, f, indent=2)
+
+BOARDS = {
+    "manifest-tdeck.json":         ("wadamesh — LilyGo T-Deck", "wadamesh-tdeck-merged.bin"),
+    "manifest-heltec-v4-tft.json": ("wadamesh — Heltec V4 TFT", "wadamesh-heltec-v4-tft-merged.bin"),
+}
+for fn, (name, binf) in BOARDS.items():
+    manifest = {
+        "name": name,
+        "version": tag,
+        "new_install_prompt_erase": True,
+        "builds": [{
+            "chipFamily": "ESP32-S3",
+            "parts": [{"path": f"https://firmware.wadamesh.com/latest/{binf}", "offset": 0}],
+        }],
+    }
+    with open(os.path.join(outdir, fn), "w") as f:
+        json.dump(manifest, f, indent=2)
+
+print(f"wrote version.json + 2 manifests for {tag} -> {outdir}  (notes: {len(notes)})")
diff --git a/scripts/release.sh b/scripts/release.sh
index 59538c0..8078ef7 100755
--- a/scripts/release.sh
+++ b/scripts/release.sh
@@ -49,6 +49,11 @@ print(json.dumps([{"name": b, "type": "dir"} for b in betas], indent=2))
 PY
 echo "listing: $(python3 -c 'import json,sys;print(", ".join(x["name"] for x in json.load(open(sys.argv[1]))))' "$REL/index.json")"
 
+# 3b. Web-flasher metadata (version.json + esp-web-tools manifests) — must roll
+#     with the release so the flasher shows the current version + notes, not a
+#     frozen one. Notes come from release-notes/<tag>.txt (one per line; optional).
+python3 "$ROOT/scripts/build/gen-flasher-meta.py" "$TAG" "$LATEST" "$ROOT/release-notes/$TAG.txt"
+
 # 4. Publish to the VPS (Cloudflare caches at the edge).
 if [ -n "$DEST" ]; then
   rsync -av "$OUT/" "$DEST:$DEST_PATH/"