diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 199167e..f0745c1 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -9,3 +9,4 @@ build/
 
 # clangd compile database (symlink into build/)
 compile_commands.json
+.playwright-mcp/
diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index b4ffeee..69d2414 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -378,14 +378,17 @@ if(APPLE)
     FetchContent_Declare(sparkle
         URL https://github.com/sparkle-project/Sparkle/releases/download/2.6.4/Sparkle-2.6.4.tar.xz)
     FetchContent_MakeAvailable(sparkle)
-    target_sources(${PROJECT_NAME} PRIVATE src/app/AutoUpdaterSparkle.mm)
-    # the C++ PCH is built with Objective-C disabled; reusing it for this
-    # Objective-C++ source fails ("Objective-C was disabled in precompiled
-    # file ... but is currently enabled"), so skip the PCH for it
-    set_source_files_properties(src/app/AutoUpdaterSparkle.mm
+    target_sources(${PROJECT_NAME} PRIVATE
+        src/app/AutoUpdaterSparkle.mm
+        src/app/MoveToApplications.mm)
+    # the C++ PCH is built with Objective-C disabled; reusing it for these
+    # Objective-C++ sources fails ("Objective-C was disabled in precompiled
+    # file ... but is currently enabled"), so skip the PCH for them
+    set_source_files_properties(src/app/AutoUpdaterSparkle.mm src/app/MoveToApplications.mm
         PROPERTIES SKIP_PRECOMPILE_HEADERS ON)
     target_compile_options(${PROJECT_NAME} PRIVATE -F${sparkle_SOURCE_DIR})
-    target_link_libraries(${PROJECT_NAME} PRIVATE "-F${sparkle_SOURCE_DIR}" "-framework Sparkle")
+    target_link_libraries(${PROJECT_NAME} PRIVATE "-F${sparkle_SOURCE_DIR}" "-framework Sparkle"
+        "-framework AppKit")
     configure_file(${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/packaging/Info.plist.in
         ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/Info.plist @ONLY)
     set_target_properties(${PROJECT_NAME} PROPERTIES
@@ -393,8 +396,12 @@ if(APPLE)
         MACOSX_BUNDLE_INFO_PLIST ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/Info.plist
         BUILD_RPATH "@executable_path/../Frameworks"
         INSTALL_RPATH "@executable_path/../Frameworks")
+    # USE_SOURCE_PERMISSIONS: without it every file installs as 644 and
+    # Sparkle's Autoupdate/Updater/XPC helpers lose their execute bits, so
+    # launchd refuses to run them and every update fails
     install(DIRECTORY ${sparkle_SOURCE_DIR}/Sparkle.framework
-        DESTINATION ${PROJECT_NAME}.app/Contents/Frameworks)
+        DESTINATION ${PROJECT_NAME}.app/Contents/Frameworks
+        USE_SOURCE_PERMISSIONS)
 endif()
 
 target_precompile_headers(${PROJECT_NAME} PRIVATE
diff --git a/src/app/MoveToApplications.mm b/src/app/MoveToApplications.mm
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ba2759c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/app/MoveToApplications.mm
@@ -0,0 +1,85 @@
+// Offers to move the app into /Applications on launch when it is running from
+// its download location (Downloads, a mounted DMG, or an App Translocation
+// path). Sparkle refuses to update from any of those, so without the move the
+// user hits "OpenMix can't be updated if it's running from the location it was
+// downloaded to". Compiled only on macOS.
+
+#import <AppKit/AppKit.h>
+#import <Foundation/Foundation.h>
+
+static BOOL inApplicationsFolder(NSString* path) {
+    NSArray<NSString*>* dirs =
+        NSSearchPathForDirectoriesInDomains(NSApplicationDirectory, NSAllDomainsMask, YES);
+    for (NSString* dir in dirs) {
+        if ([path hasPrefix:[dir stringByAppendingString:@"/"]])
+            return YES;
+    }
+    return [path hasPrefix:@"/Applications/"];
+}
+
+static void showMoveError(NSError* error) {
+    NSAlert* alert = [[NSAlert alloc] init];
+    alert.alertStyle = NSAlertStyleWarning;
+    alert.messageText = @"Could not move OpenMix";
+    alert.informativeText = [NSString
+        stringWithFormat:@"%@\n\nYou can move OpenMix.app to the Applications folder manually.",
+                         error.localizedDescription];
+    [alert addButtonWithTitle:@"OK"];
+    [alert runModal];
+}
+
+extern "C" void openmix_offer_move_to_applications() {
+    NSString* bundlePath = [[NSBundle mainBundle] bundlePath];
+    if (![bundlePath hasSuffix:@".app"])
+        return; // bare dev binary, not an app bundle
+    if (inApplicationsFolder(bundlePath))
+        return;
+
+    NSUserDefaults* defaults = [NSUserDefaults standardUserDefaults];
+    if ([defaults boolForKey:@"OMMoveToApplicationsDeclined"])
+        return;
+
+    NSAlert* alert = [[NSAlert alloc] init];
+    alert.messageText = @"Move OpenMix to the Applications folder?";
+    alert.informativeText = @"OpenMix is running from its download location. "
+                            @"Automatic updates only work from the Applications folder.";
+    [alert addButtonWithTitle:@"Move to Applications"];
+    [alert addButtonWithTitle:@"Don't Move"];
+    if ([alert runModal] != NSAlertFirstButtonReturn) {
+        [defaults setBool:YES forKey:@"OMMoveToApplicationsDeclined"];
+        return;
+    }
+
+    NSFileManager* fm = [NSFileManager defaultManager];
+    NSString* appsDir = @"/Applications";
+    if (![fm isWritableFileAtPath:appsDir]) {
+        appsDir = [NSHomeDirectory() stringByAppendingPathComponent:@"Applications"];
+        [fm createDirectoryAtPath:appsDir withIntermediateDirectories:YES attributes:nil error:nil];
+    }
+    NSString* dest = [appsDir stringByAppendingPathComponent:[bundlePath lastPathComponent]];
+
+    NSError* error = nil;
+    if ([fm fileExistsAtPath:dest] && ![fm removeItemAtPath:dest error:&error]) {
+        showMoveError(error);
+        return;
+    }
+    if (![fm copyItemAtPath:bundlePath toPath:dest error:&error]) {
+        showMoveError(error);
+        return;
+    }
+
+    // strip quarantine so Gatekeeper does not translocate the copy on launch
+    NSTask* xattr = [NSTask launchedTaskWithLaunchPath:@"/usr/bin/xattr"
+                                             arguments:@[ @"-dr", @"com.apple.quarantine", dest ]];
+    [xattr waitUntilExit];
+
+    // tidy up the old copy when it is deletable (it is not on a mounted DMG or
+    // under an App Translocation mount; the stale copy is harmless there)
+    [fm trashItemAtURL:[NSURL fileURLWithPath:bundlePath] resultingItemURL:nil error:nil];
+
+    // relaunch from the new location once this process has exited
+    NSString* script =
+        [NSString stringWithFormat:@"sleep 0.5; /usr/bin/open -n \"%@\"", dest];
+    [NSTask launchedTaskWithLaunchPath:@"/bin/sh" arguments:@[ @"-c", script ]];
+    exit(0);
+}
diff --git a/src/main.cpp b/src/main.cpp
index 272ad7d..57e9c8b 100644
--- a/src/main.cpp
+++ b/src/main.cpp
@@ -29,6 +29,11 @@ class FastTooltipStyle : public QProxyStyle {
 };
 } // namespace OpenMix
 
+#if defined(Q_OS_MACOS)
+// implemented in MoveToApplications.mm; may relaunch the app and not return
+extern "C" void openmix_offer_move_to_applications();
+#endif
+
 int main(int argc, char* argv[]) {
     QApplication qtApp(argc, argv);
 
@@ -38,6 +43,12 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[]) {
     QApplication::setOrganizationName("OpenMix");
     QApplication::setWindowIcon(QIcon(":/icons/openmix.png"));
 
+#if defined(Q_OS_MACOS)
+    // before any real startup work: Sparkle cannot update an app that runs
+    // from Downloads, a DMG, or a translocation path
+    openmix_offer_move_to_applications();
+#endif
+
     oclero::qlementine::icons::initializeIconTheme();
 
     // Fusion base, but show tooltips faster than the platform default